The world of film and television started from optical film

Chapter 263
"Auntie, I've made it clear what you asked for. I'm sorry to bother you to run around a little longer. If this is done, I'll give you three extra liters of wheat in addition to the thank you gift from the old man!"

"Three liters of wheat?" The matchmaker's face was full of shock. She was sitting on the kang, but now she stood up, and she couldn't believe her ears. She raised two fingers and confirmed to Wang Zhong: "Captain Wang, it's true. Three liters of wheat? Don't fool my old lady."

In fact, there is not much wheat in three liters, one liter is about one and a half catties, and three liters is about four or five catties. During the summer harvest this year, every household basically harvested one or two hundred catties of wheat, which can be dug up and handed over. Apart from tax and food, there is not much left.

The flour made from wheat is fine grains, which are not eaten by rural people, and most of them are exchanged in the city for coarse grains such as corn and sweet potatoes.

Three liters of wheat can be exchanged for a lot of coarse grains, enough to feed a family for several days. If there is a famine, these three liters of wheat may save a few lives.

The matchmaker's face was full of anticipation.

Wang Zhong said in a dignified manner: "I, Wang Zhong, speak with every spit and nail. As long as my aunt completes my marriage with Brother Youdao, I offer two liters of wheat with both hands. I will never be like that big head of a horse. Fool people with the muffled wheat.”

"With Captain Wang's words, this marriage is on my shoulders!"

"Auntie, there is one more thing!"

"What's the matter?"

"The matter of the three liters of wheat, you just need to know it yourself, don't tell others." Wang Zhong said.

The matchmaker was stunned for a moment, and then she came to her senses: "Don't worry, your aunt and I have the best mouth, and I won't let a third person know about it."

"Auntie! Then I will trouble you!"

"No trouble, no trouble!"

After a while of excuses, Wang Zhongcai came out from the matchmaker's house.

"Brother Big Chong?" Wang Zhong had just stepped out of the door when he heard an exclamation not far from his back.

"It's the three monkeys!" The three monkeys were wearing cotton-padded jackets, gloves, hats, and some layers of straw stuffed into the shoes under their feet. They carried a fork on their shoulders and a basket behind them.

Looking at him like this, he knew he was picking up dung: "How much dung did you pick up?"

The three monkeys looked annoyed and depressed: "When I went, I happened to bump into the old donkey walking back with a dung basket and rake. There is no dung for me to pick up."

"When the weather gets warmer in a few days, let's dig some silt out of the river, dry it and use it as fertilizer!"

"Dig mud in the river?" The three monkeys frowned: "Can mud be used as fertilizer?"

"Why, don't you believe me?"

"How can it be!"

"I'll do whatever you say!" The three monkeys said with a smile.

After speaking, the three monkeys suddenly realized that Wang Zhong came out of the door just now, so he stretched his neck curiously and looked into the courtyard. Wang Zhong showed a smile on his face, and the fire of gossip was ignited: "Brother Big Chong, are you planning to find a wife?"

But Wang Zhong smiled mysteriously: "The secret must not be revealed." After saying that, he turned around and left.

"Brother Big Chong!" The three monkeys rushed to catch up, and walked side by side with Wang Zhong: "Whose girl are you looking at? Are you handsome? How old are you?"

The curious questions of the three monkeys were gradually covered by the rustling north wind and the heavy snow that fluttered like goose feathers.

In the twelfth lunar month of winter, heavy snow fell, and the mountains and plains turned into a vast expanse of whiteness.

"Northern scenery, thousands of miles of ice, thousands of miles of snow. Looking inside and outside the Great Wall, there is nothing but turbulence; up and down the river, it suddenly loses its torrential flow. The mountain dances with silver snakes, and the original galloping wax figure. I want to compare myself with the gods. I must see the red clothes on a sunny day. Wrapped in plain, extraordinarily enchanting.

The mountains and rivers are so beautiful, attracting countless heroes to bow down.Xi Qin Huang Han Wu, a little less literary talent; Tang Zong Song Zu, a little less coquettish.Genghis Khan, the proud son of heaven, only knows how to bend a bow and shoot big eagles.It's all over, count the romantic figures, and look at the present. "

On the upper reaches of the Maixiang River, beside the big waterwheel, Wang Zhong stood by the river with a bamboo hat, with the wind and snow on his head, and his feet on the ground. Looking at the snow scene on both sides of the Maixiang River, he couldn't help feeling emotional, and read this poem written in 36 "Qinyuanchun·Snow"

"A good word, a good occasion, and a good mood!" With three good words in succession, Ma Renli, wearing a mandarin jacket and a felt hat, strode towards Wang Zhong.

