The new year has come to 1927.
A drought comes quietly in late spring and early summer.
The drought in Bailuyuan is actually not surprising.
Because this kind of thing happens almost every year in the original land, whether minor or serious, the price of watered land is several times more expensive than dry land.
But in previous years, droughts occurred in May, Sixth, July, and March. When the autumn rains continue in August, the drought will end.
But this year’s drought started in April.
Because the drought came early, the wheat did not have time to fill, so the yield was greatly reduced.
In previous years, more than 100 kilograms of wheat could be harvested from one acre of land, but this year it was less than half of that in previous years.
Originally, the villagers thought that after the rain, they could plant a second crop of crops, such as millet, corn, sorghum, etc. However, after waiting for two months in a row, it was clear and sunny every day, and the fields were bright red. sun.
?The only water on the ground has been evaporated, the earth is cracked, the rivers have dried up, and the land is as hard as stone, and no matter how fast a shovel can dig it, it can''t be dug.
Even the ponds that had never been dry in previous years are now completely dry.
By August 15th, it was time to sow winter wheat, but God had not yet sent a drop of water.
The folks are really panicking now. If there is no time to plant winter wheat, there will be no hope for next year.
?At this time, a large number of beggars and refugees have appeared in various counties and villages.
?They all had no harvests of summer or autumn grain, and had no food to eat at home, so they had to go out to beg.
??Victims of the disaster formed in groups, supporting the old and the young, leaving their homes and villages, stretching like hungry dragons.
Wherever it goes, leaves, bark, grass roots, and even Guanyin soil are eaten.
Countless people died of hunger, and they could be seen everywhere along the road.
At the beginning, there were still people being buried. Later, too many people died, and the remaining people had no strength, so there was no one to bury them.
?Those corpses were all cheap to the wild wolves coming down from the mountain.
Because they eat a lot of meat, they multiply quickly. By winter, they are already in groups.
?In broad daylight, they dare to form groups and run wildly on the plains, and they are not afraid when they see people. On the contrary, the lone villagers often become food in their mouths.
?At this moment, people remembered Xiang Nan’s prophecy two years ago.
“Two years of severe drought, half a year of locust plagues, and half a year of plague. Nine out of ten houses are empty, and mourners are everywhere.”
Almost all has come true now.
“My God, I’m really a God~” Many people looked up to the sky and cried bitterly. I regret not listening to Xiang Nan''s words, so now my wife is separated and my family is destroyed.
It’s just that it’s hard to buy regret medicine if you have money. It’s too late now.
…
Due to the drought, the summer grain harvest failed, the autumn grain harvest failed, and the wheat for winter also disappeared.
?Although it finally snowed heavily in the twelfth lunar month, it did not alleviate the drought and instead froze the trees to death.
The common people see no hope at all.
? ? God simply leaves no way for the poor to survive, blocking all the ways to survive.
?The severe cold brought by the heavy snow is even more of a disaster for the villagers who already lack food and clothing.
As the severe cold comes, more people die.
Bodies are carried out every day in the county. In July and August, there were only about ten bodies a day. In the twelfth lunar month, hundreds of people were carried out in one day.
In this situation, food became the most precious luxury product, and the price was as high as the sky.
In previous years, a piece of ocean could buy two buckets of rice. Now ten yuan cannot buy a bucket of rice.
Comparatively, the prices of previously valuable fields, livestock, tobacco, cotton, wood, etc. have all plummeted. Even the bride price for women has dropped by more than half. There are even some that don’t require any money and are given away for free, just for those who stutter.
Xiang Nan saved thousands of stones of grain, which were piled up in several main halls of the Laozu Temple.
“Hei Wa, if all these grains are sold, we can buy all of Bailuyuan.” Lu San looked at the piles of grains and said to Xiang Nan with a smile.
The best fields in the original land now cost less than a few oceans, which made him increasingly admire his son''s ability.
At the beginning, I didn’t buy even an acre of land, but now I can buy the entire land.
"Da, this grain cannot be sold." Xiang Nan waved his hand and said, "Tell Uncle Jiaxuan to bring someone to pull the grain."
Lu San was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
…
??Bai Jiaxuan arrived quickly with his people.
Led by Lu San, they walked through the maze-like woods and entered the ancestral temple. Then they saw a lot of food, so much that it almost overflowed.
“Food~” Bai Xiaowu exclaimed and rushed forward.
He has not eaten refined food for two months.
"Uncle Jiaxuan, according to the population of the village, if you are under fifteen years old, three taels a day, and if you are over fifteen years old, half a catty a day, you and Xiaowu will receive it." Xiang Nan said.
"Hei Wa, I thank you on behalf of the villagers." After hearing this, Bai Jiaxuan couldn''t help but kowtow to Xiang Nan.
In this year of great disaster, food is more important than gold. This much food was enough to feed a whole village, and it was also enough for him to kowtow to Xiang Nan.
"Uncle Jiaxuan, please don''t do this. I am also a member of the village. What does a little food mean?" Xiang Nan quickly supported him.
When Bai Jiaxuan heard this, he was even more moved.
Subsequently, the villagers began to distribute food.
Half a catty for adults and three taels for children. Although it is not much, it can already survive.
“Gods, living gods~” The villagers were very moved.
??Without Xiang Nan''s relief, they would all have gone out to beg for food in droves.
Therefore, they gathered outside the temple and knelt down in the direction of the ancestral temple.
“Uncle Jiaxuan, why is there no Xiaowen on the list?” Xiang Nan looked at the list of people summarized by Bai Jiaxuan and asked in confusion.
“If you don’t feed him, he will starve to death.” Bai Jiaxuan gritted his teeth.
"No, he is your son after all. Moreover, if you don''t give him food, it will be easier for him to go astray." Xiang Nan advised.
??Bai Jiaxuan still refused to nod.
??Bai Xiaowen still hasn’t repented. Not only did he not go to pick up his wife, but he also stayed with the little widow.
??The two of them now live together openly and even mess around in the house in broad daylight, almost bringing the Bai family''s face to a loss.
?He wished that his son would die soon, as if it would stink up the land.
When Xiang Nan saw this, he stopped trying to persuade him.
??Bai Xiaowen is just a beast now. It is of no use to save him. Instead, he will kill more people, so it is better not to save him.
"By the way, please write down the names of the gentlemen from Bailu Academy." Xiang Nan added.
?Last year when the Zhensong Army surrounded the city of Xi''an, Mr. Zhu invited a group of gentlemen to return to Bailuyuan to compile the county annals. Now that the entire Sanqin land is facing drought, they will naturally not be spared.
In the play, Mr. Zhu also asked Bai Jiaxuan to borrow food, but Bai Jiaxuan refused. Because Bai Jiaxuan is the patriarch of Bailu Village, and Bailu Academy is outside Bailu Village.
?As a clan leader, he can only take care of his own clan members first, and he can only feel sorry for the old gentlemen of White Deer Academy.
But Xiang Nan knew that those gentlemen''s compilation of county annals was a great and meaningful thing, so he provided the grain.