Flip the table and divide the family property! Take his wife and daughter into the mountains and eat

On the second day of the second lunar month, the dragon raises its head.

Although the snow in the Greater Khingan Mountains has not yet completely melted, the wind no longer has that sharp, cutting edge, and carries the breath of early spring.

Early in the morning, the large iron gate of the Zhao family compound was opened.

Right in the middle of the entrance, a large iron pot with a diameter of more than one meter was set up.

Beneath the pot, a thick pine log burned brightly, flames leaping upwards. Inside, ginger and jujube broth simmered, steaming gently, its spicy, jujube-scented aroma carrying for miles on the wind.

The most amazing thing was that Zhao Shanhe was personally carrying a big bag and pouring things into the pot.

"Splash—"

The crystal-clear white sugar, like snowflakes, fell into the boiling water.

"Oh my god! Shanhe, this is white sugar! This is such a waste!"

The plump auntie who was helping to tend the fire looked on with heartache, her hand trembling as she held the spoon: "Why not just add some saccharin? It'll taste the same!"

Zhao Shanhe smiled and waved his hand, then took the large ladle and stirred it:

"Auntie, how can they be the same? Saccharin is bittersweet, and drinking too much of it can cause heartburn. White sugar is a proper product. The villagers come all the way here braving the wind and snow to deliver it, and they only feel at ease after having a sip of hot, sweet water as soon as they come in."

The voice wasn't loud, but the old men who were stamping their feet to keep warm by the door heard it clearly.

They looked at each other, their hearts already warmed even before they had drunk anything.

Entering the courtyard, one is immediately struck by its beauty.

In the past, when villages collected mountain products, it was a chaotic mess. Everyone was scrambling forward, afraid of not being able to sell them, and they also had to be careful not to get their feet stepped on.

But today, five or six rows of long benches and chairs with backs are neatly arranged in the Zhao family compound.

Zhao Shanhe specially arranged for these to be borrowed from the village school, and even the benches used for meetings at the brigade headquarters were brought over.

Li Baotian, dressed in a clean old military uniform with red armbands, was leading several young men in maintaining order.

"Sir, please sit here! Don't rush, we'll follow the numbers."

"Ergaizi! Pour a bowl of sweet soup for the woman over here! Don't let her get burned!"

Li Baotian held a stack of small bamboo tags with numbers written on them, and he would give one to whoever came first.

Everyone sat on benches, holding sweet ginger tea in their hands, basking in the sun, and someone even offered them cigarettes.

This isn't a laborer's trip; it's more like a family visit!

"It has to be Boss Zhao! This entourage is even more extravagant than the county supply and marketing cooperative!"

An old hunter puffed on his pipe, sitting with his legs crossed, looking quite content.

In the middle of the courtyard, there are three inspection tables.

This is when you can see the effect of Zhao Shanhe's previous "recruiting soldiers and buying horses".

The first table is for initial testing.

Two young men were responsible for opening the burlap sack, emptying the hides and dried fruit inside onto the chopping board, and quickly picking out the weeds and stones.

"Uncle, there are some clods of dirt in your hazelnuts. Let me sift them for you, otherwise they'll weigh out and it'll be hard to calculate the bill later."

This saved face for the villagers while also ensuring the purity of the goods.

The second table is for ranking.

The two experienced practitioners who were brought in from other villages were in charge.

They didn't curse; they just showed the leather to the delivery man.

"Brother, this fox pelt is shedding a bit; it's in its molting season. According to regulations, it should be classified as level two. Do you think it'll be okay? If not, could you take it back and let it rest?"

"Sure! Why not! Whatever you say goes!" The man nodded repeatedly.

They spoke so politely and even pointed out my mistakes; that makes me truly respect them.

The third table was where Master Liu and the accountant sat.

Wearing his reading glasses, Uncle Liu was in charge of the final "general review".

When you come across an exceptionally fine item, such as a glossy, smooth sable fur.

"nice one!"

Old Master Liu took off his glasses, examined the area carefully, and then shouted to the back:

"One top-grade sable! Added to inventory!"

At this shout, the accountant next to him—the village's best abacus user—started his fingers flying across the abacus.

"Crackling and popping!"

The sound was crisp and clear, like pearls falling onto a jade plate.

