North and South groceries

In Lishi County at present, the price of straw paper is the same as that of corn. The reason why it can be sold at such a price is mainly because the technology for making straw paper is not yet popular enough.It is estimated that in places other than Lishi County, the price of papyrus should be even more expensive.

However, with the popularization of technology, more and more people make straw paper, and the price will drop sooner or later. As for how much it will drop, it depends on whether the local farmers have other better sources of income besides making straw paper and selling straw paper. up.

When Luo Yong disclosed the method of making papyrus, he was also worried about environmental pollution.

Because in the process of making straw paper, after the pulp is ground, there is a step of elutriation. This step is to clean the lime slurry in the pulp, and this lime slurry is quite serious for environmental pollution.

Then, after this technology was gradually promoted, Luo Yong realized that he seemed to be thinking too much.

Lime is something that ordinary farmers don’t have in their homes, and they have to spend money to buy it. Although the price is not expensive, it is still money.

When Luo Yong taught others how to make straw paper for the first time, a keen-minded villager gave him a suggestion. When washing pulp, you can wash it in a water tank for the first time, and then take it to the stream Go for a second wash, which will ensure that the pulp is washed clean enough while leaving most of the grout behind.

After the mortar in the vat has been settled, all the clear water and sewage on it are scooped out, and the last thing left is the whole piece of lime at the bottom of the vat, and then the lime can be reused when the next paper is made.

In Xiaohe Village, many people buried large water tanks by the river, and then moved the rollers at home to the river beach, and then built straw sheds. The entire papermaking process was completed on the river beach. When it's good, the curtains of straw paper can show old growth on the river beach.

Luo Yong heard that when they washed pulp, whether it was the first time or the second time, they all finished it in the water tank, because it was by the river, and it was very convenient to fetch water. Gotta save those limes.

The paper industry in Xiaohe Village is very prosperous, because it is very close to Xipo Village, people came to Luo Yong early on to learn how to make straw paper, but the straw paper from them rarely enters the city, and most of them are sold to The merchants who lived in Xu's guest house.

Although the quality of this straw paper is not as good as some writing papers on the market, it is cheaper in price. Many merchants see business opportunities in it, so recently people have been buying straw paper from them by carload.There are also people who come to Luo Yong to learn technology, but Luo Yong teaches in the same way anyway.

Just when everyone was vigorously developing money-making businesses, the news of the death of the Supreme Emperor spread everywhere, and official documents were posted in the city by the governments of all places.

As soon as this official document was posted, Lishi County, which was originally noisy and lively, suddenly became very quiet. Many people were afraid of breaking a taboo, and many people were thinking of Emperor Gaozu's goodness in their hearts, and felt sad for his passing.

The death of the Supreme Emperor was a national mourning. Within three days after the local decree was posted, all the people were not allowed to drink alcohol or eat meat, or wear brightly colored clothes, let alone hold wedding events.

I heard that the ministers of the DPRK and China only need to be in mourning for 36 days.This is not because the country does not pay enough attention to Li Yuan's death, but because of the etiquette.

It is heard that during the Qin and Han Dynasties, if there was a national mourning, the people all over the world had to mourn for three months, and the ministers mourned for three years. At this time, they replaced March with three days and three years with 36 days. "month" is the progress of the times.

If it is still the same as in the Qin and Han Dynasties, the whole country is in mourning for three months, and drinking and eating meat are not allowed, and all the sales of wine and meat in the country will be delayed, which will seriously affect the market economy.

Even so, very few people will hold a wedding banquet in the near future.

Speaking of which, there are many marriageable men and women in their Xipo Village, as well as in the homes of Luo Yong's disciples who live nearby. Yao Dalang's marriage is said to have been settled in the Yao family not far from Luo's house. As for choosing a date to get married, as well as the Lin family, Lin's father and Lin's mother are still searching for Lin Chunqiu, and so far there is nowhere to be found.

As for the Luo family, Erniang and Luo Yong are both at the age of marriage, and Luo Yong previously declined because of the time of mourning, and now they have been in mourning for 23 April.

Although the people at the time talked about three years of mourning, the time specified in the law at that time was actually 27 months. That is to say, in another three or four months, the Luo family would have a mourning period.As a result, the matchmakers in Lishi County have become a little bit ready to move recently, as if competing with each other, waiting to see who can finally facilitate the marriage of the Luo family.

One day at the end of July, another matchmaker came to the Luo family. Luo Yong and Er Niang listened to the letter from a distance, so they hid in the backyard to work, refusing to show their faces, leaving only Si Niang outside, talking to people all over the world. Nonsense.

It's a hot day, sitting in the Luo's grocery store is quite cool, Si Niang poured her a bowl of cold boiled water, and brought out some fried beans to serve.The beans are stir-fried with a little caramel. It tastes slightly sweet, and it is already considered a good snack in this day and age.

This is also Luo Yong's instruction. Although he and Erniang have no plans to get married at this time, the little eyes in the family are about to grow up, so we can't offend the local matchmakers so early .

Besides, these matchmakers go shopping from house to house all day long, if you can ask them to help spread a few good words, it will definitely be much better than spreading bad words.

The group of matchmakers is definitely well-informed in this era, and they are very funny. After a while, Si Niang's girl was amused by the other party and burst into laughter.

