Chapter 156: Southern winter flood disaster, Lu Yuan frantically buys grain, the courtyard

The next day, early morning.

Su Liyan got up early and started cooking.

Today she doesn't need to be busy; her husband said last night that he still wants to eat belt fish this morning~

Since she made a lot yesterday, just reheating it this morning will do.

Su Liyan basically eats whatever her husband eats, so she doesn't need to make anything extra.

Not long after Su Liyan got up, Lu Yuan also woke up.

The two of them had basically slept together last night.

After Su Liyan fell asleep while talking, Lu Yuan, hearing no movement, also fell asleep.

Naturally, they got up together.

"Don't eat at Second Uncle's place at noon today; ride your bike to the Agriculture Bureau, and we'll eat there together."

Lu Yuan looked at Su Liyan, who was squatting on the ground putting on his socks, and said.

The Agriculture Bureau is not far from the Threshing Machine Factory; his wife riding her bike gets there in just over ten minutes.

Su Liyan, squatting on the ground, raised her head to look at Lu Yuan and asked curiously:

"Brother, are you going to the Agriculture Bureau this morning~"

Lu Yuan nodded and smiled:

"Yeah, I haven't been there in a few days; today I'll go check the greenhouse, probably be busy for a while, and eat lunch there."

After Su Liyan put on Lu Yuan's socks and shoes, she smiled and nodded repeatedly, saying:

"Okay~"

After Su Liyan finished eating, she left first; after Lu Yuan finished eating, he felt a bit sleepy, went back and took a nap.

It was past eight in the morning when Lu Yuan finally got up groggily, tidied up, and headed out.

Just as he stepped out the door, he saw Wang Yulan coming out of her own gate.

Just like yesterday, today Wang Yulan is also quite happy.

It's just like when she first moved in.

Upon seeing Lu Yuan, Wang Yulan warmly greeted him.

After exchanging a few words with Wang Yulan, Lu Yuan led his horse out of the courtyard.

When he reached the front courtyard, he happened to see Chen Taohua.

Chen Taohua's belly was over three months, almost four months, and it was already somewhat noticeable.

Chen Taohua happened to be carrying a basin of clothes toward the back courtyard; upon seeing Lu Yuan, she hurriedly said:

"Oh dear, Brother Lu, you're going out."

Lu Yuan looked at Chen Taohua, smiled and nodded, saying:

"Yeah, what's up? You're going to wash clothes in the back courtyard, right?"

Chen Taohua smiled and nodded, saying:

"Yes, Brother Lu, may I use it?"

Chen Taohua is not like the other aunties in the courtyard; when Lu Yuan is home she tells him, but when he's not home she just goes ahead and uses it.

Chen Taohua always asks Lu Yuan first before using it; if Lu Yuan isn't home, she waits until someone from his family is home to use it.

After all, Brother Lu had said at the beginning that the washing machine could be used, but one must inform him first.

Lu Yuan then laughed and said:

"Hey, given our relationship, why bother with those extra words? From now on, if you want to wash clothes, just go to the back courtyard and wash them; no need to ask me."

Being treated specially naturally makes one feel pleased.

The smile on Chen Taohua's face became even more radiant, saying:

"Then Brother Lu, do you have anything that needs washing? I'll do it together~"

Lu Yuan laughed and shook his head, saying:

"No, even if there were, I wouldn't let you help wash; you're pregnant, how could I let you do that?"

"Alright, go on; I have things to do, so I'll leave first."

Lu Yuan's family's clothes are all washed by Pang Kaige.

Lu Yuan really isn't targeting Pang Kaige.

Mainly, it's because although I don't go to work, I still have to go out during the day.

Those aunties all wash clothes during the day; the only one who washes clothes at night in the courtyard is Pang Kaige, who just got off work.

Pang Kaige comes back at night to wash clothes, which just happens to be exactly what Lu Yuan needs.

Having said that, Lu Yuan led his horse and left.

Meanwhile, Chen Taohua stood where she was, watching Lu Yuan go out the gate, and felt moved.

Brother Lu really knows how to care for people; his words are pleasant to hear, and Sister Su following him is truly enjoying great blessings.

Chen Taohua's thoughts differ from those of her mother-in-law and her husband.

In this household, her mother-in-law and husband often say that Sister Su will suffer in the future.

They say Brother Lu is someone who lives off his savings, and once the bonus money runs out, being fond of eating and lazy, he won't go to work, so later there will be no money for food, etc.

Chen Taohua, however, doesn't think that way.

Chen Taohua feels that Brother Lu certainly has talent.

He can do anything; he can do men's work, and he can also do women's sewing machine work.

Following such a man, one won't go hungry.

……

When Lu Yuan arrived at the Agriculture Bureau, he first went to put his horse into the bureau's stables.

That way his horse could get a free meal~

Just as Lu Yuan had put his horse into the stables and came out, he saw Lin Fusheng waving and smiling at him from the second-floor window of the Agriculture Bureau office building.

