Chapter 2 The Old Society
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spn Sun Changqing is a teacher in the village. He has two or three earthen houses. His daughter-in-law squeezed into one room and lived in one by herself. The remaining room just had a side room at the back, which could be used for Zhang Shusheng to stay.
Taking the steaming boiled sweet potatoes from his daughter-in-law's hand, Sun Changqing blushed slightly and asked his son and his wife, who had been busy cleaning up the house, to go to bed before serving it to Zhang Shusheng.[]
"There is nothing to eat in the village. Let's fill our stomachs, little brother." A tung oil lamp, not much bigger than a soybean, was lit in the house. Zhang Shusheng sat at the old table with a parcel on his back, but there was a growling sound in his stomach.
I got up, but there was no water in the whole night.
A bowl of boiled sweet potatoes as thick as two fingers and a bowl of camellia water were served in an earthenware bowl that he had not seen for a long time. But Zhang Shusheng was very grateful and ate them all. They tasted really good. Although the sweet potatoes were small, they were delicious.
When I woke up, my lips and teeth were still fragrant. Then I wiped my mouth and prepared to talk to this knowledgeable old gentleman.
"Thank you, Mr. Sun, for your hospitality. I'm really grateful."[
"No, no. It's just that we in Lishuping are a little poorer, and you, a student full of foreign ink, have been wronged." Sun Changqing squeezed the dry tobacco pot, and there was no tobacco in it. He sighed and said, "That's all.
It’s harmful to the world.”
"..."
Zhang Shusheng was pretty bad at history. Although he knew it was 1915, he still had no idea what 1915 represented. He had some vague impressions, but they were also vague. At this time, he envied those time-travelers in novels.
, all have magical powers, and can recite historical events, big and small. I only remember the general things, and for a moment I had to reply: "Yes, there is a lot of trouble in the north. Some people only want to be powerful and powerful, but they don't care about the lives of the people."
"Common people? When did Yuan Datou treat us as human beings? Not to mention the big aspects, the 21 traitors to the country, but the county is full of slogans refuting the 21 points of losing power and humiliating the country. In the small aspects, warlords are fighting, banditry
Repeatedly, alas..."
Perhaps because he is a teacher, although he lives in a small village, Sun Changqing is obviously more worried than other people of this era. In a big way, he is worried about the country and the people, but in a small way, he is concerned about his own belly, and he is knowledgeable.
It's not like he's an empty talker, he's just a minor figure. Hearing this distressed student's emotions stirred up some of the character in his heart that hadn't been finally wiped out.
"In this world, no one can live even if he takes less than three or five dozen dollars more. The world is harmful." After listening to Sun Changqing's words, Zhang Shusheng remembered that this year was a big day in the early years of the Republic of China. What the hell did Yuan Shikai do?
, he planned to become the emperor himself after selling the country, but it failed and he was furious to death the next year.
Sun Changqing knocked the pot of dry tobacco, picked up the tobacco bag and carefully added some cigarettes, and asked: "What did you learn before, little brother?"
"Mr. Sun, just call me Zhang Shusheng." Zhang Shusheng came to the door with a question. It seemed that he had something to do. He thought that if he said that he was engaged in technology, he would probably be out of luck. It seemed that he had to say something else: "Because it just involves Western learning.
Soon, in addition to having a certain understanding of arithmetic, astronomy, biology, nature and other subjects, I also had some methods for dealing with daily colds."
"Arithmetic and astronomy?" Sun Changqing obviously didn't understand the dazzling array of subject names. He only had some understanding of arithmetic and astronomy, and he felt a little happy in his heart. "Can you also use some methods to treat colds? Brother Zhang seems to be very knowledgeable."
"Where is it?" Zhang Shusheng thought to himself. Of course he knows arithmetic and astronomy. After all, he is considered a junior college graduate. If he loses 80% of it, he can still get back a few points. This cold and flu are all emergencies. Anyway, as a modern person, he can't deal with some
There are also basic prevention and treatment methods for minor diseases. If it doesn't work, think of another way.
Sun Changqing thought for a long time, took a few puffs of dry tobacco, exhaled bursts of smoke, and then said: "I wonder what Brother Zhang has planned in the future?"