The two people, the old and the young, who can be grandparents, just talk happily.

"Just tell me, what is your elder brother?" The gray-haired old woman asked Si Niang with a smile.

"How would I know?" Si Niang threw a few fried beans into her mouth, chewing them loudly: "He didn't tell me about it."

"What about your elder sister? Your elder sister is quite old." The matchmaker said again.

"If my elder sister is married, the family will be too busy." Si Niang sighed like an adult, reached out and poked Qiniang's tender cheek beside her, and said, "I'm a little busy now. But here it is, my elder brother said that he plans to find one or two people to help feed the pigs, do you know any suitable people?"

"What kind of person do you want, brother?" The matchmaker immediately became interested. Even if she couldn't draw a red line, it would be good to find a job for someone she knew well. Besides, the matter of the two Luo family siblings, Originally, she didn't expect to have any clues just by going there once or twice.

"The one who works quickly, but the one who talks less." Si Niang said immediately.

"You can count on this matter?" The other party was a little worried, after all, this Luo Siniang is only a little girl in her teens, although it is said that all the girls and boys in their teens these days can help the family. After a few years, they will be able to get married and have children, but if they want to make up their minds, it's too early. The old people in the family have the final say on all major and minor matters.

"If you have a suitable one, bring it over and let my elder brother take a look." Si Niang really can't decide this matter now.

"Okay, I'll bring someone here in a few days." Hearing what she said, the matchmaker felt that it was reliable. If the young lady said that she could make decisions on this matter, then she would not believe it.

"Grandma, are you leaving?" At this time, a young man ran to the courtyard of the Luo family and called out to Grandma Yu.

"Hey, let's go now." Grandma Yu got up quickly.

"That's a good deal. I'll bring people here in two days. You must remember to tell your elder brother about this." Before leaving, she told Si Niang again.

"Don't worry, Grandma Yu, I have a good memory." Si Niang said with a smile.

Grandma Yu and the young man left the Luo family's yard together, descended the small dirt slope in front of Luo's house, and when they left the village entrance, they saw two ox carts waiting there.

Among the two cows, one of them was bought with the help of Grandma Yu.

Some time ago, someone from the other side of the Yellow River drove a group of large and small cattle to them for sale. They were all good cattle, and the price was reasonable. She saw it right, and borrowed money from a few acquaintances in the city to help her brother buy a good cow.

Her brother is an ordinary farmer in Xiaohe Village. Grandma Yu's natal family is in Xiaohe Village. She married to Lishi County in the 20th year of Kaihuang. Just a few years later, the world has become more and more chaotic.

When life was hard in the city, Grandma Yu's family was always supported by her brothers. In the blink of an eye, decades have passed, and now the world is peaceful again. Lishi County has gradually become prosperous again, and Grandma Yu's son and daughter-in-law are also happy. I can earn money, and I have rented two huts in my yard, and I can earn a few dollars every month. Grandma Yu goes to the house every day. entry.

These days seem to be getting better day by day.

It's a pity that the couple in her family didn't have a happy life. They survived the most difficult time, so why can't they live another three or five years...

"Grandma, are you crying?" the young man driving the car in front asked her.

"There's nothing to cry about." Grandma Yu smiled, and asked the young man, "Can the toilet paper be sold at a good price today?"

"It's still the original price. My mother said that after a while, I'm afraid there won't be such a good price. Now I want to make more straw paper all day long." The young man replied.

"Don't be too tired, your body is more important." Granny Yu said.

"It's not that tiring. It's lighter than farming. Since I have this cow, I can pull carts and rollers, saving a lot of energy. My old lady said that grandma bought us a good cow." The young man said.

"What's the matter, tell me what you want to buy next time, and I'll help you find it." Grandma Yu said cheerfully.

The bullock cart was walking slowly on the yellow mud road, the sun was very strong in the sky, but the pedestrians on the road were not too hot, wearing big bamboo hats on their heads, chatting and laughing along the way.

When they arrived at Xiaohe Village, they saw large tracts of crop land and many villagers on the river beach who were making paper. On the rocky beaches on both sides of Xiaohe Village, racks of straw paper were drying in the sun. The summer wind blew by. Bring bursts of fragrance of straw...

At this moment, outside Lishi County, a group of people were slowly walking towards the city gate along the dirt road outside the city gate.

Look carefully at the people driving the carts. They all have black and yellow complexions and poor clothes. Some of them are driving ox carts, some are driving donkey carts, and some are pushing carts by themselves.

"Where did you come from, and what's in the car?" When the officers and soldiers at the gate saw these people, they crossed their spears and blocked their way.

The gates of Lishi County are also guarded by officers and soldiers, but not everyone who enters or exits the gates will be stopped for questioning. Generally, if they are familiar local faces, they will definitely not ask questions. As for those who ride tall horses and gowns , they generally do not ask.

Obviously, these people have never seen anything in the world. When asked by the officers and soldiers guarding the city, some of them shrank a little, as if they had done something bad, and there were one or two foolish and bold, posing The deputy is ready to fight with others at any time.

"We are from Luzhou, and all the cars are filled with oiled paper." A thin young man stepped out of the line, and stretched out his hand to hold his own way in front of the officer who was questioning.