Griffin Commander in the Late Ming Dynasty

Jiang Han’s confident answer almost left Sister 45 speechless.

"I used to think your shamelessness was acquired, but I didn't expect it was a natural talent."

"I am over-flattered"

"I'm not complimenting you!"

The youngest child looked at the two people who were bickering and felt that it was so difficult to hold back laughter in this family.

In fact, what the youngest said was quite modest. He made a living in the wilderness with his sister, and the knowledge of how to get food was almost forcibly learned from the environment. The technique of weaving fish baskets was the experience he gained from his repeated failures. He found some long grass by the river, sat on a stone and started weaving. Now he takes good care of his clothes and almost never goes to dirty places. He takes good care of his shoes like a basketball boy wearing a pair of new AJs.

"Sure, I have something."

Jiang Han was amazed at the youngest's skillful movements. It was really surprising that this child, who was only five or six years old, could achieve such a level.

The youngest child was shy and received Jiang Han's praise, but at the same time, her heart felt hot and she felt like her heart was about to jump out. This feeling was really good. The feeling of being useful and being praised by others was sweeter than honey.

45 took the little sister to feed the horses. This man always had some quirks about picking up little girls. M4A1 was responsible for chopping firewood, and Jiang Han was responsible for preparing some other food.

Because he had to go out, Jiang Han asked the lady in the market to make some flatbreads. The flatbreads made from leavened dough can be stored for quite a long time in this cold environment. After being slightly toasted over the fire, the dough has a burnt aroma and is a very good dry food reserve. At least, it is much better than fried noodles.

The so-called fried noodles are not the fried noodles or fried noodles as we understand them, but a kind of cooked flour made by mixing flour, salt and a little bit of oil. It tastes dry and you have to drink water, but it is quite filling. The flour and water mixed together in the stomach and intestines can bring a strong sense of fullness.

Jiang Han once wanted to imitate the martyrs and make himself some fried noodles, but he couldn't eat it after one bite. It was really hard to imagine how the volunteer army predecessors fought the enemy while eating such food.

"Ma Ma!"

The youngest sister was feeding the horses with sister 45 at this moment. The tall horse looked even more majestic against the backdrop of the two of them. Looking at the warhorse that was much shorter than her, 45's expression improved a little.

The little guy rarely saw horses, and was a little scared at first, but after spending a long time at home, he occasionally went up to touch one or two, and gradually became familiar with it.

Horses are not like machines that need maintenance. Their large nostrils allow them to breathe in large amounts of air, and their strong lung capacity gives them super running ability and endurance. However, in the current outside world, vegetation is scarce and edible things have basically been eaten up. Grass roots and tree bark have been almost eaten up by hungry people, and the entire ground is covered with yellow dust. Running in such an environment, a large amount of dust will be inhaled into the nose, which will affect the horse's respiratory tract. It cannot pick its nose by itself, so it may suddenly run out of breath and die while running. Therefore, after running for a certain period of time, you must wash the horse's nose to ensure that there is no dust accumulation near the horse's nostrils. At the same time, it also gives the horse a chance to catch his breath and relax his muscles.

The fire was still burning and it would probably take a while for the water to boil, so Jiang Han decided to deal with the basket of potatoes first.

This thing is not good to keep. If left for too long, it will not only sprout but also grow hair. This thing is the hope of the whole village. If it grows hair, it will be the end of it. So Jiang Han plans to put these potatoes into the cultivation process as soon as possible.

"What is this doing?"

M4A1 looked at Jiang Han gesturing at the potatoes with a kitchen knife and came over curiously.

"I'm just about to cut these potatoes into cubes and I'm still trying to figure out where to start."

Jiang Han stared at the potato lump in front of him.

"Cut them off? Didn't you say you wanted to plant them?"

"Yes, but a potato can sprout many sprouts. Wouldn't it be a waste if we plant them directly? So if we cut them up and plant them, wouldn't we be able to harvest more potatoes?"

"That makes sense... Come on, Commander!"

"Don't worry, my school planted this thing when I was in elementary school."

