Daming Town Haiwang

Chapter 1619, a letter from afar
Soon after the distribution of food, Zhang Ping led the people to the next village.

After these years of large-scale immigration in Henan, a large number of people have moved out. The population remaining in Henan is less than three-tenths of the original population, and they are all old people. The old people are old, and it is difficult to move their homeland. Even if they die, they will die in my hometown.

A large number of young and middle-aged people migrated to Liaodong, Western Regions, Hezhong, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and overseas. The large number of population loss also caused many places in Henan to become deserted places.

Along the way, I don't know how many villages are deserted and houses collapsed, just like the era of war and chaos. This Wangjia Village is a big village, but the current population is less than one-tenth of the original.

Most of the remaining young people have gone to work in the city, and these old people are the only ones who are farming at home.

Times change so fast!

In Wangjia Village, Uncle Wang, Uncle Li and other villagers looked at the bags of flour in front of them with smiles on their faces. Even if they got something for free, it made people happy.

"It's better to be the current emperor~"

"During the famine, if there was a bag of flour like this, the whole family could have survived. But at that time, although I heard that the imperial court provided disaster relief, the money and food that came out of the relief were swallowed up by those corrupt officials. If we go inside, we ordinary people can only wait to die.”

Uncle Wang said with a sigh.

"That's right, that's right, back then I had eight brothers, but only two survived, and the only little girl was bought by three steamed buns."

"It's pitiful to think about it!"

Uncle Li also shook his head in admiration, and then looked at his little great-grandson who was feeding chickens with corn kernels, and immediately couldn't help cursing: "Stinky boy, don't cherish the food well, wait until I see that I won't smoke you."

After speaking, he pretended to hit him, and immediately his little great-grandson hurried away mischievously, and said mischievously as he walked, "I can't hit me, I can't hit me~"

"I'll ask your father to bring you with me later, and see how he deals with you."

When Uncle Li saw it, he became even more angry immediately, and it was fine to put on airs.

"Jingle Bell~Jingling Bell~"

At this moment, a bicycle bell rang, and the villagers hurriedly looked over. Unexpectedly, it was Li Ye, the grandson of Uncle Li, and Wang Yi, the grandson of Uncle Wang, who were returning by bicycle.

Both of them are just in their early twenties, and they are currently working in Kaifeng. Because they are so close, they will ride their bicycles back to see their children every weekend.

"Dad~"

Seeing Li Ye and Wang Yi, the children of the two rushed over excitedly.

"Haha, my good son~"

Li Ye picked up his son and lifted it high.

However, he came to Uncle Li's side respectfully and shouted: "Grandpa~"

"Hmm~"

Uncle Li nodded slightly, then looked at him and said, "Why didn't your wife come back together?"

"She has to work overtime this week, and I brought some things back this time, so I didn't come back at all."

Li Ye unpacked several packages from the back of the bicycle and said, "Grandpa, this is the rice and bacon sent by the third uncle in Hezhong, and this is the flour sent by the fourth uncle from Liaodong." and dry goods, and the candy that Uncle Wu sent from Nanyang, and they also sent some silver and letters."

Li Ye sorted all the big and small bags, and said while opening them.

Uncle Li gave birth to six sons in total, two died young, and the remaining four, except Li Ye's father who was the eldest who stayed in his hometown of Henan, the other three sons have immigrated to Hezhong, Liaodong and Hebei respectively over the years. Nanyang.

"Third, fourth, fifth?"

When Uncle Li heard this, he immediately became excited. He looked at the things sent by his son, and then at the silver dollars and letters handed over by Li Ye. He was so excited.

The four sons and the three immigrants have gone outside the customs and overseas, and they have not seen each other for many years. Although they usually exchange letters, there are only one or two letters a year.

Uncle Li is very happy every time he receives a letter from them.

Of course, at this moment, it is not only Uncle Li, but also Uncle Wang. Uncle Wang also gave birth to several sons, and finally raised three, and two of them immigrated to Liaodong and Hezhong. I brought food, bacon, money and letters.

"Quickly read to me, read to me~"

Uncle Li held the letter. He was illiterate, so he handed it to Li Ye. Li Ye and the others grew up in the new era. They have attended school for several years, and they know some characters. Although they can't be an official, they still At any rate, it is not possible to open your eyes and go blind.

"Good~"

Li Ye took the letter, first opened the third uncle's letter and read it carefully.

"Grandpa, the third uncle's letter was written by the third uncle's second son, Li He. It said in the newspaper that there was a severe drought in my hometown and no crops. I missed you very much, so I also tried to send some food and bacon. I will give you the silver and money, I am afraid that you will have nothing to eat in this famine year."

"Li He knows how to write~"

When Uncle Li heard this, he stroked his beard in relief, thought for a while and said, "When he immigrated to Hezhong, he was only your son, but now he has already read and written, okay, OK!"