"Why are you here?" Wang Zhong didn't turn his head, still looking at the distant scenery.

"It's snowing too much. I was thinking about asking you to come and see our big waterwheel. When I arrived at your house, I found that you were not at home. I asked Ma Renlian and found out that you have come." Ma Renli put his hands in his sleeves , shrinking his neck, curled up, like a monkey.

"Auspicious snow heralds a good year. With such heavy snow, there will definitely be a good harvest in the coming year." Seeing that Wang Zhong didn't speak, Ma Renli sighed again.

Wang Zhong withdrew his gaze and turned his head to look at Ma Renli: "If you don't please your sweetheart, why come here to ruin the scenery?"

Ma Renli couldn't bear to be suffocated by Wang Zhong's words: "What kind of sweetheart, don't talk nonsense."

Wang Zhong didn't even bother to expose his poor acting skills: "The ancients said it well, marrying a wife should marry a virtuous person, just like you are now, people don't think much of you."

"What's wrong with me?" If it was anything else, Ma Renli would have given up, but it involved Qiao Yue, this was his last dignity as a man.

"Then why did you invite her to join our mutual aid group? She didn't agree, but instead decided to follow Niu Bold?"

"I... how would I know!" Ma Renli said.

"Qiao Yue is spoiled and pampered. She has thin skin and tender flesh. She is not as good as you. She works hard in the fields. She pinches orchids and sings on the ridge. She wears a scarf from autumn to spring, and she doesn't leave it behind when she works. , like the kind of people who work hard?

Besides, Niu Bold, he has all the strength in his body, he is good at work, and he is good at field work. He can also do the work in Qiao Yue's field, can you? "

"I..." Ma Renli wanted to defend himself, but he really didn't have the confidence.

Wang Zhong said disdainfully: "You don't even understand the work in your own field. If you were Qiao Yue, between you and Niu Bold, which one would you choose?"

"Although I promised your father to take care of you, you are not my son. These words are the last time I tell you. If you are a smart person, you should get rid of the unrealistic thoughts in your heart as soon as possible. Seriously, really live your life first, it's better than anything else."

"Wait a few more years, people will let go of their prejudice against you, and then find an honest, good-quality, hard-working wife who can help you and have a few more children, and your life will be different." So sad."

This is what Wang Zhong said from the bottom of his heart. Although Ma Renli has gained a wave of reputation because of the waterwheel and canal, but because of the identity of Ma Datou's son and the time is too short, people's prejudice against Ma Renli has not been completely eliminated. Fortunately, most of the people in Maixiang Village are relatively simple and have no bad intentions. Otherwise, with Ma Renli's background, he may suffer some crimes.

"Okay, it's cold outside, with your body, go home and stay on the kang."

After saying that, Wang Zhong turned around and went back first. Ma Renli looked at Wang Zhong's tall back, gritted his teeth, and followed up.

Wang Zhong has already said what should be said. Whether he can listen to it or not is Ma Renli's business. After all, Ma Renli is a mature adult who has read poetry and books. He has his own ideas, not Wang Zhong's. Marionettes.

On New Year's Eve, as the first New Year after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the folks in Maixiang Village were in an unprecedented celebration and joy.

Although life is equally difficult nowadays, it is much better than before. Other entertainment items cannot be afforded, but posting couplets, setting off firecrackers, and making dumplings can still be arranged.

Early in the morning, shortly after dawn, I heard sporadic firecrackers in the village.

For the Chinese New Year, Wang Zhong also planned to give himself a few days off to rest.

Not long after breakfast, Lao Ganbang and Three Monkeys came to Wang Zhong's house.

In the study room in the east wing, in front of the desk, the old man spreads the paper, the three monkeys grind the ink, Wang Zhong picks up the pen to dip the ink, the pen moves like a dragon and snake, flowing clouds and flowing water, and in a short while, a couplet is completed.