Jiang Han was full of confidence about this. He cut the potatoes into several small pieces, then placed them together to dry, waiting for them to sprout. The potatoes actually store nutrients and water inside, so there is no need to interfere too much. After seeing the small sprouts, he can plant them in the soil for cultivation.

For this purpose, Jiang Han even shoveled two boxes of soil from Cao's garden. The soil there has enough nutrients, plus they have a lot of horses here, so there is definitely enough organic fertilizer. Jiang Han is determined to win this potato planting!

Jiang Han planned to turn Cao Sheng's carriage into a warehouse and greenhouse to store items and grow vegetables. It was unrealistic to rely solely on dry food to last for two months, and there was no guarantee of replenishment during the journey. In addition, time was running out and winter was approaching. If Jiang Han wanted to make any changes, he had to speed up the process.

Jiang Han originally planned to use this trip as an opportunity to think and relax, but the scenery along the way was really not relaxing. The population density in the Central Plains was actually very high. Such a high population density, coupled with large-scale famine, would result in the sight of dead bodies on the roadside every two steps. As long as he heard the crows calling, it was certain that nothing good was going to happen.

There are groups of wild dogs. These cute dogs seem to have regressed to their ancestors after coming to the wild. Their appearance has changed a lot, their bodies have become bigger and their eyes have become fiercer. In the case of food shortage, one of their staple foods is human corpses. It is common to see groups of wild dogs and crows frolicking in the wilderness, which really makes people feel unhappy. There are so many sufferings on this land that make people feel numb.

According to the position of the sun, Jiang Han and his party followed the river southward. The further south they went, the more green vegetation there was on the ground. The abnormal weather of the Little Ice Age began to take effect again. Although winter was clearly approaching, it rained heavily for five consecutive days.

Volume 32: Chapter Chapter : New Village

“The weather here is so weird.”

The strong wind wrapped in raindrops hit the roof of the carriage, making crackling sounds. 45 looked at the sky outside and complained.

"It's really abnormal. It shouldn't be raining heavily at this time."

M4A1 also nodded. No matter which world it was, the climate at the end of the Ming Dynasty was really abnormal.

"It's just a periodic phenomenon on Earth, but the intervals between these periods are a little longer. If the climate wasn't so abnormal, would this place be so desolate?"

Jiang Han knew that this was just the stable performance of the Little Ice Age. At this moment, he was wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, driving the carriage in the heavy rain.

They had found a small village before. The heavy rain would not stop for a while, so they had to hurry to the village so that they could take some shelter. Although the carriage could shelter from the wind and rain, it was not as effective as a house. And with so many horses, it was not a big deal to get wet in the rain. There happened to be a small village where they could take some shelter. It would be even better if they could get some supplies.

Stepping on the raindrops, Jiang Han and his party finally arrived at the small village. It seemed that they were preparing for a wedding. Every house was decorated with red lanterns, but at this moment they were a little wilted by the heavy rain.

The visit of Jiang Han and his party naturally attracted the attention of the villagers. Two carriages and more than ten horses were not a small caravan. Ordinary dignitaries could not afford such a grand occasion. However, looking at the style of the carriages, it seemed that there was nothing special about them. The head of the village brought his people and waited early on at the road that Jiang Han had to take to enter the village.

Jiang Han was driving halfway when he saw the middle of the road suddenly full of people. He was quite startled. He just reined in his horse when the old man spoke: "I am the head of Shangyang Village. This place is under the jurisdiction of Shangyang Village. May I ask why you are here?"

The old man went straight to the point and asked Jiang Han and others directly why they came.

Were people in the Ming Dynasty so direct?

Although a little surprised, at least there were people here. Compared with the dead, alive, and half-dead refugees on the road, the people here seemed a little more lively. Jiang Han returned the greeting in a pretentious manner and made up an excuse: "I am originally from the capital, and I am going to Nanjing with my family to visit my relatives. It has been raining heavily, and I came to your place this time hoping to take shelter from the rain, rest for a while, and then leave after resting."

