Tang Ning looked up and faced Jiang's forced smile and knew that what she said was just comforting words. The reality should be very difficult. She has been here for more than ten days. Although she is not concerned about anything, she still knows something occasionally when she hears Tang Junsheng and the others chatting.

The drought this year is severe, and the grain planted in the first half of the year was almost completely unrealized, and the only one was paid all kinds of harsh and complicated taxes.

The family has been busy for more than half a year and nothing is left. If Tang Junsheng and Tang Zheng had not had any skills, their family would have really drunk the northwest wind. They originally thought that this situation would be better in the second half of the year, but now it is about to fall. God has not appreciated the face, and the land is getting drought, and some crops have died directly. According to the current situation, the harvest in the second half of the year is probably worse than in the first half of the year.

However, Tang Ning did not dare to tell the truth in front of Jiang, but nodded heavily with her, and asked curiously with her big bright eyes, "Mom, do you think the food is expensive now, how expensive is it? Is it more expensive than meat?"

Jiang's smiled, thinking that Tang Ning was greedy for meat, so he lowered his eyes with some sadness. He remembered that the last time they ate meat was during the Chinese New Year. A piece of lean pork with about six taels and a very clean bone was the boss who did the work for others and the thank-you gift from the host family.

She cut the meat thinly, made soup with big bones, added wild vegetables and beans, and made a large pot of thick porridge, which allowed the family to have a full meal with some meat. After that, this kind of food would no longer exist.

Jiang resisted the tears and said softly: "The mixed noodles and black noodles we eat are not that expensive, but the season is not good this year. In addition, the battle and taxes are heavy. The things that can be bought for twelve cents have doubled now. If we are not at ease, it will be difficult to bear this winter."

It is difficult to bear. From the beginning of the summer harvest, you can often hear people starving to death or eating by changing children. More often than not, they sell their children. Jiang was afraid that these news would scare the children and did not dare to take the initiative in front of them. He could only do more and more work. Unfortunately, it would be useless if it didn't rain. But the work in the fields would not be done.

Now their situation is not to mention supporting their children, I am afraid they will almost starve to death. If they are gone, what will happen to a few children?

Thinking of this, Jiang was shocked and shook his head quickly, not thinking about it.

The fire in the stove became strong. Jiang scooped out half a scoop of water and poured it carefully along the edge of the pot. While boiling water, she turned around and went out for a while. When she came back, she had added half a bowl of mixed noodles in her hand. She poured half a bowl of mixed noodles into a clean clay pot and mixed it with chopped wild vegetables. When the water boiled, she then spread the wild vegetables wrapped in mixed noodles and put them in, threw a few grains of coarse salt in it, and cooked for a while to serve it.

This is how authentic and unpretentious their meals tonight.

The bitter taste of wild vegetables is mixed with various textures, making you never want to eat the second bite after taking the first bite. If you really eat up the whole bowl, it is definitely not because this thing is delicious, but because you can't stand it hungry.

Because he had no expectations for dinner, Tang Ning didn't blink his eyes when Jiang took the pottery jar out, and he helped Jiang clean up the big pot and stove.

This action fell into Jiang's eyes that his daughter had grown up and became more and more sensible. She would never have thought that Tang Ning would resist such food.

As night fell, Tang Ning sat in the yard and looked at the main road at the doorstep. Until it was almost sinking, the figures of Tang Junsheng and Tang Zheng appeared in her sight.

While Tang Ning breathed a sigh of relief, she couldn't help but worry about Tang Zhong. The boy didn't know where to go. It was dark and he wouldn't come back. After a while, Tang Junsheng and Tang Zheng asked, she really didn't know how to excuse him.

Just when Tang Ning was anxious, a muffled sound came from the backyard. She turned around subconsciously and saw a black shadow hunching into the stove.

Before Tang Ning could chase after him, Tang Zhong had already gulped several sips of water with a scoop of water, let out a comfortable sigh, jumped twice before standing in front of Tang Ning, and smiled at her, "Sister, it's a pity that you didn't go out with me today. We got a lot of good things in the afternoon, telling you..."

Before Tang Zhong could finish speaking, Tang Ning had already pulled his clothes and signaled him to look out the door.

Tang Zhong then realized that his father and his elder brother had already pushed the door in at some point. He was so scared that he widened his eyes and covered his mouth with both hands.

That stupid look obviously made me feel guilty. Tang Zheng saw something was wrong at first glance, let alone Tang Junsheng.

"Boy, where are you going to make trouble today?" Tang Junsheng's brows suddenly frowned, and he was arrogant without anger.

Tang Zhong shook his head subconsciously, his head stammered, and he stammered: "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, just out with Erlangzi and the others..."

As he said that, Tang Zhong blinked at Tang Ning with help.

Tang Ning knew that Tang Junsheng was very opposed to their children going into the mountains to play. Seeing Tang Zhong like this, he knew that he must have entered the mountains again and ran deeper, otherwise he would not have to be so guilty.

Thinking that Tang Zhong honestly explained that his butt might bloom, she had to bite the bullet and help him speak, "Dad, brother, my brother just climbed a tree to pick up bird eggs for me. He didn't get into trouble. Mom has already prepared dinner. You guys hurry up and wash and eat."

Tang Zhong nodded and agreed.

Tang Junsheng looked at his heart full of worries and did not go into it. Instead, when Tang Zheng passed by them, he pinched Tang Ning's face and patted Tang Zhong's head. It was obvious that he had guessed it.

The siblings stood in the dark night and looked at each other, wanting to cry without tears.

Tang Zhong actually had the intention to continue the topic of Tang Ning's failure to finish, "Sister, it's okay, brother won't report it to us. Let me tell you that we found a pecan and a few ripe dates in the mountains. We will pick it together..."

"What are you still muttering outside? Come in for dinner!"

Jiang shouted and interrupted the conversation between the two brothers. Tang Ning was anxious to ask clearly, but had to hold back and followed Tang Zhong into the main hall.

The main hall is dark, and it is not a guest or an important event. Generally, candles are not lit. Only the dim moonlight shines in, making people barely see some outlines.

Fortunately, people are not myopia, and they will not be unable to see things clearly. However, almost all people here are malnourished. Even if they are not myopia, their ability to have night vision is not good. Usually, after eating, people leave the main hall, sit in the yard for a while before going back to bed, and get up to work before dawn the next day, and repeat.

A bowl of wild vegetable noodle soup is only a few gnocchi, and the rest is all soup, which can be done in just two bites. Tang Ning entered the main hall before his butt was hot, and Tang Junsheng and his son had already eaten it. She was stunned for a moment and quickly drank the remaining soup and helped Jiang Shi deliver the bowls and chopsticks to the stove.

Originally, she wanted to help wash dishes, but Jiang was afraid that she would not be able to see clearly, so she broke the only dishes and chopsticks in the house, so she drove her out.

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

Considering that the grain planted in every place in ancient times was different, even beans could be used as food, so the crops were set to be ripe twice a year in the northwest border of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Note that the crops here do not simply refer to rice and wheat, as long as they can be used as food, it is all counted.
Chapter completed!