"It's beautiful, the writing is beautiful!" Three Monkeys praised sincerely.

"It's really beautiful!" Lao Ganbang kept nodding.

"Brother Big Chong, how do you pronounce these words!"

The three monkeys and Lao Ganbang were both born in poverty. They spent their entire lives digging in the fields, never went to school, and naturally couldn't read.

"Hundred years of heaven and earth returning to vitality!" Wang Zhong pointed his hand from top to bottom, reading word by word.

"What about the second line?" Three Monkeys couldn't wait to ask.

Wang Chong winked at Lao Ganbang, and Lao Ganbang immediately put the written couplet aside and replaced it with a new piece of paper.

"This couplet is: Unify the peace between mountains and rivers."

"The horizontal comment is: Guotai Minan!"

"Unify the mountains and rivers, the country is peaceful and the people are safe!" Lao Ganbang nodded his head vaguely, looking very satisfied with his comments, "Sounds quite imposing."

"The momentum is enough, but it's a little less festive." The three monkeys said with a shy smile: "Brother, can you write me a festive one!"

"I don't know what to buy!" This kid obviously didn't pay attention to this picture, Wang Zhong squinted at him and said: "Light up the lanterns and festoons to welcome the new year, celebrate the festive season with joy, how about this couplet?"

"This is good! This is good!" The three monkeys almost burst into laughter.

Wang Zhong shook his head, picked up a pen and wrote down this couplet, the horizontal inscription was also simple and popular, with only four words 'Happy Spring Festival', the three monkeys liked it.

The stick for the old man is: the lucky star will always shine in the safe house, and the good times will always come to Kangle's house. The horizontal comment is Sanyang Kaitai.

Ma Renlian from the front yard and Niu Bold from the side yard saw Lao Ganbang and the three monkeys going out happily with the newly written couplet. Ma Renlian took a plate of steamed buns, and Niu Bold brought a bowl of dumplings. , one of them asked Wang Zhong for a couplet. Looking at the flying characters, both of them also had smiles on their faces.

"Bold brother, post couplets!"

Niu Bold had just set up the ladder, scraped the paste on the opposite side, and was about to stick it on the ladder, when suddenly Qiao Yue's voice came from the gate of the courtyard.

"It's Qiao Yue! What's the matter, what's the matter?" Niu boldly turned his head and glanced, then continued to climb the ladder.

Qiao Yue hurriedly trotted to the side of the ladder to help Niu Bold up the ladder: "It's fine, just stroll around."

"Where did this couplet come from? The writing is pretty good!" Qiao Yue could barely be considered a half-educated person. Although she didn't have much ability, she knew a little bit.

"The five lakes and the four seas are full of spring, and this couplet is also good."

"It's not bad! The second line is: Wanshuiqianshan is full of brilliance, and the horizontal comment is: Vientiane is renewed." Niu boldly smiled, and said with emotion: "Written by Wang Dachong, he wrote several copies, I just fell in love with this one. "

"Written by Wang Chong?" Qiao Yue was taken aback: "His handwriting is so good?"

"It's very good, correct, and beautiful!"

The couplets written by Wang Zhong for everyone are all in Xingkai, the fonts are correct and elegant.

This big character is different from lower case. Those who can write lower case well may not be able to write big characters well. Looking at the flamboyant brushwork, the strong and powerful skeleton, without a lot of hard work, they will never be able to write such characters.

It's a pity that Qiao Yue is only half-baked, after all, she's just an actor, if Ma Renli, maybe she can see some clues.

Helping Niu Bold to paste up the couplets, Qiao Yue didn't stay, and left after a few words with Niu Bold.

"Is anyone home?" Qiao Yue yelled as soon as she entered the courtyard.

"Inside the room! The door is unlocked, come in by yourself!"

The voice came from the east wing. Qiao Yue walked to the south room of the east wing, opened the door and walked in.

"It's Qiao Yue! What can you do with me?"

Qiao Yue closed the door with her backhand: "I can't find you if I have nothing to do!"

Qiao Yue pursed her lips, nodded and walked towards the kang with a smile, and even gave Wang Zhong a wink.

"It's so cold, you left a kang as big as the main room, why did you come to the side room?" Qiao Yue walked to the edge of the kang and sat down on the kang, and immediately bounced up again in shock, exclaiming: "Oh, why is this kang still cold? You are not afraid of freezing."