At this moment, his sister and M4A1 who curiously stuck their heads out added a lot of credibility to his words.

"So it was to take shelter from the rain... I thought..."

There was someone mumbling something, but Jiang Han didn't hear it clearly.

"Old man, forgive me for not hearing you clearly, what did you say?"

"Nothing, nothing!"

The old man shook his head and changed the subject: "If you want to take a break, there are some empty rooms at Zhao Ganzi's house. You can rest there for a while."

"Thank you, head of the village! Please show us the way to Zhao Ganzi's house."

"It's not far from here... Never mind, I'll take you there."

After the head of the village finished speaking, he turned around and led Jiang Han and his group towards the village, and the villagers nearby also slowly dispersed.

"I feel like something is wrong. The villagers are looking at us strangely."

45 moved closer to Jiang Han and spoke in a low voice.

"Keep your voice down so no one can hear you"

Jiang Han made a downward gesture, and when he saw that the head of the village who was leading the way didn't react, he responded in a low voice.

"These days, there are bandits and refugees everywhere. It's normal for these villagers to be a little more vigilant. Otherwise, they would have been robbed a long time ago."

Jiang Han didn't care too much.

"Okay, anyway, I always feel uncomfortable in this village."

45 reluctantly accepted Jiang Han’s explanation, but still had reservations.

"Your convoy of carriages is so large that an ordinary courtyard may not be able to accommodate them. Fortunately, the Zhao Ganzi family has a large population. The old house has been renovated and expanded several times, making it a wealthy family in the village. However, now that their family population has shrunk, the courtyards have become vacant, which is just right for entertaining you."

As the village head walked, he chattered to Jiang Han and his group about the current situation at Zhao Ganzi's home.

"Zhao Ganzi is a down-to-earth man, a simple and honest person. You can rest assured that your belongings will be safe there. If you lose anything, just come and find me, the village head."

The old man was quite enthusiastic and even made some special guarantees to make Jiang Han and his group feel at ease.

"Look at him, he's very kind-hearted."

"Thank you, old man. I am really sorry to bother you this time. Please accept this as a small token of my appreciation."

Jiang Han smiled, took out a handful of copper coins and put them into the head of the village.

"Hey, no, no, how can we do this? This... is against the rules."

The head of the village said no, but he never pushed Jiang Han away. When Jiang Han handed the copper coin to him, he felt that it was quite heavy! Who would complain about having too much money these days?

After pushing it several times, the head of the village finally "reluctantly" accepted Jiang Han's kindness, but his old face became more eager.

The village is not big, and we quickly found Zhao Ganzi's home. The yard is not small, but the wall is not high. It is a farmhouse style, and the style of the house is also very rustic.

"Zhao Ganzi, Zhao Ganzi!"

The village head went forward and knocked on the door.

"What else? I've already promised you!"

Zhao Ganzi, on the other hand, rushed out angrily, opened the door, looked at Jiang Han and his group behind the head of the village, and suddenly stopped talking.

"Um, Li Zheng, what is this...?"

The old man glared at Zhao Ganzi and said unhappily: "This is from the capital... er..."

"Jiang Han"

Jiang Han reminds you in time

"Yes, Master Jiang, I passed by my village and wanted to seek shelter from the storm. Don't you have an empty yard at your house? I will bring you here and let you stay. Please don't neglect me!"

"No, no, we're just going to hide for a while. As for food, we'll prepare it ourselves, so the host doesn't need to worry too much."

Seeing Zhao Ganzi looking embarrassed, Jiang Han quickly spoke up to help him relieve his worries. To be honest, the food rations for five people were not a small amount, and no one would like to be eaten for no reason. After Jiang Han said this, Zhao Ganzi was obviously relieved.

"In that case, come in."

He moved aside and opened the door so that Jiang Han and his party's carriage could enter.

"Thank you very much"

Jiang Han bowed and thanked him, and the group entered Zhao Ganzi's house.

It seems that Zhao Ganzi's family was indeed wealthy, as the houses in the yard are quite large. But now only Zhao Ganzi, his brother, and a sister live together, so the family can be described as sparsely populated.