Uncle Li was really relieved. Although the Li family hadn't produced any official scholars yet, this grandson could read and write, which is also very good.

"Grandpa, the letter said that Li He's grades are very good. He has been admitted to the Imperial College of Technology in the capital. He will take the train to the capital at that time. Maybe he will stop by our Henan side when he comes back. Look at you."

"Really, have you been admitted to Imperial College of Technology?"

"Yeah!"

When Uncle Li heard it, he immediately became happier. Although he didn't understand what the Imperial College of Technology meant, he felt very awesome when he heard it, and he was even happier that he would come back to see himself when the time came.

"How about the third child?"

Then Uncle Li asked about the situation of the third family.

"Grandpa, it's said in the letter that the third uncle's family is doing very well now. A new pig farm has been built in the house, and dozens of pigs have been raised. What's more, they have good weather this year and a bumper harvest of food. He said that if grandpa is free, he can go to live in the middle of the river, and said that the train has been repaired now, and it is fast, convenient and comfortable to take the train.”

Li Ye also hurriedly replied.

"Okay, okay~"

"I'm relieved that they're doing well."

Uncle Li immediately smiled happily, and then hurriedly said: "Look at your fourth uncle's letter."

"Hmm~"

Li Ye also quickly opened the letter sent by his fourth uncle's house, and quickly read it.

"Grandpa, fourth uncle also said that he read the newspaper saying that there was a severe drought in his hometown of Henan, so he was very worried that you would have no food to eat, so he also sent you food and money."

"Fourth Uncle said above, Fourth Uncle's side is also very good now, Li He and Li Ming not only got married, but also took concubines, who were Koreans, and gave birth to a few great-grandchildren for you. "

"Hey, I'm still taking a concubine, isn't this the landlord~"

When the people around heard it, they immediately laughed and said.

"Isn't that right? I heard that many people in Liaodong take Koreans as concubines, and some people simply marry Koreans as wives."

"That's right, didn't the grandson of the old Liu family just marry a Korean? I heard that he is very capable, and the house is kept clean."

Others followed suit.

"Okay, okay~"

Uncle Li became even happier when he heard this.

To be honest, when he didn't immigrate, Uncle Li was also anxious about the marriages of his grandsons. It turned out that there was a poor family in the family.

Who knew that after the immigrants went out, all of them lived a very good life.

"Fourth Uncle also said, I sent you some ginseng to Grandpa, and Fourth Uncle went to the mountain to pick it himself."

"In addition, the fourth uncle's family has also built a new pig farm now, and they are also raising pigs. They also said that they are selling well now, and they have also passed the train. They want to take you to Liaodong, Grandpa."

"I'm not going. It's so cold in Liaodong. If you go there, you will freeze to death. They just need to live well."

When Uncle Li heard this, he shook his head again and again. He would definitely not go to Liaodong, although he said that it was convenient to go by train.

"Grandpa~"

"The fifth uncle is the same as the third uncle and the fourth uncle. I read from the newspaper that there was a severe drought in Henan. I was afraid that you would have nothing to eat, so I also sent you food and money."

"The letter also said that Nanyang is very warm even in winter, and I want you to go there to spend the winter."

"I'm not going to Nanyang, I have to take a boat. I'm sure I'll get seasick."

Uncle Li couldn't say it, but he was very happy in his heart.

"The letter also said that Uncle Wu's family recently built a plantation and planted rubber. In addition, the three brothers Li Qing, Li Qian, and Li Xu bought a big boat together and spent tens of thousands of taels of silver. , and started to run ships on the sea to do business."

"Okay, okay~"

"The three of them have grown up now, and they all have their own boats."

When Uncle Li heard this, he felt even more relieved. When the old five's family moved to Nanyang, the three grandchildren were still children. Now they have grown up and are able to buy a big boat to go to sea.

"Tsk tsk, Uncle Li, your family is amazing."

"The children of the third family have been admitted to Imperial College of Technology, the children of the fourth family are rich landlords, and they all take concubines. The fifth family even bought a big boat. Li Ye is also amazing. Now they are all The stewards in the factory are here, your Li family is amazing."

After listening, the people next to him also said to Uncle Li.

"Yeah, yeah, it's amazing."

"I still have to have more sons. If there are more sons, there will be more grandchildren, and even more great-grandchildren. All of them will be promising. Unlike me, I have given birth to a bunch of daughters, all of whom are losers."

"I can't say anything. Your daughter is also very filial. Didn't she send you things and money last time?"

"That's right, that's right, your uncle also invited you to live with him, it's just that you don't want to go by yourself."

"That's not a surname after all, is it?"

"..."

Hearing what the neighbors said, Uncle Li smiled even brighter.

"I'll find some time to come and have a look. If you are free, come with me. Go and see them while you can still walk."

On the other side, Uncle Wang was also listening to his grandson Wang Yi reading the letter, but after thinking about it, he decided to visit his emigrated son while he was still healthy.

(End of this chapter)