Chapter 429: The Sweetness of the New Year

When Xie Zhan returned to the south, he also received news of Wuhuan's invasion of the north and the Yanmen snow disaster. He also learned that Zuo Anmin was not involved in these two incidents.

Regarding these two matters, Xie Zhan's decision was to wait and see and not intervene.

"Let people pay attention to the progress of the war in the north." Xie Zhan ordered.

"yes!"

Xie Zhan's brows were knitted tightly. The victory or defeat of this battle in the north was crucial. If they win, there is naturally nothing to say. The current northern commanders Yan Zheng, Fu Jiangong and others will secure their seats. If defeated, the emperor might re-enable the Qin family.

If the emperor activates the Qin family and the northern territory falls into the hands of the Qin family again, wouldn't the Qin and Lu families occupy the northeast and northwest at the same time?

Thinking of this, Xie Zhan frowned even more.

After a long time, he sighed and decided to wait and see according to the original plan.

The northern border was too far away from him, and Yanmen was three to four thousand miles away from the southern border. Such a long distance gave up all his thoughts.

Of course, even if he had any ideas now, he couldn't reach out.

The only thing he can do now is to develop and consolidate Nandi.

Xie Zhan knew very well that Nandi was his capital to settle down and compete in the world in the future.

Pingzhou

Pingzhou is located in the northeasternmost part of Dali. It is too remote and has little information.

Therefore, the war in the northern border and the Yanmen snow disaster had little impact on the people here in Pingzhou.

Moreover, the New Year is almost here, and even the heavy snow cannot stop people’s enthusiasm for the New Year.

The common people are busy preparing New Year's goods, cleaning the house, putting up window grilles, making cakes, and steaming steamed buns. The whole family does it together, which is full of New Year's flavor.

After the Little New Year, every household puts up bright red window grilles.

Looking from a high place, a touch of red amidst the silvery scenery is full of fireworks.

This year is a good harvest year. When the people send the Kitchen God to heaven, they are all looking forward to next year being like this year, or even better.

Because of the strong rise of the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce and its strong ability to attract money, its employees, as well as related governments and offices, receive very generous New Year gifts.

Zhou Yuanhua was a traveling doctor with considerable medical skills. When Liaodong County became famous due to Lu Desheng, he was wandering in a small village in Jizhou. At that time, a squire he knew learned that Lu Desheng was going to build an academy in Liaodong County, so he went there with his son.

He looked at the hot eyes and thought that there were many good medicinal materials in Pingzhou, so he could go and have a look. Furthermore, he is just a wandering doctor. Where is he going? So he came to Liaodong County.

After arriving, he discovered that people with abilities or talents were very courteous here. He just happened to be sick after coming to Houcheng. When the officials found out, they not only found him a place to live. It was convenient for him to settle down, and the rent was very cheap. Later, he even helped him open a medical clinic in Houcheng.

He clearly said that he came to Houcheng just for a visit and would not stay for a long time. These people didn't care, and got the job done with a smile, saying that it didn't matter, he could stay as long as he wanted, and they didn't force him. They just hoped that he could treat the people while he was in Liaodong County.

He is a wandering doctor and generally does not refuse patients' requests for medical treatment. But Liaodong County is poisonous, right? Not only does he have to treat patients, but he is also sometimes asked to treat animals? ! That’s outrageous!

Then, there was no more. He has been here for as long as he has stayed, and judging from the current situation, it is very likely that he will spend the New Year in Houcheng.

Zhou Yuanhua looked a little crazy when he saw the New Year's gifts sent by the government early in the morning, including rice, flour, grains and oils, and a long piece of bacon. How could he leave? ah!

He is a traveling doctor. If a traveling doctor doesn't travel around the world, how can he be called a traveling doctor? !

At this moment, someone knocked on the door of his house.

Another person came to see him for medical treatment, and Zhou Yuanhua was speechless. Obviously now everyone is on holiday because of the heavy snow, and even the government offices are on duty. He also wanted to take the opportunity to rest for a few days.

Outside the door, Jing Laosan knocked on the door and shouted inside, "Doctor Zhou, Dr. Zhou, are you here? Open the door quickly!"

He is the feeder of the ranch, and the ranch is always on duty, working in teams of two. Today was their group's turn. During the handover, the eldest brother in front told them that one of the pregnant mares they were looking after was about to give birth, and asked them to pay more attention.

He listened and kept paying attention. Half an hour ago, the mare was restless, and he saw something was wrong. He told his companion to take good care of the mare, and he ran to find Dr. Zhou.

"Scream! Scream!" Zhou Yuanhua cursed and opened the door. The Chinese New Year celebrations don’t stop either!

"Why is it you again?" Zhou Yuanhua was even more speechless when he saw Jing Laoer.

"Dr. Zhou, there is a mare in Muma that is about to give birth, but she feels a little bad. Please come with me to have a look."