Finally asked about the business, Zhang Shusheng pretended to be serious and said: "The world is really chaotic. I was able to walk to Lishuping, but I suffered too much along the way. Now there is trouble in the south, and bandits are everywhere. Go
Nowhere."
"Then why not stay for now!" Sun Changqing said happily.
"What does Mr. Sun mean?"
Sun Changqing: "I'm old, and I can only teach children how to read and write every day. I see that the children in the city are learning new things, and I'm thinking about letting you stay and teach them. At other times, who's home?
If there is a person who has a headache, brain fever, sores and diseases, my little brother can also help treat him."
"Well, I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to take on a big job. Moreover, the new courses are so complicated that I am afraid it will be difficult for me to cover them all." Zhang Shusheng said. He wanted to stay, but he also didn't want to be tied to death and become a teacher or teacher in the future.
Doctor.
Unexpectedly, Sun Changqing seemed to have thought of it a long time ago and said: "Of course. Just take some time to talk to the children every day. As for what to talk about, you are the teacher and it is up to you. As for seeing a doctor, I don't force it.
People are dying of illness and starvation everywhere these days. We should save them if we can, and do our best to obey fate."
Zhang Shusheng nodded secretly. In the first half of the 20th century, China, let alone China, suffered from various diseases. From this war to that war, a sea of people died. Unlike in later generations, a dead dog could wake up half a day in the street.
"It is better to obey orders than to be respectful."[
They hit it off immediately and agreed.
After Sun Changqing left, he touched the pistol placed under the pillow. Zhang Shusheng, who was lying on the bed, had trouble falling asleep.
What is the concept of 1915? In the early days of the Republic of China, if you wanted to start a business, with your status and experience as a latecomer, there were many opportunities in the South. Even if it was not easy, you could achieve your goal with a little effort.
Taking a step back, working under a promising warlord, running the business carefully, and waiting for him to die before picking the fruits seems to be the way to go. It's just a pity that the Whampoa Military Academy has not been established at this time. Otherwise, we would be lazy and follow the crowd in the future.
With China's great talents by your side, you can also have an extraordinary future.
Or you might be willing to kill yourself, run south in a few years, find someone, follow him around, drill into ravines to fight guerrillas, and maybe become a general in the future.
Otherwise, if you accumulate a lot of money and take advantage of the beginning of the First World War, you can still make a living by selling some supplies.
But none of these seem to be what I want.
"Let's take a look first. Maybe these are not what you want to do."
Before going to bed, Zhang Shusheng took out the white dream machine that was related to his future success, and hugged it before falling asleep peacefully.
The next day, Zhang Shusheng got up very early. He had not lived in the countryside for several years, and he felt so familiar when he heard the familiar sounds of pots and pans.
When I got up, I saw the Sun family's son and his wife making breakfast. After greeting Zhang Shusheng, the two of them continued to be busy.
"Laixi, what are you doing?" Sun Changqing's son's name is Sun Laixi, a typical auspicious name. Zhang Shusheng saw that they were busy for a while, and he felt a little sorry and didn't want to help. Sun Changqing actually ran out to find something early in the morning.
"Brother Zhang, this is corn paste, a country thing." Sun Laixi said.
"I know that one, Pleurotus striata. Is it cold Pleurotus leucocephala?" Zhang Shusheng watched leisurely as Sun's daughter-in-law poured out a bit of the sour water from the sauerkraut jar and mixed it with the cleaned and cut into small pieces of Pleurotus striata.
, sprinkle some spicy food, although the old society was very poor, the preparation of this dish is not necessarily inferior, but is very authentic. When he was a child, Zhang's mother often made it for him.
"Yes, Brother Zhang has a good eye."
While the two were talking, Sun Changqing came back with his trousers rolled up and holding a fish bamboo strip in his hand. There were two or three small fish in it, all alive.
"Brother Sun, what are you...what should I do?" Zhang Shusheng was a little flattered. He didn't expect that Sun Changqing would go to the fields to catch fish early in the morning in order to entertain him for his first formal breakfast.
"It's okay, it's okay. There aren't many fish in the ravine, so let's make some pickled cabbage and crucian carp soup." Sun Changqing asked his son to deal with the fish, and then called his daughter-in-law, asking her to go to the village chief's house to invite him.
