All the large and small carts were filled to the brim, and many strong laborers were carrying shoulder poles with bamboo baskets or hemp sacks full of grain at both ends.
Some robust and powerful women also went along, carrying shoulder poles on their shoulders.
Following this, Wang Zhengguo arranged for some of the older folks and half-grown children to drive the carts. Basically, everyone young and old, male and female, participated in this endeavor. The scene was so spectacular that it was eye-opening for Feng Qingxue, who had never seen such a thing before.
The enthusiasm of everyone involved puzzled Feng Qingxue.
Whether carrying shoulder poles or driving carts, everyone had to walk on their own two legs, which was certainly hard work.
When she asked the reason, it suddenly dawned on her.
As it turned out, the state stipulated the timeframe for collecting the public grain. It must be delivered to the grain station within these few days, so time was very tight. Once the grain arrived at the grain station and was checked, only if it was up to standard would the grain station accept it. If it wasn’t, it would have to be sent back and replaced by better ones.
No wonder there was a rush to hand in the public grain before all the corn cobs were finished being husked.
Chen Ming was in charge of the grain station, and the grains from the Wanglou Brigade had always been of good quality, it had never been sent back over these years.
People at that time were very simple. They wholeheartedly thought about the state. The grain given to the state had to be the best. Therefore, unless there was a disaster, whether natural or man-made, the delivered grain was always full-grained and impeccable.
As a result, those who went to hand in the public grain could earn ten work points. During the queue for handing in the grain, they could exchange a portion of the extra grain they brought with them at the state-run restaurant nearby the grain station for lunch at mealtime. In the summer, they could exchange wheat for steamed buns, buns, and noodles; in the autumn, they could exchange rice and corn for buns or rice.
Ordinarily, aside from festivals, everybody couldn’t afford to eat or even taste fine grains, so they eagerly awaited this day to enjoy some good food.
The most important thing was that it saved a meal for their family.
Jiang He certainly wouldn’t miss such an opportunity. Guan Cheng and Lu Tianjun also followed Father Lu to drive the cart and carry grain. They didn’t return until late at night and brought a few rice balls filled with sour cabbage for sister Qingxue, her sister, and brother.
"Auntie, we each got a pound of rice balls. They’re so delicious, you should try them quickly," Lu Tianjun said to Feng Qingxue.
Feng Qingxue was deeply moved. It wasn’t much, but it was the thought that counted.
Clearly, there must have been more than one person who did what the two brothers did.
Guan Cheng nodded to confirm her suspicions, "Everyone had some, but many people couldn’t bear to eat what they received. If they were too hungry to bear it, they would eat the dry food they brought to sustain themselves. Some people would take the rice balls back home for the children to eat, or make a pot of porridge for the whole family to enjoy."
Jiang He couldn’t bear to eat and said he would bring it back to make porridge for everyone to taste the flavor of rice.
When Feng Qingxue heard this, she felt a pang in her heart and gently smiled, "That’s a good idea, let’s make porridge tomorrow morning. You guys have been working hard all day, please go and soak your feet. I heated a lot of hot water and put it in the pot waiting for you guys to come back. Wash your feet and then rest. You guys can take a break tomorrow." She then asked Lu Tianjun to send a pot of hot water to his father first, while she waited for the two children to sleep before turning off the lights to rest.
The next morning, true to her word, she made a pot of porridge with the rice balls and chopped up some tiny pieces of cured meat to put in it.
The taste was so savory that a few children drank bowl after bowl. They were no longer willing to eat the coarse grain steamed buns that strained their throats, "Eating the food Auntie makes at home is so much better. It would be nice if we don’t have to eat out all the time."
After listening to Lu Tianzhi’s words, Guan Yu and Feng Qingyun nodded their heads in agreement, just like chicks pecking at grains.
Feng Qingxue smiled and said, "Wait until we get the grain, and we’ll be able to cook at home."
I’m dizzy after writing one Chapter in two hours.
I’ll update the last two Chapters in the afternoon, I need to look up some references.