The rain lasted all night. On the second day, the river was full of water and the trees in the forest were full of vitality. Although it was already autumn, it made people feel fresh and joyful like spring.
The weather has finally returned to normal, and every household is busy, busy going up the mountain to see the mountain farms and bamboo farms. The dead bamboo saplings have been dealt with as early as possible, and new ones will be replanted in the next spring. The vegetable field has also been turned over again, and autumn vegetables are planted, which will be ready to eat in a month or two.
Ten or twenty days later, the crops in the fields began to be harvested one after another.
Although the crops have been preserved, a reduction in production is unavoidable. Everyone has the final say and tightens their belts. Next year, they can barely make ends meet. It may be difficult to get enough to eat.
The Lu family has dozens of acres of paddy fields, and the output has been reduced by half compared to previous years. The family's rations for the coming year are enough, but if they want to have surplus to sell, that is impossible. Because of this, Miao Cuilan said very distressed: "This year's food prices will definitely rise sharply, maybe it will increase by two or three times! It's a pity, seeing the money but not making much..."
Don't say you can't earn anything, and soon you won't be able to earn a dime. Because soon, many people in the village came to the door and said good things, and they were very embarrassed to say that they did not have enough food at home, so they would say hello to the Lu family in advance, can they borrow some in the coming year, and wait for the harvest next year It must be returned at 20% interest...
This is because the Lu family is usually kind and kind, so they dare to say this. Everyone knows that borrowing food at this time is a very embarrassing thing.
How could Miao Cuilan and Lu Zhong have the heart? They were all from the same village, and her family had suffered in the past, so Miao Cuilan agreed with heartache, and all the visitors went away happily.
Although Miao Cuilan couldn't bear the pain again after the incident, she had nothing to say but sighed "It's a pity", and the tofu mill behind the yard started to turn again.
On this day, Miao Cuilan and Lu Zhong went to the market to do business, Tong Yuer was doing housework at home, and suddenly saw the old lady Liu Ma who was beside her mother hurried to the door.
Tong Yu'er couldn't help being taken aback, and changed her expression: "Mother Liu, why are you here? Did something happen at home!"
Tong Yu'er knew that after the last quarrel in the restaurant, what kind of quarrel between father and mother went back, and if there was no serious incident, Mama Liu would never come to her.
She only thought that there was a problem with the land property of Tong's family after the severe drought, but unexpectedly Liu's mother told her that her little brother had been kidnapped with red and swollen eyes! Tong Yu'er's heart sank, and her face suddenly turned pale!
"How did this happen? Yi'er was actually kidnapped? Who did it, and who was so brave!" Tong Yu'er swayed and almost fell down.
"Who knows!" Liu Ma couldn't help but her eyes were red again, and she wiped her tears and said, "Recently, there are many refugees from other places wandering around our Guxi Town, and they must have done it. There has never been such a thing in our place! The master and wife were so anxious at home that the wife almost fainted from crying. The house is in chaos now, so the lady asked the old slave to tell the young lady... "
Tong Yu'er's heart was pounding, and she said in a daze: "I know, I know! You go back first, at least try to persuade my mother, when my uncle comes back from Miaojia Village, I will go back with him!"
Liu Ma nodded in agreement, and sighed softly: "The old slave will go back first, the old slave is not at ease if Madam is like that! At this critical time, my family is still reliable!"
Tong Yu'er said: "Yi'er is the only son of our Tong family, we will definitely find a way to save him!"
After Liu Ma left, how could Tong Yu'er sit still? Changing clothes in a hurry, waiting and waiting until Miao Chuhe didn't come back, she went to the vegetable garden and called Miss Xu to come back, telling her to go to Miao's Village immediately, and said that there was something extremely important, please come back quickly!
Lady Xu had never seen Tong Yu'er so panic-stricken and distracted, she was also taken aback, she didn't dare to ask in detail, she hurriedly agreed and left.
Just happened to meet Miao Chuhe on the way, and hurriedly said what Tong Yuer had said. When Miao Chuhe saw this situation, and heard her babble, he felt uneasy, and hurried home!
When Miao Chuhe stepped into the yard, he saw Tong Yu'er walking up to him. Before he had time to ask, Tong Yu'er called out "Chuhe!" Tears flowed down like broken beads.
Miao Chuhe was taken aback, and quickly comforted him: "What's the matter? What happened?"
Tong Yu'er suffered from anxiety and anxiety for a long time, how could she bear it when she saw him? He raised his teary eyes to look at him, moved his lips and wanted to say, how could he say a complete word? As soon as he opened his mouth, there was a sobbing sound, crying so that Miao Chuhe couldn't help becoming anxious.
Ms. Xu was a little at a loss by the side, she was stunned, and silently avoided it.
Seeing that being in the yard was not a problem, Miao Chuhe tried to persuade her, and brought Tong Yu'er into the room, and then asked her slowly.
Tong Yu'er vented, and finally calmed down gradually, raised her handkerchief to wipe away her tears, and told Miao Chuhe about the matter with a sob.