Wang Zhongdao: "I am young, my body is strong, and I am resistant to freezing."

Hearing this, Qiao Yue couldn't help but looked up and down at the tall figure sitting cross-legged on the kang with his back facing the window, couldn't help biting his lower lip again, and said, "You, I'm caring about you."

"I accept it with good intentions, but it's really unnecessary. If you want to spare time, you might as well care about Niu Bold. He helps you a lot on weekdays. If it weren't for him, you might have to go hungry this year."

Qiao Yue didn't take it seriously: "Brother Bold really takes care of me..."

"Wang Zhong! Are you at home?"

Before Qiao Yue finished speaking, Ma Renli's voice suddenly came from outside.

"Here it is!" Wang Chong replied.

Immediately outside the door came the sound of getting closer and closer footsteps, accompanied by the sound of opening the door, and Ma Renli's voice: "Why don't you leave the main house and come to the east wing?"

As soon as Ma Renli finished speaking, he saw Qiao Yue sitting on the edge of the kang.

She was dressed in a floral padded jacket, with the same shoulder-length short hair, smooth and soft, apparently taken care of every day, with a clean face and picturesque eyebrows, not much changed from her youth, and the same red scarf around her neck. The scarf was given by Ma Renli back then.

"Qiao Yue?" Seeing Qiao Yue, Ma Renli was very surprised: "Why are you here?"

"Why can't I be here?" Qiao Yue replied.

"That's not what I meant!" Ma Renli hurriedly explained.

"I came to Wang Zhong to discuss a couplet, what are you doing here?" Qiao Yue kept her distance from Ma Renli now, for fear that others would associate her with Ma Renli.

"I'm planning to go to the county seat, come over and ask Wang Zhong if you want to go with me!"

"Go, why don't you go!" Wang Zhong asked, "You go to Mrs. Jin Hua's to bring the cow back, and I'll go to the backyard to push the cart out."

There is a backyard at the back of the courtyard, which used to be where the horses’ parents worked and the barn. The firewood house, pig pen, chicken pen and duck house are all behind. Now it is divided into two parts. The west part used to be the chicken house. The duck house was allocated to Niu Bold, and the east part is the firewood house, the pigsty and the cow shed. Because it is right behind Wang Zhong’s main house, it was allocated to Wang Zhong. There is a road from the west of the main house. can pass.

Wang Zhong was about to go out, so Qiao Yue naturally couldn't stay any longer, but when he heard that the two were going to the county town, Qiao Yue immediately changed his mind.

"Captain Wang, can you take me with you?" Qiao Yue said, "I also want to go to the county to buy something."

"No problem!" Before Wang Zhong could speak, Ma Renli agreed on Wang Zhong's behalf.

It's true, it's another licking dog.

Wang Zhong shook his head, didn't say anything, it's useless to say, Wang Zhong has already said what should be said before.

The next day, on the morning of the first day of the new year, just after breakfast, people came to pay Wang Zhong New Year's greetings one after another. With the incident of returning home, to the construction of windmills and threshing machines, to the smooth completion of the first and second stages of the siege of water conservancy irrigation, The winter wheat planted so hard by the villagers no longer has to worry about irrigation in the winter and spring irrigation, and Wang Zhong's prestige in the hearts of the villagers is naturally getting higher and higher.

Especially recently, the village chiefs and party secretaries of ten miles and eight townships have come to visit Wang Zhong, asking for advice and learning experience in water conservancy irrigation, and asking Wang Zhong to help build windmills and threshers.

In the hearts of the villagers in Maixiang Village, Wang Zhong seemed to have become a figure like Zhou Yihu.

For this situation, Wang Zhong is naturally happy to hear it, otherwise, he would not work so hard.

After all, the main task given by the system is: to change the fate of everyone in Maixiang Village as much as possible, and avoid those regrettable tragedies.

Wang Zhong already had preliminary calculations in his heart, but if he wanted to realize these calculations, the first step was to expand his reputation as much as possible, and it couldn't be limited to Maixiang Village.

On the eighth day of the lunar new year, the matchmaker came to Wang Zhong happily, and congratulated Wang Chong when she came up.

