The pork butcher is smoother than a pig butcher!

Chapter 365 Condolences
Yes!

came back!
Even after she returned, things didn't stop; there were still many things she had to handle personally.

Ganluchuan only had the vanguard battalion and personal guards; there wasn't a single outsider among them.

Therefore, General Gan decided to distribute the grain share allocated to this small garrison directly to each household as an end-of-year bonus.

She went to distribute them with the generals, including Commander Gu.

The first people we visited were the families of soldiers who had lost their loved ones in the line of duty.

She said to the widow of the dead man:
"Sister-in-law, you must make sure that both your son and daughter go to school. Next year, a city will be built in Ganluchuan, with many shops, weaving workshops, and embroidery workshops."

If you're willing, you can work in the workshop or embroidery shop. Don't worry about the children not finding work after they grow up. If there are any difficulties at home that you can't resolve, be sure to let me know.”

The widow wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and kept nodding.

“The Ang family is living a good life. Although the children’s father has passed away, the money he left to the Ang family is enough to support several generations. The eldest son will be able to take over his father’s military status in a few years. The two younger ones are attending school for half a day every day.”

"Good! If you want to make something of yourself in the army, you need to be in good health! I'll have someone send you the daily menu for my hundred personal guards later. Eat according to the menu and grow strong."

"Okay, whatever you say."

General Gan gave a completely different explanation to the elderly people who had lost their sons:
"Your son died a heroic death while trying to reclaim our lost territory. I have already written to the Marquis, asking him to help find a feng shui master to select an auspicious burial site near Ganlu River next year for the martyrs of the Vanguard Battalion. From now on, all martyrs buried in this cemetery will enjoy the blessings of their ancestors for eternity."

Martyrs will forever be honored by future generations!
What an honor this was for all the military households.

How could the elderly not be moved when they heard this?
The old woman held her hand tightly and wouldn't let go, chattering on and on for quite a while.

General Gan, who is usually aloof, was very warm and patient with these elderly people.

Ganluchuan entered a New Year's state ahead of schedule due to the return of the family head.

The other garrisons in Kansai also quickly became lively.

It happened on the night of the 29th of the lunar year.

The soldiers of Guazhou Guard were shouting and yelling near the dugouts where the immigrants lived, in the middle of the night.

"Everyone who's been hibernating should come out and listen to this! Tomorrow morning at Chenshi (7-9 AM), the grain shops in the garrison will have grain for sale! Don't oversleep!"

Immediately, many heads popped out of the dugouts, shouting, "Sir, is there really grain? What are the prices?"

The officers and soldiers replied loudly:
"The finest wheat costs eight coins per pound, barley seven coins, millet, sorghum, and highland barley six coins, beans five coins, dried dates twenty coins, and fresh scallions and carrots three coins."

The immigrants in the dugouts all thought they had misheard and quickly rubbed their ears.

Some people were puzzled, while others asked the question out loud.

Guan Jun, hands on his hips, replied with gusto:

“Ang is only nineteen years old this year, how could he not remember these prices? Stop guessing, these grains were all bought back from foreign merchants in the Western Regions by General Luosha, and the prices he sold them to you were the original prices!”
The price is what it is, but it's not without conditions!

For grains, households with six or more members are limited to 120 jin (60 kg) per purchase, while households with fewer than six members are limited to 100 jin (50 kg). For beans and dried dates, each household is limited to 10 jin (5 kg). For scallions and carrots, each household is limited to 20 jin (10 kg). Going forward, purchases can be made once a month.

A man shouted excitedly:

"That's quite a lot!"

"Sir, my family doesn't have money to buy grain. Can we buy it on credit? My son and I will continue to work as laborers in Hami New City next year."

"Of course you can buy on credit! However, the centurion said that each household can only buy five hundred coins' worth on credit!"

The immigrants immediately became excited.

In the dugout, some families had lit oil lamps.

The man shouted loudly:

"Eldest brother, second brother, you two get up at dawn tomorrow and come with me to the grain shop to queue up. Our family of eight can buy 120 catties of wheat, 10 catties of soybeans, 10 catties of dried dates, 20 catties of carrots, and 20 catties of scallions! Let me do the math, let me do the math, oh dear, it will cost 1,330 coins!"

The woman quickly tugged at the man's sleeve:

"Isn't it possible to buy 500 coins on credit? Let's buy the full amount first, and then we'll pay the remaining 830 coins with our own money! Anyway, grain and vegetables keep well, so we can buy as much as we can!"

The main reason is that it's really cheap.

Grain prices haven't been this cheap in the interior for several years.

When faced with such a good thing, most people fall into the trap of hoarding.

Only the children cared: "Mom, tomorrow is New Year's Eve, can you make us a cake with dried dates and raisins?"

The mother was in a great mood at the moment, and waved her hand:
"Yes, yes! When Dad and my brothers buy wheat tomorrow morning, I'll have them grind it into flour right away. Tonight, I'll steam a pot of sweet red date cakes for my youngest son! For this year's New Year's Eve dinner, how about Mom makes mutton dumplings and stews a mutton soup with carrots and chamaegu?"

With pastries, dumplings, and meat soup, there could be no better New Year's Eve.

The child was so happy that he jumped and bounced around naked on the big pit.

Sleep? What are you talking about?

The whole family got involved.

The head of the household quickly found the family register they had received after arriving in Kansai and carefully put it in his inner pocket.

I'm afraid that after waiting in line for ages, I'll forget to bring this when I get there.

The woman carefully inspected the burlap sacks in the house, and hurriedly found cloth to sew up any larger holes.

The older folks didn't even blink all night.

They have little and shallow sleep.

I was afraid that I would oversleep and miss the best time to queue.

As soon as they heard footsteps outside the dugout, they urged their son to get up quickly and join the queue.

Really are.

It was freezing cold.

When I got up early, the entrance to the dugout was still piled with snow; it had snowed heavily again last night.

In weather like this, it takes courage to even leave your dugout.

In many households, apart from the adults getting up early to empty the chamber pots, the elderly and children haven't left their dugouts for quite some time.

And it's hiding.

When Guan Jun, who was on night duty, saw the manner of the immigrants and their families, he quickly sent someone to inform the manager of the grain shop.

"Don't sleep. Anyway, the food is distributed according to the population structure. Sell it all out as soon as possible and pack up early."

The manager was so angry he was puffing out his beard and glaring.
"Look at the time! It's still dark outside. Which grain shop opens at this hour?"

"What else can we do? Waiting outside for an hour or two in this cold weather could really freeze a person to death. Colds are contagious!"

Yes, who can they pass it on to?
The dugouts of the military families were not far from those of the immigrants.

Which family doesn't have children and elderly people?

Got it!
The foreman closed his eyes briefly and told everyone to get up and get to work.

(End of this chapter)