When Zhou Yuanhua heard this, he subconsciously went back to get the medicine box.

After he took the medicine box, he slowly stopped and said, "I treat people, not animals!" Zhou Yuanhua emphasized again.

Jing Laoer nodded, "Okay, okay, I know, Doctor Zhou, let's go quickly. This mare has been restless for half an hour, will she be okay?"

Doctor Zhou rolled his eyes fiercely, thinking that what he just said was in vain!

"Lead the way!" he said angrily.

"Doctor Zhou, let's go this way!"

…

The Qin family is also preparing for the New Year, cleaning, sticking candied melons, cutting window grilles, worshiping the Kitchen God, making tofu, killing chickens and ducks and filling them with blood sausage, saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new.

For the New Year, almost the whole family participated. Lv Songli, like the children, was driven around.

At this moment, the Qin family was making glutinous rice noodles.

Lv Songli and the children watched with curiosity as Qin's mother and several sisters-in-law made maltose and glutinous rice noodles, and occasionally lent a hand.

At this time, many snacks had to be made by themselves, unlike in later times, when you could buy whatever you wanted with money.

In order to make this snack, the Qin family prepared early.

First, maltose must be made. The first step is to select the full and large grain wheat produced that year, wash it and soak it for a day and a night, then take out the wheat, spread it on a winnowing basket covered with a layer of gauze, and then cover it with a layer of gauze to block the light. Spray water three or four times a day to keep it moist until the wheat sprouts and grows to about one finger high, then you can pull it out for use.

Then wash the malt and chop it.

Then put the glutinous rice that has been soaked for two hours into the pot and cook it into glutinous rice.

After the glutinous rice has cooled down a bit, mix the chopped malt together and put it in the house to ferment.

After the fermentation is complete, squeeze out the juice with gauze. Put the juice in a large pot and boil it over high heat, then turn to medium heat and stir constantly. When the juice in the pot turns into the color of syrup and can be scooped up with a spatula, the maltose is ready.

In short, it is quite troublesome. Lu Songli and the children watched with relish.

When the first pot of glutinous rice strips came out of the pot, everyone shared two pieces.

"Aunt Liu, these glutinous rice strips are so fragrant and sweet." The children squinted their eyes happily.

No child can resist the attraction of sugar.

Lu Songli ate a piece and also showed a happy smile. Sugar can secrete dopamine, and eating sugar can make people happy.

At this moment, two pieces of glutinous rice sticks were suddenly stuffed into Lv Songli's hands. She looked up and saw Qin Sheng whispering to her, "Li Li, you eat."

Lv Songli directly picked up one of the pieces and handed it to his mouth.

Qin Sheng grabbed her hand, "Li Li, I don't like to eat candy."

Lv Songli insisted on letting him eat.

What kind of candy had she not eaten in the later world? She didn't crave for sugar in her heart. But how could people in this era not like to eat candy?

The sugar at this time was mainly maltose, that is, maltose, and then sucrose, and natural honey. Sugar at this time was more rare than in the later world.

It is no exaggeration to say that in this era, some people have never eaten a bite of candy in their lives, which shows the scarcity of sugar.

Seeing her insistence, Qin Sheng could only open his mouth helplessly.

Qin Sheng held the glutinous rice stick in his mouth, his mouth was sweet, and his heart was also sweet.

At this time, Qin Han had finished eating the rice noodles that were distributed to him. He came over and sat next to her, holding his little cheeks with both hands, and savored it with a look of aftertaste, "Sixth Aunt, the candy is so delicious."

"Yes." While speaking, Lu Songli smiled and ate the other piece. This was his intention. Accepting other people's kindness at the right time will make the relationship between the two parties closer.

Sure enough, Qin Sheng was happier to see her eat it than to eat it himself.

Qin Han sighed and said, "It would be great if I could eat candy every day in the future."

The other children had also finished eating, and when they heard what he said, they all replied.

"It's impossible. It's great to eat it occasionally."

"Yes, eat candy every day? What good things are you thinking about?"

Lu Songli listened quietly. If the children's wishes were placed in the future, they would actually be quite simple, but in the present, it would be difficult to be satisfied.

Many people from the Liaodong Chamber of Commerce went out, and some traveled all over the country. When they saw some good crops, they would get some seeds and send them back.

At that time, there were no sugar beets, otherwise they could grow a lot of sugar beets and use them to make sugar.

In the south, sugar cane is grown, and sugar cane can be used to make sugar. Unfortunately, the Northeast is not suitable for growing sugar cane. Otherwise, she would have to ask someone to bring back some sugar cane tails for cuttings.

Lu Songli suddenly thought of the Li people where Xue Xu was. They couldn't grow it in the Northeast, but they could grow it in the Li tribe. And after the sugar cane grows, it is also convenient to transport it into sugar blocks.