From time to time, the Sun family's daughter-in-law came back with the village chief, and also brought some noodles, which were relatively rare at the time, so breakfast was enough.
The Sun family had guests, and the aroma of cooking attracted many children to watch from a distance. However, they did not dare to go in due to the adults' instructions, and they all stretched their necks to swallow their saliva.
Zhang Shusheng didn't notice the children at the door. From time to time he was called to the table, and a very sumptuous breakfast began.
The Sun family's wife did not come to the table, so Zhang Shusheng, Sun family father and son, and the village chief were together. At the dinner table, Sun Changqing told the village chief what he had thought about last night. It turned out that the two of them had already planned this matter together, but they did not expect Zhang Shusheng to be just right.
When we caught up, we hit it off immediately.[
"Come on, brother Zhang, eat more. There is not much to eat in the countryside. Let's make do with it. The hard days will be long in the future." There was no wine at home and everyone was drinking tea. Sun Changqing poured a small cup of tea and presented a toast to Zhang Shusheng.
"I also grew up in the countryside. Brother Sun, you're welcome, village chief." Zhang Shusheng was also polite. Several people came and went and started eating and drinking. Although the corn paste was not as delicious as rice, it had a different flavor. After a while,
He doesn't eat whole grains, but he feels good after eating them.
"oops……"
While several people were eating and talking and laughing, an exclamation came from the kitchen. Zhang Shusheng happened to be sitting close to the kitchen, so he hurriedly got up to take a look.
It turned out that the Sun family's daughter-in-law overturned the bowl. There was no polenta or fish soup in it. It seemed to contain some burnt corn polenta, two or three cooked wild vegetables and a few handfuls of Pleurotus leucophylla. There was a bowl of boiling water next to it.
, this is her breakfast.
"Brother Sun, how can you be so outsider? How can I, an outsider, bear to eat such a good breakfast?" Like a thunder, Zhang Shusheng realized what the old society was and what it was like for people to be so hungry that they could eat tree bark.
The old society. Even if the southwest region has slightly more self-produced food, it is still just starving to death.
Everything in front of him told him that the problem that this society needs to solve most is nothing else but food.
In a society where there is no food and clothing and no warmth, what should I do now that I have returned? Is it more important to be civilized or martial, or to be famous all over the world, than to have everyone in the country eat and wear warm clothes?
A sense of shame from the deepest part of his heart made Zhang Shu blush. Yes, he came from modern times and had never suffered that kind of hardship, but as a Chinese, shouldn't he do something when he saw all this?
"Laixi, let Cuihua come to the table for dinner." Sun Changqing glanced at his daughter-in-law, who was trembling with fear, sighed, and called everyone back to the table to continue eating.
"No matter what it is, let's talk slowly after dinner."
Under these words, Zhang Shusheng almost choked as he ate this sumptuous breakfast. He did not expect that a little corn paste, some phlox root, and fish soup would be the ultimate of the Sun family. If the Sun family is like this, what about the others?
Breakfast was finished quickly, Zhang Shusheng didn't say anything, he just asked Sun Changqing to take him to other people's houses to have a look while everyone was still having breakfast.
The results were not very optimistic. I visited four or five restaurants, and only one had batter. The others were only half a plate of vegetables without oil or salt, and the wateriest soup that could make a human figure shine through.
"It's not that the ground doesn't grow, it's that there's nothing to grow. The few vegetables have a long maturity period and are gone after just a few crops. As for grain, there's only so much produced in a year, and there's also land rent.
I have to pay..."
Under Sun Changqing's explanation, Zhang Shusheng understood. This era is not the era he lived in. There are no various vegetables, no chemical fertilizers, no high-yielding seeds, no rural land household contract system, and there is no hybrid rice here.
.
All this is because this place is called the old society!!
"Perhaps I should stay. If you have a dream machine, you can always develop it slowly. Letting the people in the old society have food to eat and clothes to wear is more important and more realistic than any slogan to drive out the Tartars."
On this day, Zhang Shusheng decided on his future development direction and made up his mind to stay in Lishuping. Even though it was a remote place, with the Dream Machine, he could create a different world.
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Chapter completed!