"Auntie, it's not that I asked someone to say goodbye, why are you congratulating me?" Wang Zhong pointed in the direction of Lao Ganbang while saying that: "Where is the person you should congratulate!"

"Auntie, sit in the room, drink hot water to warm your stomach first." Wang Zhong welcomed him into the main room, sat on the kang, and poured a bowl of hot water.

Lao Ganbang grinned, although a little embarrassed, but more looking forward to it: "Auntie, is there any news?"

That's a daughter-in-law, and in the past ten years or so, the old man didn't even dare to think about it.

The matchmaker took a sip of water and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, this time, you must be satisfied."

Years ago, the matchmaker also introduced one to Lao Ganbang, and at first she agreed, but when Wang Zhong and Lao Ganbang came to see her, the girl was also handsome, she was just the same age as Hua'er, The girl's parents originally agreed, but the girl didn't like it when she saw that Lao Ganbang was old, not tall, and not good-looking.

No matter what her parents say, the girl just refuses to let go. Marriage is a matter of your love and my willingness. After all, the couple will still live together in the future. If they are unwilling, they will be considered married. Maybe what will happen, Lao Ganbang didn't want to force the girl, let alone embarrass the parents, so he simply refused the matter through the mouth of the matchmaker.

"Which family is the girl from?" Lao Ganbang asked impatiently.

"It's the second girl from Han Laosi's family in Jixian Town. Her name is Han Chunmei. She is 22 years old this year. Not to mention her appearance, she does laundry, cooks, and cleans up the house. Sewing and repairing are all easy, and she is also good at field work. "

"Such a good girl, can people take a fancy to me?" Lao Ganbang said without confidence.

"Auntie, if this girl is really as good as you said, if you go to her house to propose marriage, you will have to step on the threshold of her house." Wang Zhong said.

The matchmaker said: "Who says it's not? In the past, people might not have looked up to Lao Ganbang, but now it's different. Han Laosi has six children, two girls, and four sons. His eldest son last year They just got married, and now the second and third sons are also at the age of marriage, but last year, the land was just divided into households, and the fourth Han's family has a large population, how can there be much surplus food in the family, and now their family is taking care of the second and third children of his family. Worrying about the dowry gift."

"Old Ganbang is indeed not young, but the betrothal gift is high, ten liters of wheat, ten eggs, three feet of floral cloth, such a thick betrothal gift, I have told people the matchmaker for most of my life, in our farmer's family It's the first time we've seen you inside."

"Then find a time, and my aunt will take the old man to visit the girl's house, let's meet first and then talk about it!"

"No problem, anytime!" The matchmaker assured, patting her chest.

"How about tomorrow?" Seeing Lao Ganbang's eager look, Wang Zhong suggested.

"Success! Then tomorrow, we will go there early in the morning."

The next day, when Lao Ganbang came back, the smile on his face never stopped.

"It's done?" Wang Zhong asked.

"It's done!" Lao Ganbang said happily.

"When is the date set?"

"Booked for eighteen days."

"So fast?" Wang Zhong was a little surprised. It's already the ninth day of junior high school, and it's only nine days before the eighteenth day.

"It's your future father-in-law who is in a hurry to tell your two future brothers-in-law a daughter-in-law, afraid that you will change your mind?" Wang Zhong guessed.

Lao Ganbang chuckled and didn't make any excuses.

Wang Zhong: "Did you tell your second grandfather about this?"

Lao Ganbang shook his head and said, "Not yet, I'll go talk to Second Grandpa right away!"

The news that Lao Ganbang used ten liters of wheat as a bride price spread across the entire Maixiang Village in an instant, causing quite a stir. They couldn’t get enough to eat, and the three monkeys had always been friends with Lao Ganbang on weekdays Yes, one after another came to find Lao Ganbang to confirm the news.

Everyone started to help Lao Ganbang to get married, and he naturally didn't have the ability to set up a banquet and make a big deal of it. Now every household is living a tight life. Although Lao Ganbang has some food in his hand, the betrothal gift is gone Most of the time, there is not much left, and after getting married, his family will have an extra mouth to eat. Fortunately, it is not long before the summer harvest. If the family's wheat is replaced by coarse grains such as corn and sweet potatoes, it should still be eaten by the summer harvest. I can have a little left.

(End of this chapter)