Shuanzhu and spring flowers disembarking the ship in Laizhou's harbor.
Among the many ports in the Bohai Bay, Laizhou Port can only be regarded as a small port.
The ship unloaded some cargo here, including grain, timber, and other Far Eastern specialties ordered by the main local merchants in Laizhou.
After large-scale preparations for the establishment of farms, the Far East was able to be self-sufficient in food as early as the last season's food harvest.
The population there is only so small, and the total amount of food consumed is limited, so the excess food naturally has to be sold.
Because most farms operate on a self-financing model, which means they have to make money.
Food from the Far East is now mainly sold to the Mobei Grasslands, and some from Siberia are sold by sea ships to Shandong and Hebei.
Livestock from the Mobei region, furs from Siberia, honey and other goods are generally sold from the Far East to the south.
Therefore, the Far East, especially the Heilongjiang Basin, has become the transit center for maritime cargo transportation in the entire Far North.
In summer and autumn, there is a constant flow of ships on the Heilongjiang River. Large flat-bottomed ships with guardrails that transport livestock through turnstiles can be smelled from a long distance.
The kind with a long boom on top is a fishing boat. There is a pulley on the boom, and the trawl rope passes through it. Even the poorest fishermen will go to the hardware store to buy a set of pulleys and assemble them into their own fishing boats.
superior.
There are also some tugboats used to transport wood. Forest farms near the river will bundle large logs into rafts, and then these tugboats will tow them downstream to where they are needed.
The processed wood is generally used as furniture, while the large wood used as building materials or shipbuilding needs to remain intact.
After disembarking in Laizhou, the young couple said goodbye to the roommate they had been with day and night for the past few days.
Then they set off on their way home. In order to take care of his wife, Shuan Zhu decided to reluctantly spend two copper dollars and take a four-wheeled public carriage to the nearest town.
Shuan Zhu's home is in Wei County, Laizhou Prefecture. It's still hundreds of miles away from Laizhou Port.
Ye County, where the port is located, is where the capital is located. It has changed so much that Shuan Zhu is almost unrecognizable now.
At first, Shuan Zhu participated in the immigration organized by the government. It was actually a recruitment of workers on the farm. However, if he took this job, the workers' household registration would also have to be transferred there, and they would not be able to return to their place of origin to settle at will in the future.
Of course, it is still okay to go home to visit relatives like Shuan Zhu.
Chunhua met a lot of people. She followed her husband closely and wrapped her face with a scarf.
When we were on the farm, the women also worked and worked in the same way, and everyone was generous and generous.
But just now she saw some women on the pier who were all wrapped up tightly.
She thought this place was more conservative, so she followed others' example and wrapped herself up.
Because they were in a hurry to get home, the two of them did not go shopping in Laizhou City.
However, Shuan Zhu still saw a lot of changes in Laizhou from a distance.
Many new houses have been built on the open space outside the city near the dock, including front houses used for shops and residential houses with a small yard.
These are probably occupied by people who have stable jobs in the port.
There are also some tall warehouses in the port, arranged neatly in rows.
You can also see some factories with chimneys in the distance. I don’t know what they produce.
Finally a four-wheeled carriage arrived.
This is also a new thing. In the past, carriages had two wheels, because the roads at that time were not very good and were not suitable for four-wheeled carriages.
After the Renaissance Army came to power, it organized road repairs in various places, and smooth official roads were built in various towns and villages.
Many county roads have been paved with a layer of cement, so you no longer have to worry about muddy roads on rainy days.
I heard that in the future, not only every township, but also every village will have to build cement roads.
I don’t know how many cement plants will be built.
The four-wheeled carriage was pulled by two horses and could seat more than a dozen people. It was divided into two levels: upper and lower.
The lower compartment is closed and warmer, while the upper compartment is actually the roof, which is open.
Of course, the price of the lower level is different from that of the upper level.
"Shuan Zhu, why don't we sit on the upper floor? Anyway, we can get home in a few hours, and we can still see the scenery outside." Chunhua said with a smile.
This proposal is naturally more in line with Shuan Zhu's ideas. It's just that Shuan Zhu is worried that his wife will say that he is stingy, so he won't be able to speak out on his own.
Now that his wife took the initiative, he immediately agreed.
The carriage started running on the smooth road and soon left the area where the dock was located and drove directly into the endless wilderness.
Tall poplar trees were planted on both sides of the official road, but they are now bare.
The poplar trees were planted on the embankments of the Xingdaogou, and beyond that there were wheat fields that could not be seen beyond.
There is a habit of growing winter wheat here in Shandong.
Under the promotion of the Fuxing Army, the two-season rotation model is very popular in Shandong.
Winter wheat is usually planted after the autumn harvest. Rice is also planted in areas with abundant water in summer. However, in Shandong, most farmland will still be planted with corn or sweet potatoes after the summer harvest.
People in the north are still more accustomed to pasta. One season of wheat is enough for everyone, and the remaining season is used to plant high-yielding crops.