There was also a little girl about the same age as Yao'er, who looked like Zhao Ganzi's daughter. It was the first time she saw a tall horse and a carriage. She stood under the eaves curiously and looked at Jiang Han and his group.

After settling down, the village head gave a few instructions and left, leaving Jiang Han and his group to recuperate in the house.

"Boss, who is that person?"

"It seems like he is passing through Beijing...he said he wants to borrow our house to take shelter from the rain."

"Ah? How can we have so much food to satisfy them? So many big animals, how much fodder do we need? It's so cold here, isn't it going to kill people?"

"No, they said they have prepared their own food and we don't need to agree to it."

"Oh, thank God, as I saw from the tall horse, it doesn't look like it has no food..."

The unclear conversation between Zhao Ganzi and his wife was drowned in the rain. Jiang Han didn't care much. He took off his raincoat and prepared to make a fire to keep warm.

In such heavy rain, even if you wear a straw raincoat, you cannot completely avoid getting wet, and your outer clothes will still get wet.

“Humans are selfish indeed.”

The whispers between Zhao Ganzi and his wife naturally did not escape 45's ears, and the couple's attitudes made 45 somewhat dissatisfied.

"Hey, being generous depends on the situation. If you only have one piece of cake, but a group of people come and ask you to use this piece of cake to treat them, you will not be happy. These days, it's not easy for anyone. Long live understanding."

Jiang Han explained to 45 while making a fire.

"Not bad, I want baked potatoes!"

The slight unhappiness was soon forgotten. Jiang Han's potato cultivation plan had already shown initial results. Many of the first batch of potatoes had already sprouted tender green buds. If nothing unexpected happened, these potatoes would have a good harvest. Naturally, that basket of potatoes could not be planted all, so there were a few left, which were targeted by 45.

I used to say that I hated potatoes, but after eating dry food all the way, potatoes became a rare snack. They are delicious when cooked over the fire and sprinkled with a little salt.

It was pouring outside. I was used to staying in the carriage, but coming to this farmhouse was a different experience.

Volume 33: Chapter About the Book Club

Many people hope that I will start a group. Actually, there was a group before, but it became unpopular, so I haven't done it since. I also have to paint in my daily life, and I'm worried that no one will commission me to work to make money. After thinking it over, I decided to start one. If you have any suggestions, you can guide me in the group. I know all about weapons and historical knowledge by looking up information. For example, the caliber of a weapon is the distance between the two positive lines of the barrel. The caliber of a bullet will be slightly larger to jam the barrel to ensure that the thrust of the gunpowder is not wasted, but it is actually quite superficial. I only have a little understanding of the celebrities in the late Ming Dynasty. It would be great to have more professional opinions. Of course, chatting is even better. The group number is: 879241505. Welcome everyone!

Volume 34: Chapter Chapter : Simple Meal

After changing into drier clothes, Jiang Han hung the wet clothes on the clothes rack to dry. The crackling sound of the charcoal fire in the small stove, together with the sound of rain outside, formed a wonderful symphony that made Jiang Han feel a little drowsy.

"I don't know when this weather will end."

A series of rain always makes people feel uncomfortable. Although rainy days are very pleasant, it is a bit scary when rainy days coincide with cold winter days.

The freshly fallen rain will be frozen into icicles, and the accumulated water on the ground will quickly turn into pieces of ice, making people who walk on it fall flat on their faces.

The Ming Dynasty had the habit of burning coal. After this black mineral was discovered to be combustible and had a good burning effect, it began to replace charcoal on a large scale and became the first choice for making fire in most families. However, this did not include such remote mountain villages. For such poor farmers, coal was a considerable expense.

At this time, coal stoves with chimneys have not yet been invented, and people generally use small stoves with openings on top. Doors and windows must be opened when living in the house, otherwise there will be a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Although ventilation is unobstructed, the heat energy is wasted and it does not bring much warmth at all. The only way to feel a little warmth is to stay in front of the stove.