Siheyuan: Survival Guide for Courtyard No. 95

Many customs and habits on the grassland are unknown to everyone. God knows whether one will violate other people's taboos because of an insignificant issue. Zhao Shanhe still hopes to enrich his small world through this trip, and he least wants anything to happen on the road.

After the convoy set off, it headed north and arrived in Zhangjiakou on the first day after traveling 200 kilometers. Zhangjiakou Prefecture was just renamed Zhangjiakou City in May this year. This was also the last large town they passed on this trip. Team leader Gan took the convoy to the place pre-arranged by the department to refuel the convoy, and also found a few guesthouses for everyone to rest. People like Zhao Shanhe who fell asleep as soon as they got in the car, on the contrary, did not feel tired at this time.

Zhao Shanhe and Wang Gang were assigned to an eight-person room, but he slipped out after taking a look in the room. He asked the service staff of the guesthouse if there was any place nearby where he could buy local specialties. The waiter pointed him to the largest market nearby. He originally wanted to buy some Xuanhua milk grapes, Zhuolu Youyou dates, etc., but unfortunately he forgot that it was winter. When he arrived at the market, he saw few people, let alone grapes and dates.

Finally, based on the principle of not missing a place when passing by, he found a noodle restaurant near the guesthouse and had a bowl of Shangyi oat noodles. He regretted it so much after eating it. Everyone said that the noodles were delicious, but unfortunately he only tasted a sour and astringent taste in his mouth. Not to mention in this life, he would never eat it again in the next life.

He went to the supply and marketing cooperative next to the guesthouse and bought two boxes of Zhonglou beer (a brewery founded in 1958) and some Chongli broad beans, which he planned to bring back to the city. Since he was here, he couldn't just buy nothing, right? It would be very impressive to bring these specialty products back as gifts.

When he returned to the guesthouse, he smelled the smell of stinky feet, farts, and some indescribable smells all over the room as soon as he entered. Zhao Shanhe, whose five senses were enhanced, felt like he had suffered a great punishment. He could not leave the team and go into the small world to sleep by himself, so he could only endure it and get through the night.

They got up the next day and continued on their journey, passing Zhangbei County and arriving at Taipusi Banner, which was another 200 kilometers away. However, there was no guesthouse for them to stay in this time. On the road, they could see endless hills, and after the hills were grasslands. Taipusi Banner at this time was very different from later generations. There were not many people and no tall buildings. The convoy finally had to camp in the wild for one night. Fortunately, nothing happened that night. When it was light, everyone drank some cold water, ate two steamed buns, and then continued on their journey.

This time, the convoy did not stop along the way except for the time of releasing water. They even had lunch in the car. When the sun was setting, they finally arrived at the end of the trip, Abaga Banner. However, they were dumbfounded when they arrived. At this time, there was no sign of the future Xilinhot City. There were only some low houses, and even the local party branch was dilapidated.

Fortunately, Team Leader Gan had done his homework before coming and called together the team leaders from various factories for a meeting.

“The ministry has already contacted the local authorities for this barter. Although we have to pay a lot more materials to protect the interests of the herders, as long as the exchange is carried out according to the agreement, each factory can be guaranteed meat for the first half of next year. So please don’t complain or say strange things when exchanging materials.

Let me be frank with you. We are here to represent Sijiu City, the political center of the country. Anyone who dares to bring shame to Sijiu City will be left to fend for themselves here. This is an order, not a notice. Do you understand?"

Zhao Shanhe didn't pay attention to Team Leader Gan's speech during the last meeting, but this time, as soon as he heard the tone of his voice, he knew that he had also returned from the army. The tone of his voice was obviously giving orders to the companies below, but no one dared to refute him at this time. The team leader not only had the highest rank, but also must have carried the department's imperial sword with him. Although letting people fend for themselves was a scare tactic, anyone who dared not listen to him would be in trouble when he returned.

On the fourth day after departure, the convoys from each factory dispersed with the notes given by Team Leader Gan to exchange cattle and sheep. At this time, Abaga Banner was a very sparsely populated area (only 2020 people in 35), and the herdsmen still followed the ancient tradition of grazing in yurts. Fortunately, the local government sent them a guide, otherwise they really wouldn't be able to find the place.

The steel mill borrowed five trucks from other brother units this time, three of which were loaded with rice said to be shipped from Hunan, one truck was loaded with daily necessities produced by the steel mill recently, such as iron pots, iron bowls, iron stoves and the like, and the last truck was loaded with thick cotton cloth. The temperature difference in the grassland is large, and the nights are extremely cold, and it is impossible to withstand it without some thick cotton cloth.

With someone leading the way, Zhao Shanhe brought several trucks and easily exchanged the cattle and sheep he needed. The simplicity of the process was far beyond his expectations. Only then did he realize that life on the grassland was really hard. Of course, it might also be that the local herdsmen were used to it. They used their hands when eating, when milking the sheep, and when going to the toilet... even the big ones...

Zhao Shanhe brought a lot of pagoda candies according to his memory of watching short videos in his previous life. He remembered that people in the grassland areas all had ascariasis, so when he offered to give away anthelmintics for free, he became even more popular among the herdsmen.

Taking this opportunity, he also exchanged some local specialties with many herders, such as butter, milk jerky, beef jerky, daylily, bracken, and dried mushrooms. He accepted as many as anyone wanted. The value of the things he exchanged was obviously higher than the value of the things the herders gave. As a result, the herders were reluctant to let him go.

At the home of a large herder, he exchanged fruits, vegetables and grain for five pairs of Ujumchin sheep, and paid for two pairs of yaks. The purpose of his trip this time was considered to be accomplished. After waiting for a year or two, he would have no shortage of beef and mutton to eat in his little world.

In the evening, we had a meal of authentic grassland cuisine at the herdsman's home. The milk tea was mellow, the milk wine had a long aftertaste, and the butter rolls and hand-held meat were even more enjoyable. This experience of eating all you can eat in the old city at that time was absolutely impossible, not even for the leaders of the country. Even Zhao Shanhe, who had no shortage of meat, said that the trip was worth it, because the mutton on the grassland was so delicious.

The next day when they went back, they all collected 100 yuan and gave it to the herdsmen who had hosted them. This was also the order of Team Leader Gan. They couldn't take anything from the people for free. They couldn't let the herdsmen carry all the food and drink for the night, could they? Although they had a lot of cattle and sheep, their pockets were really cleaner than their faces.

When they returned to the gathering point, Zhao Shanhe found that he had returned a little early, and Team Leader Gan and his men had not returned yet. Feeling a little anxious, he took Wang Gang, Zhang Li, Zhou Kangzhan, Liang Baoguo and a few others, got in the car and went out hunting with guns.

There are much more prey on the grassland than in the old city. There are all kinds of animals such as swans, grey cranes, gazelles, roe deer, badgers, and of course wolves.