Families with a large population can use these coarse grains as a source of household food, or as feed for breeding.
Corn stalks can be used to raise cattle, and sweet potato vines are not only edible for humans, but are also good feed for pigs.
"Hey, have you heard? We fought a battle with the Franji people on the southern sea." There were two middle-aged men chatting in the carriage. The voice was not quiet, even if the wind was blowing, the young couple could
Can hear it.
"The newspaper said that Spain is massacring our Chinese people on Luzon Island. These people are really looking for death." Another middle-aged man replied.
"Yes, in the past, during the Qing Dynasty, the court could not even defeat the British, and they even had to cede territory and pay compensation. Now the government is different. Anyone who provokes us will be beaten back immediately."
"Yes, our president is young and has a good heart. I heard that the person the president admires the most is Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Anyone who offends our powerful Han Dynasty will be punished no matter how far away he is! Didn't you hear that he won another battle in the Western Region this time and built a
The Protectorate of the Western Regions is something that only existed during the Han Dynasty."
These two people obviously had read books and had some knowledge. When the two of them chatted, everyone on the side listened carefully. They just thought they were hearing something new.
"But will this war kill people? I haven't seen the government increase taxes."
"Of course, our president is from Yangzhou. He is best at doing business and making money. He is not like the Manchu Tatars who only keep an eye on the people's pockets."
"The Renaissance Army has never lost a battle in so many years, and I have never heard of how many people died. If they win a battle, the dead must be the enemy!"
"That's true. The current agricultural tax is only more than half of the original amount. The poll tax has also been cancelled. If you have more children, the government will reward you. The percentage tax has been canceled a long time ago. This is the magnanimity of a big country."
Hearing the two people talking about the reward for giving birth to a child, Chunhua's face suddenly turned red under the headscarf.
If female workers on farms in the Far East get pregnant, they have one year of maternity leave, which is much longer than in factories outside.
Everyone says that because there are fewer people in the Far East, local people should be encouraged to have more children.
Several sisters who were married to her were already pregnant. When everyone was chatting together, Chunhua felt a little unable to hold her head up.
"This is not because the Renaissance Army has conquered a large area of land outside. I heard that many farms have been established in the northeast and a lot of land has been occupied in the south. Now the country is not short of food at all." The man added.
"Yes, and there are more factories now. A large amount of things are sold to foreigners every year, and the money flows in. If you want to make money, make money from foreigners. Only ordinary people can have as much as they want. How about three melons and two dates?
This way the country becomes rich and strong.”
"I heard that during this attack on the Spaniards, many people in the city donated money to the country. In the end, the country did not ask for it. Instead, it issued a treasury bond and gave it to everyone. After a few years, they will be able to share the dividends!"
"I know that these national bonds, tens of millions of Chinese dollars, were robbed within two days after they were issued. There are so many rich people in China."
"Don't be so upset. There are many opportunities to become rich now. I heard that some people went to the north to pan for gold. They were still poor when they went, but they became rich after half a year."
"That's when I found gold nuggets. I heard it was in Alaska, but the winter there is too cold, and even the summer is not warm. Can you bear to have you looking for gold in the cold river?"
"Hey, don't tell me that it's not easy to make money. There is no such thing as a pie in the sky."
"Okay, you can build your small briquette factory well, save some capital in a few years, find a good project, and invest in a big factory. Then you won't have to ride in the public carriage with us." Another person joked.
road.
"According to your auspicious words, if I become rich one day, I will definitely not forget what you said today, brother."
…
The two of them chatted for a while while the people in the car listened.
Anyone who can ride a carriage has a little bit of experience. If ordinary people in the village go to the city, most of them go on foot, or at most they take an ox cart that comes along the way.
Most of the truly knowledgeable people working in the government ride bicycles and generally do not ride horse-drawn carriages.
After several hours of jolting, Shuan Zhu and the others finally arrived at the station.
Shuan Shuan got out of the car first, then carried the things down. When he saw Chun Hua also getting off, he stretched out his hand to support his wife.
"Is this big brother coming back from the north to visit relatives?" The middle-aged man who had been talking in the car just now saw the bolts on the roof of the car. So he couldn't help but ask.
"Well, yes, uncle, I work at Beidacang Farm." Seeing this middle-aged uncle asking himself, Shuan Zhu quickly replied.
It's been a long time since I've been here, and now that I can hear the pure local accent, Shuan Zhu feels even more at ease.
"How is your harvest this year?" the middle-aged man asked casually.
"The harvest has been great. The land here is very fat and oily. As long as we plant it well, the harvest will generally not be bad." Shuan Zhu said a few more words.
"Well, that's right. Work hard, young man, and don't embarrass us Laizhou people." The middle-aged uncle encouraged.
At this time, the coachman urged the hitch to go faster, because the carriage would continue to move forward.
"Uncle, if you go to Beidacang in the future, you can find me. My name is Liu Shuanzhu."
"Okay, goodbye!"
"goodbye."
After getting off the carriage, Zhuan Zhu held the two bags connected together on his shoulders.
