August of the 6th year of Qingheng.

The first acre of cotton in Xujiazhuang has been harvested.

The reason why it grew so fast was because of Xu Erniang's magic medicine. However, Xu Yueyuan called it chemical fertilizer.

With the support of special nutrients, cotton grew very well this year, and Xu Yue finally saw the hope of large-scale planting.

The yield of this acre of cotton is 500 kilograms. Compared with the yield of later generations, it is above average. It can be seen that the cotton seed given by the technology tree at the beginning is a high-quality product, which is why it has such a yield.

Xu Yue was very happy. She selected the best plants and kept them as seeds. She carefully followed her experience in previous years and stored them in a research room with a stable temperature.

There may be more cotton that can be planted next year. If it continues to spread, in two or three years, it should be able to satisfy the needs of the entire Yuyang County.

Xu Yue sent the beaten cotton to the textile factory and asked female workers to spin it into cotton thread, and part of it was made into clothes and quilts.

A larger part is made into gauze, cotton balls, cotton swabs, masks and other medical supplies.

Looking at the two extra boxes of cotton medical supplies in the pharmacy of the health center, Xu Yue instantly felt the importance of cotton.

It can make so many things, and compared to the traditional method of growing mulberry and raising silkworms to make cloth, growing cotton requires less manpower and material resources. It can produce more and warmer clothes, and it is more durable than silk and linen.

In fact, today's clothes are not washable. It is also because Xujiazhuang produces a lot of woolen sweaters that the villagers have cheap clothes to change and maintain good hygiene.

But if they are placed in villages and towns outside, clothes are precious and poorer families generally do not wash clothes frequently in order to extend the service life of the clothes.

Fabrics woven from silk require even more careful care, not to mention all kinds of embroidered and dyed clothes. There is no dye that will not fade at the moment. The brighter the color, the faster it will fade.

Clothes like this will probably fade in color after being washed two or three times throughout the year.

Cotton cloth is different. In addition to pilling, regular washing will not cause it to deteriorate as quickly as linen and silk fabrics.

In short, cotton has many benefits.

Xu Yue specially let the female workers in the textile factory spin the last bit of cotton into needlework and thread. The women in the village wanted all the threads they had seen. They felt that this kind of thread was stronger and less easy to break when used to make clothes. They couldn't put it down.

However, the total amount was too small, so Xu Yue gave it to no one, and only used one-third as year-end benefits. The remaining two-thirds were given to the impatient Xu Erniang to make clothes.

Just when the Xu Yue sisters were making new cotton-padded clothes for the family of five, Wang Pingping, who had escorted Gongsun Zan to settle in Bingzhou and spent a year in Bingzhou, finally came back.

At this time, the weather turned cooler and it was already the end of September.

We haven't seen each other for more than a year, but there is no unfamiliarity between the family.

Seeing Wang Pingping, who was dressed in military uniform and whose skin had successfully darkened two degrees, leading the guards on horseback from afar, the Xu Yue brothers and sisters, who had received the news a long time ago, immediately ran out of the big iron gate and greeted them.

"Aniang!"

Xu Yue's loud shouts spread far across the open fields, fearing that the people on the other side wouldn't hear her, and her face turned red with excitement.

Wang Pingping looked up and saw the three children running towards her with smiles, and she felt a little confused for a moment.

Time passed so quickly in her hands, as if she had just left home yesterday and nothing had changed.

But the longing that has been involved day and night is rushing out at this moment like a flood!

"Aniang!"

Suddenly, the little daughter had rushed in front of her. Wang Pingping tightened the reins, stretched out her hand in front of her, and pulled the little daughter onto the horse.

Xu Yue was so excited, with big eyes shining brightly, that she hugged her mother's cold armor tightly, and then let go after a while, looking up and asking with a smile:

"Are you still leaving? Is the war over? Can we celebrate the New Year together at home this year?"

Wang Pingping nodded first to Xu Dalang and Xu Erniang who came after them, then helplessly looked at the little daughter in front of her and smiled:

"You ask so many questions at once, which one should I answer first?"

Xu Da reminded from behind: "Go home first. Your mother-in-law has been running all the way. She came home as soon as she left the county office and hasn't had a breath yet."

Wang Pingping seemed to have seen something strange, so she turned around and glanced at Xu Da, "You have learned to be considerate."

Xu Da immediately twitched the corner of his mouth, with an expression that said, "Think whatever you want." He stepped forward to mount the horse, lifted Xu Erniang behind his horse, and left first.

Xu Dalang glared at Xu Da who ignored him angrily, but quickly smiled at Wang Pingping and chased Xu Da like the wind.

Wang Pingping lowered her head in a funny manner and touched Xu Yue's forehead, turned her around so that she could nestle in front of him, and called Lu Meng and other personal guards who were following behind her to enter the village together.

When Wang Pingping returned home after washing herself, her children had prepared sumptuous meals and sat obediently in front of the table, looking at her eagerly.

Xu Yue said: "Auntie, I made your favorite braised chicken legs."

Xu Erniang said: "Mom, I also made watermelon juice for you, chilled."

Even Xu Dalang stumbled and added, "I, I brought the bowls and chopsticks."

After he finished speaking, the tips of his ears turned red, making him feel unusually uncomfortable.

But it is not difficult to see that even Xu Dalang, who has a relatively weak relationship with his parents, is very happy about Wang Pingping's return.

Xu Da snorted, feeling sour in his heart. When no one greeted him, he picked up the chopsticks and picked up two large chicken drumsticks for himself. He gnawed them, making "um um" sounds from time to time, which was very comfortable.

Wang Pingping was indeed hungry, and she hadn't eaten any exquisite food for a long time. She couldn't stand it because of Xu Da's happy expression. She praised the children one by one before starting to eat.

Wang Youliang's breeding farm has become very large, and there is no shortage of meat and egg supply in Zhuangzi. Although it cannot be eaten every meal, it is perfectly fine to eat it every three or five times.

So Xu Yue's pot of braised chicken legs is also very solid. Thirty large chicken legs are enough.

After eating the chicken legs, pour the marinade on the thin wheat cakes, eat two or three cakes, and finally have a big sip of ice-cold watermelon juice and a satisfying burp, and you will die without regrets.

"Are you tired or sleepy? The bed in the room has been made. Why don't you go and take a nap first?" Xu Yue asked with concern.

As soon as she got home, Wang Pingping felt relaxed and not sleepy.

And she knew that her family had a lot to say to her, and she also had a lot to say to her family, so she shook her head.

"It's okay. I'm too full. Let's digest it first."
Chapter completed!