"One top-grade sable, asking price 60 yuan! Plus a 5 yuan bonus! Total 65 yuan!"

The accountant simply pulled open the drawer.

Inside, there were neatly stacked piles of "Big Unity" coins, five-dollar coins, two-dollar coins, and even cent coins.

The money is all new; it looks so tempting.

"Brother, take this and count it in front of me."

The accountant handed over the money, and also gave him a red slip of paper—a receipt.

The old man selling goods held the money, staring at the red slip of paper; his hands were trembling.

This is the first time in my life that I've felt like a "customer" when selling mountain products, instead of someone begging people to collect junk.

Throughout the day, the Zhao family compound was bustling with people, numbering at least two or three hundred.

But there wasn't a single argument, nor was there a single incident of crowding or stampeding.

Everyone followed the procedure: take a number, drink tea, sit and wait, inspect the goods, and get the money.

Once this process was in place, the villagers from the surrounding area all had a clear understanding of the situation:

Selling goods to Zhao Shanhe is a privilege! It's a sign of being respected!

The sun was setting in the west.

The goods in the yard had been piled up into a small mountain.

Zhao Shanhe stood on the steps, looking at the well-organized scene, and nodded in satisfaction.

He knew that once this "reputation" was established, the mountain products from the Greater Khingan Mountains would forever belong to the Zhao family.

"Shanhe, we've almost finished harvesting today."

Old Master Liu rubbed his sore shoulders and walked over, saying:

"We collected over forty top-grade hides alone. If we took these to the provincial capital, the profits would be enormous."

"Thank you for your hard work, Third Master."

Zhao Shanhe handed him a cigarette:

"Let's all work harder and settle the accounts. I'll treat everyone to drinks tonight."

At this time of peace and prosperity.

Outside the gate, a sharp, piercing screech of brakes shattered the tranquility.

"squeak--!!"

A Jeep 212, specifically assigned to bring up the rear of the convoy, charged suddenly at the gate like a startled bull, kicking up a cloud of snow dust.

The car door was kicked open before it had even come to a complete stop.

The one who jumped down was none other than Hu Zi, the deputy captain of the security department whom Zhao Shanhe had just promoted.

This guy is usually a tough guy, but right now his hat is askew, he's sweating profusely, and there's a murderous glint in his eyes.

"Brother Shanhe! Uncle Baotian! Grab your weapons!!"

Tiger's shout, laced with gunpowder, instantly extinguished the festive atmosphere of counting money in the courtyard.

"What's wrong, Tiger? Slow down!"

Upon seeing this, Li Baotian's brows furrowed instantly, and his hand instinctively reached for his waist.

"Heixiazi Gully! Something's happened!"

Tiger, panting heavily, pointed towards the village entrance, gritting his teeth:

"Our second car had just crossed the mountain pass when it was blocked by those bastards, Old Master Wang!"

"These people are insane! They dug a two-meter-wide trench in the middle of the road and felled all the trees on the hillside next to it, completely blocking the road!"

"Where's Ergazi?!" Zhao Shanhe strode over, his voice as deep as iron.

"Brother Erga is holding the fort over there!" Tiger wiped the sweat from his face.

"Third Master Wang and his gang have double-barreled shotguns. They're demanding 500 yuan as a toll, and if you don't pay, they'll impound your car!"

"Brother Erga didn't give them any face, he immediately pulled out his Type 56 semi-automatic rifle! Dazhuang and the other brothers who were escorting the truck also cocked their rifles!"

"The situation is completely at a standstill now!"

Tiger gestured to the famous, heart-stopping scene: "Our men were leaning against the cart wheels, guns pointed at their heads; Wang Sanye's gang was hiding behind the ditch, guns pointed at our fuel tanks!"

"Brother Erga sent me back with a message. He said if the other side dares to make a move, he'll blow Wang Sanye's head off first! But these road thugs outnumber us, and they're about to surround us!"

Gun to gun! Stalemate! All-out attack!

In that instant, the air in the courtyard froze completely.

The villagers selling their goods nearby were too frightened to utter a sound.

This isn't business, this is war!

Zhao Shanhe's hand, which was lighting a cigarette, froze in mid-air.

Those gentle eyes instantly turned cold.