Miao Chuhe couldn't help but change his face when he heard this, and sighed with a frown: "How could this happen! Aren't the father-in-law and mother-in-law very anxious! There are so many people coming from outside these days, it's a bit chaotic, I didn't expect—"
"I'm just such a biological brother. My parents have only had such a little incense for most of their lives. He is still so young, how can he endure this kind of suffering!" Tong Yu'er became sad again as she spoke.
"Don't cry, don't cry!" Miao Chuhe persuaded with a soft sigh, and said after a while: "I'll accompany you back to see how the situation at home is, and see what the father-in-law and mother-in-law plan to do!"
Tong Yu'er raised her head when she heard the words, she was both grateful and guilty and said, "Really?"
Her husband is her backbone. In fact, from the very beginning, she made up her mind to let her husband accompany her back to her natal home, but she still had doubts and worries in her heart. After all, my father didn't even have any kindness towards her husband! Don't talk about a good face, that's a bad face at all! Nor could she ignore her husband's mood.
"Of course it's true," Miao Chuhe knew what she was worried about. Feeling distressed and helpless at the same time, he said softly, "You and I are husband and wife, and your family's affairs are my affairs. How can I stand by and watch?" What? Father-in-law and mother-in-law don’t have anyone to discuss with at the moment, who knows what will happen when the old man gets anxious? Let’s go now without delay!”
"En! Chuhe, thank you!" Tong Yuer's heart warmed, and she nodded with tears in her eyes.
"Don't talk silly! Why do we need a word of thanks between you and me!" Miao Chuhe smiled slightly, then left a letter for his sister and brother-in-law, and said to Tong Yu'er: "Let Jin'er stay at home, at this time Taking it with you will add to the chaos."
Jin'er went out to play with Sister Xiaoxue at the moment, Tong Yuer nodded after thinking about it: "Alright! Let's go now!"
The two hurriedly tidied up, stuffed the letter under the door of Miao Cuilan and Lu Zhong's room, and hurried to Tong's house.
Tong's family was gloomy at this time, Master Tong's expression was gloomy, his vicissitudes of face were full of pain and worry, and the gray hair at the temples looked particularly glaring at this moment, as if he had aged several years at once.
Mrs. Tong kept her handkerchief in her hands, and wiped her red and wet eyes from time to time, sobbing softly, the mist in her eyes never dissipated.
"Don't cry, my son is auspicious, everything will be fine, it will be fine! Aren't they just asking for money? Just give it to them! I have already decided. I will go up the mountain tomorrow and take a bank note to save my son." Come back!" Master Tong sighed.
After Tong Yi's disappearance, the blackmail letter was quickly sent to Mr. Tong. In the letter, Mr. Tong was asked to prepare 30,000 taels of silver bills, and tomorrow he would personally send them to Fengyanpo, twenty miles to the west. Naturally, many threatening and warning words are indispensable in the letter.
"Master!" Mrs. Tong became anxious when she heard this, and said with tears in her eyes, "How can this be possible! Who knows who those people are? Master, you are already old, what if you call me a woman! "
Master Tong saw his old wife's bleak words, and felt sad in his heart. He couldn't help but sighed: "What can we do? We only have such a son, and we don't have an arm to rely on. Alas! Our Tong family is only a single seedling, don't let it go!" I don’t know who Duofang is, even if I know he is a murderous and vicious man, I still have to go this time! Even if my old life is exchanged for my son’s, I am willing!"
"Master!" Mrs. Tong shed tears and cried, "But if those people don't keep their promises and refuse to let them go after collecting the money, how can you argue with others, master!" Then she blamed herself, " It's all because I'm useless, I didn't have a son with the master in the early years, otherwise I wouldn't be so at a loss now, I don't even have anyone to discuss and rely on!"
The more Mrs. Tong thought about it, the sadder she became, and she couldn't help crying again.
Seeing this, Mr. Tong sighed: "Ma'am, don't blame yourself. What's the use of saying this now? I didn't blame you, this is our fate! Well, this matter is decided like this, don't you Think too much!"
"Can't someone else go..."
"The letter specifies that the people who want to go to the Tong family, who else can go except me?"
Madam Tong wept silently.
The old couple were sighing at each other, the butler rushed in from outside, Master Tong couldn't help but his heart skipped a beat when he saw it, he stared at him and said, "What's the matter?"
"Master! Ma'am!" The housekeeper said with some joy in his voice, "Missy and uncle are here!"
"Miss and uncle?" Master Tong was startled before he realized that it was the unworthy girl and the son-in-law he had never admitted. He immediately added a layer of anger to his bad mood, and hummed coldly, "They What are you here for? Get out! Also, there is only one young master in our family, where did you come from, such a young lady or uncle, please applaud!"
The butler looked at Mrs. Tong in embarrassment. At a time like this, it's hard to find someone to talk to, so why bother, sir!
Sure enough, Mrs. Tong said unhappily: "What time is it, the master is still pestering those trivial matters! This is the kindness of the daughter and son-in-law. How can the master be so heartless? Can someone discuss it?"
"How would they know?" The daughter and son-in-law came to the door at this time by such a coincidence, and Mr. Tong was not stupid. He knew that it must be related to the disappearance of his son. He stared at the old wife suspiciously and said, "Did you send someone to tell them?" of?"