"Chunhua, we still have five or six miles to go." Shuan Zhu said, not sure whether it was because he had been sitting in the carriage for a long time or because he was excited because he had returned to his hometown.
Shuan Zhu felt that his steps were much lighter.
"Shuan Zhu, please slow down, I can't even keep up with you." Chun Hua called from behind.
Along the way, Shuan Zhu kept telling Chun Hua about the surrounding scenery. Everything here accompanied Shuan Zhu's growth as a child.
The road from the town to the village has obviously been repaired.
The top is paved with a layer of weathered stones quarried in the mountains. It creaks when you walk on it. Sometimes it can sting your feet if you step on hard stone lumps.
Shuan Zhu knew the village on the roadside, and you could see some families building houses.
This is the case for people in rural areas. Once their lives are a little better off, the first thing they think of is building a house.
Generally, when someone marries their daughter, they will also look at how well the other person's house is repaired.
"Our village is ahead, Chunhua." Shuan Zhu was a little excited. He had been away for more than a year. More than a year ago, this place was still under the rule of the Qing Dynasty.
When we were walking outside, everyone still had a braid trailing behind their backs.
Nowadays, almost no one wears braids, and there is a sense that things are different.
Shuan Zhu had already met several familiar people on the road just now.
Everyone who sees Shuan Zhu will ask a lot of questions repeatedly.
Shuan Zhu would answer the questions patiently, then hand over a cigarette he brought back from the Far East, and help others light it.
He doesn't smoke himself, so he plans to bring these cigarettes back to honor his father.
Chunhua asked him to carry this bag on him so that he could give it to acquaintances he met.
If they meet children, Chunhua will hand them a handful of milk pimples. There are close contacts along the Heilongjiang River and on the grasslands, and dairy products are very popular.
The Renaissance Army also obtained many European dairy cows from the Tsarist Russians, and had a dedicated dairy factory on the farm to produce various dairy products.
Adding sugar and honey to milk pimples is similar to milk candy in later generations, and is very popular among children.
The children who got good things followed Shuan Zhu and Chun Hua, hoping to get some more.
Therefore, when entering the village, Shuan Zhu was already followed by a large group of children.
"Erya!" Shuan Zhu saw a little girl. Isn't this his second sister? He quickly stepped forward and shouted.
"Ah, brother, my mother is still talking about why you haven't come back today?" Erya said.
"Have you received the telegram I took?" Shuan Zhu had gone to the post office and sent a telegram to inform him before he came. That was already more than ten days ago.
"Well, yes, brother, it was the uncle from the post office who sent it home. It has been more than ten days. My mother also said why you spend so much time on the road!"
After saying that, the little girl looked at the woman next to her elder brother who was smiling at her with squinted eyes.
"Erya, this is sister-in-law, please call me sister-in-law." Then Shuan Zhu remembered his daughter-in-law beside him.
"Sister-in-law." Erya lowered her head, folded her clothes, and said with some embarrassment.
"Come on, let's go home. Are mom and dad okay?" Shuan Zhu asked.
"Well, everything is fine. Dad used to work as a river worker and earned a lot of money. He even bought me a hair tie." The little girl pointed to the already dirty red hair tie on her braid.
Soon, the three of them arrived at their home. The home was still the same, but it had been renovated. Shuan Zhu remembered that the previous earthen walls had fallen off in several places.
Shuan Zhu's mother took her daughter-in-law and went to the back room to chat.
Shuan Zhu saw that although the house had not changed in general, some furniture was still being added.
Perhaps knowing that she was coming back with her daughter-in-law, her mother specially cleaned the house.
The father sat there smoking cigarettes and listening to his son talk about the farm.
Shuan Zhu had three brothers. When Shuan Zhu was sent to the farm, his parents felt very sorry.
It's like driving this son out of the house.
Now I see that my eldest son is still thinking about his family, and he has come back this time. He even married his wife.
He felt even more sorry.
"Dad, you don't have to feel bad. If I hadn't gone to the farm, I wouldn't be here today." Shuan Zhu seemed to understand his father's thoughts.
"You see, the farm not only shares houses with us, but also helps us with matters such as marrying a wife."
Old man Liu looked at his eldest son again and felt that his son was different from before.
"Dad, I heard that the third child is not bad at studying, so let him study hard and become a cultural person in the future. If the second child doesn't want to study, let him go to a factory to learn a technology after he reaches elementary school.
"
"Our family is just farming, but there is still a way out. My eldest sister is about to get married. Later, I will find a young man with good character for her on the farm. From now on, she will become an employee of the farm."
"We all use big livestock and machines to work there. It's actually not tiring. The farm also has its own factory. My eldest sister will basically work in the factory when she goes there, and she won't have to suffer."
Shuan Zhu often participates in studies at the farm and is much more knowledgeable than before.
The change that Old Man Liu saw in him just now may be because of this.
All kinds of news gathered in the new capital, and before the Spring Festival came, things in Luzon finally came to a conclusion.