"Yuan'er, wait down there a moment, Grandpa will be down soon, then we'll go to the big greenhouse together!"

Lin Fusheng's movement drew the attention of many people busy in the courtyard, who turned their gazes toward the sound.

They glanced up at Lin Fusheng above, then down at Lu Yuan below.

Everyone in the Agriculture Bureau now knows that Lin Fusheng is currently the director, but in just a few months he will become the bureau chief.

Moreover, even now, Lin Fusheng is actually already doing the work of the bureau chief.

As for the meetings of the Ministry of Revenue at the imperial court, Lin Fusheng is the one attending them now.

The former bureau chief now hardly manages anything, just waiting to retire and enjoy his old age.

Now Lin Fusheng can already be considered the top person in charge.

Lu Yuan's relationship with Lin Fusheng is so close that, in front of all those people at the Agriculture Bureau, they don't hide it and directly call him "Grandpa" and such.

Everyone knows that Lu Yuan will surely become formidable in the Agriculture Bureau in the future~

Lu Yuan raised his head, looked at Lin Fusheng in the second-floor window, and grinned as he said:

"All right, Grandpa."

Lin Fusheng smiled, waved, then pulled his hand back, only to reappear at the window, smiling at Lu Yuan and saying:

"Yuan'er, have a mung bean cake."

Having said that, he threw down a box, which Lu Yuan caught steadily.

Lu Yuan was not polite either; he stood where he was, opened the exquisite little box, then picked up a piece and put it in his mouth.

Mm.

It's pretty sweet.

Lu Yuan ate two pieces and set the rest aside; he couldn't eat too much of something so sweet, so he would wait until his wife came at noon and give it to her.

His wife quite likes sweet things.

Soon after, Lin Fusheng came down, saw Lu Yuan, and greeted him with a smile:

"Come on, Yuan'er!"

The two of them thus walked out of the Agriculture Bureau side by side under the gazes of others, heading toward the nearby experimental field.

Lu Yuan looked at Lin Fusheng beside him and curiously asked:

"Grandpa, what have you been up to lately? I haven't seen you in a while."

Lu Yuan thought to himself that it had been almost a week since he last saw Lin Fusheng.

Saying this, Lin Fusheng pursed his lips and said:

"Don't mention it; I went on a trip to the south, and the round trip really wore me out."

"A trip to the south?"

Lu Yuan was a bit dazed.

Just the day before yesterday, he had discussed the southern bandit trouble with Gu Qingwan and Gu Lie.

Lin Fusheng then mentioned going south again, and Lu Yuan, feeling puzzled, looked at him and said:

"Isn't the south plagued by bandits? So, Grandpa, did you go to suppress them?"

"Huh?"

Lin Fusheng looked at Lu Yuan, also puzzled, and said:

"What suppression of bandits?"

Lu Yuan froze for a moment, then looked at Lin Fusheng, smiled, and waved his hand, saying:

"It's nothing; Grandpa, what did you go south to do?"

Lin Fusheng looked at Lu Yuan and smiled, saying:

"You're impressive; even while staying in the imperial capital, you know the bandit situation in the south is serious—lately it has indeed become quite severe there.

When I went there, the local officials sent people to escort me."

After Lin Fusheng finished speaking, he glanced around and then whispered in Lu Yuan's ear:

"The south has suffered a winter flood!!"

Hearing that, Lu Yuan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, then looked at Lin Fusheng and said:

"Is it serious?"

Flood control is something humanity has been dealing with for thousands of years.

Lin Fusheng whispered in Lu Yuan's ear:

"People and houses are all right, but a lot of fields have been washed away."

Hearing that, Lu Yuan nodded slightly.

Then this matter is still quite serious.

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, the northern regions produce no grain at all in winter.

There's no way around it; the weather is freezing, with temperatures dropping to minus ten or more degrees.

Nothing can be grown.

The Great Zhou Dynasty's winter grain supply relies entirely on the slightly warmer southern regions.

This winter flood… has it washed everything away?

While Lu Yuan was stunned, Lin Fusheng leaned in and whispered again in his ear:

"Yuan'er, listen to Grandpa's advice: have your father-in-law's family, relatives, and the like quickly stock up on more grain."

Oh?

Lu Yuan curiously looked at Lin Fusheng.

And Lin Fusheng then whispered in Lu Yuan's ear:

"This time the disaster situation in the south is very serious; our Agriculture Bureau has compiled the situation over the past two days, and I'm afraid the coming half year will be tough."

After Lin Fusheng finished speaking and after the southern winter flood, Lu Yuan had a rough idea in his heart.

And before Lu Yuan could say anything, Lin Fusheng then said:

"The Great Zhou Dynasty doesn't have much grain; we've just come out of war and haven't had a few years of peaceful days, but no matter what, we'll definitely prioritize food and drink for the disaster areas."

By this point, Lu Yuan basically guessed what Lin Fusheng was going to say next.

As expected, Lin Fusheng then said:

"Regarding this disaster, our Agriculture Bureau's solution is to transport the reserve grain from all over the country to the south, and then..."

Just as Lin Fusheng said that, Lu Yuan's face turned strange as he said:

"So… during this period, they just set up grain coupons, and from now on, whatever you buy to eat, your monthly expenses will be based solely on the grain coupons?"

Eh???

After Lu Yuan finished speaking, it was Lin Fusheng's turn to look strange.

He looked at Lu Yuan, blinked, and said:

"Eh?? Yuan'er, how do you know this…… This matter was just discussed yesterday afternoon when Grandfather went to the Ministry of Revenue for a meeting, and you…?"

Lu Yuan was taken aback, then he hehe laughed and said:

"I pretty much guessed it."

After Lin Fusheng blinked blankly, he was very surprised.

Lin Fusheng knew Lu Yuan was smart, but this was perhaps a bit too smart……

This was the result of a half-day meeting I had yesterday at the Ministry of Revenue, and Lu Yuan figured it out in the blink of an eye!!

Huh??

However, he didn't think too much about it, and ultimately Lin Fusheng earnestly nodded and said:

"Yes, from now on we will have to control grain; when buying grain and such, you'll have to use grain coupons—money alone won't suffice."

Although, as someone from the Agriculture Bureau, if one really wanted to keep eating well every meal, resorting to some shady methods would still be possible.

But……

Such things still shouldn't be done.

Lin Fusheng couldn't do it, and he wouldn't let Lu Yuan do it either.

Now the Imperial Court is heavily cracking down on corruption.

If caught doing such things, lightly one would go to prison, severely one would lose one's head.

For a bite to eat, it's really not worth it.

Lu Yuan then asked curiously:

"How long would that roughly take?"

Lin Fusheng pondered and said:

"At minimum it will take at least half a year; right now, in winter we can't grow anything in the north, and several provinces in the south are severely disaster-stricken, so they can't plant anything anytime soon."

"Now the only places in the whole country that can still produce are relying on that South of the River area."

"No matter how we look for it, we have to wait until spring begins, when the north can start large-scale planting, before the situation will improve."

Lu Yuan nodded seriously while thinking.

Speaking of which……

That my potato really needs to be hurried up.

If my potato could be ready these days, that would really let us get through this disaster quickly.

Lin Fusheng didn't know what Lu Yuan was thinking, assuming he was worried.

He immediately patted Lu Yuan's shoulder and laughed, saying:

"Don't worry, no matter what, our Agriculture Bureau won't go hungry; from now on, at noon Yuan'er, you just come to the Agriculture Bureau."

"After eating lunch, then take a few boxes home to eat in the evening; this half year will absolutely be good eating and drinking~"

Lu Yuan basically wasn't worried; it's just half a year, so tonight when he goes home he'll just go buy more grain~

Lu Yuan was just thinking that later when he goes home, he ought to tell his second uncle's family.

From now on grain will be controlled.

Then these restaurants won't be easy to buy things from.

Go back and have second uncle buy more white flour, then fill the cellar and such.

If the cellar is full, just put it in my big residence.

After all, selling steamed buns—where can you make more money selling white flour!

Then Lu Yuan also needs to buy more stuff to bring home.

Although right now it's only grain control, what if one day they also control meat?

On that day Lu Yuan would need meat for all three meals!

Not eating meat—how could that work?

Buy some storable cured meat and such to get through this half year.

Of course, if my potato could first produce a good variety right away, maybe half a year would be enough.

Could we not even last three or four months?

Immediately Lu Yuan then asked curiously:

When did it start?

Lin Fusheng thought for a moment and said:

It's almost ready; we just discussed this yesterday, our Agriculture Bureau has summarized the meeting results, and today the Ministry of Revenue can submit it to the Cabinet.

After the Cabinet reviews it, it will basically be settled, just in these few days.

Lu Yuan nodded, and when he went back in the afternoon, he hurried to buy and also notified his second uncle and Changyu to go buy.

At noon, Su Liyan arrived on her small cart.

Lin Fusheng, knowing Su Liyan was pregnant, also happily said that he would come to Lu Yuan's house for drinks tonight.

After lunch, Lu Yuan handed the mung bean cake given by Lin Fusheng to his wife, letting his wife take it back to the factory to share.

Then he continued to record the potatoes.

After finishing everything, Lu Yuan went straight to the market and first got his household supplies ready.

Then he went to notify his second uncle's family.

Finally, Lu Yuan first bought a thousand catties of white flour.

That thousand catties looks impressive, but actually one big bag of white flour is one hundred kilograms, which is two hundred catties.

That's five big bags of flour.

There are also twenty pieces of cured meat, three whole large hams, and a whole pig's hind leg, all aged three years or more!!!

When Lu Yuan returned to the courtyard with the things he bought.

Everyone in the courtyard was dumbfounded.

Has the Lu Yuan family gone overboard?!!!

Thanks to Night Lonely Elder Brother for the 1666 book coin reward, thank you very much~

Today three chapters are done~

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(End of chapter)