he villagers' joy, Jiang Yu felt a wave of contentment deep within her heart. 。She is not a selfless saint, but she wishes to contribute to society as best she can, of course within her own principles...The Youth Congress has just ended, and while it didn't publicly mention the incident in Hongqi Village, the new arrivals were clearly affected. Their attitude towards rural life became negative. They not only stopped emulating the older educated youths but even questioned their value.
As a result, the two parties argued endlessly and were ultimately punished accordingly, being assigned a week of political study courses.
This incident made the six people in Qingshan Gou deeply realize the importance of early consultation and late reporting.
After their return, they immediately set up a revolutionary atmosphere in the east wing. They hung up portraits of leaders again, placed quotations and Mao Zedong's Selected Works, and wore their treasured commemorative medals.
Every day, Lu Hong and Liu Aimin took turns leading them to renew their vows, singing revolutionary songs, believing that such preparations could cope with possible inspections.
However, what they didn't expect was that soon after, they were really hit by a surprise inspection from the "Cadre Inspection Team for Young Intellectuals." These newcomers, Red Guards, behaved rudely. Their slogans before the inspection line sounded particularly jarring: "Forge red hearts in the vast world, and cast the red earth with passion!"
Without warning, he broke in and was mistaken for a thief by He Jianguo and Zhang Changqing. He was subjected to a sudden punishment and could only leave in embarrassment.
Northeastern agricultural practices are like the hands of a seasonal clock. After the autumn harvest of potatoes, winter planting of cabbages follows closely behind. Because winter vegetables are scarce, potatoes, cabbages, and radishes become indispensable staple foods for storage. This labor and the harvest of food are equally important, after all, how can one's diet be complete without vegetables
Besides the collective farming of communal fields, villagers also have their own private plots. Men are responsible for planting, while women focus on drying. After blanching green beans in hot water, they skillfully split them in half without completely separating them, then dry them on bamboo racks awaiting the wind's touch.
Carrots and pumpkins are sliced and shredded, while gourds are carefully peeled into thin strips. Chili peppers are strung together like garlands and hung by the window. Garlic is woven into braids, cucumbers, eggplants, and string beans are pickled for later use as condiments.
Since August, they have been busy preparing for the coming winter.
In just half a month, Zhang Qingfang's figure has noticeably thinned. Her once plump oval face now only remains half its size, making her eyes appear particularly large. Although her complexion is pale, her lively eyes somehow add to her charm.
Receiving a short message about her family's well-being, she finally felt some relief. Her enthusiasm for work doubled, and even the fellow young intellectuals at the countryside work camp felt a sense of ease.
After encountering misfortune at Zhang's family, Liao Jun appeared even more frequently. He voluntarily stayed at the educated youth point to help out, and the rumors circulating in the village hinted that their relationship was about to develop.
However, Jiang Yan discovered that Zhang Qingfang's attitude towards Liao Jun had become more distant. She complained about this to He Jianguo in private, but this was a private matter after all, and Jiang Yan only felt curious for a while before stopping mentioning it.
He Jian Guo and Jiang Yan's relationship is progressing smoothly. They have decided to observe three years of mourning for the Jiang Han couple, but their engagement plans remain unaffected.
In the countryside, engagement is almost equivalent to marriage. Their good reputation and the support of their elders make the engagement ceremony extraordinarily lively.
He Jian Guo held the planning notebook tightly in his hand, excitedly reporting to his future wife: "The land plot has been divided. We'll leave it for now this year and slowly consider the style and materials. The wedding banquet will be at the知青 point. Five Grandpa recommends the third day after the霜降 period. I have already found Auntie Hua and Second Sister-in-law as chefs, with an estimated 20 tables."
When the cabbage is harvested, I will go looking for a wild boar.
His eyes sparkled with anticipation, gazing at those figures toiling diligently in the distance, hoping for Jiang Yan's approval.
Jiang Yan patted He Jianguo's shoulder gently like she was petting a puppy, then lightly kissed his cheek. Her grandmother had taught her that praise for men should never be stingy, especially when they took the initiative to give.
When He JianGuo heard this, he smiled bashfully and stole a glance at Liao Jun. He murmured in a low voice, "I think I've got it."
Jiang Xiaohan pursed her lips, trying hard to suppress the joy bubbling within her. She looked at He Jianguo with her eyes, silently seeking confirmation. Seeing his slight nod, her smile bloomed instantly, like the warm sunshine after spring thaw. Finally, that mysterious ancient tomb buried deep underground was about to reveal its veil.
Although He Jianguo's forest patrol mission isn't over yet, Jiang Xiaohan will still keep him company in her free time.
These days, besides being busy drying and preserving food and purchasing trivial items for the wedding, she spent most of her time in her own space, confronting the harvest within the White Pagoda.
Though the statues and scriptures were undoubtedly precious, what captivated her most was undeniably the gilded copper chest. The nine dragons spiraling across its surface seemed to hold infinite mystery, as if foreshadowing a grand surprise awaiting discovery.
As night fell and everyone else had fallen asleep, Jiang Xiaohan slipped into bed and quietly entered the space.
She had never brought kittens home because she understood that this parting was inevitable. She wasn't heartless towards the kittens, she just feared losing control. On her side, there was Guo Jian, a treasure hunter, and even self-sufficient adult cats. While Aunt Song was financially well-off, perhaps she was reluctant to give her cat too much luxury.
She worries that the gap in treatment will cause the kittens unnecessary suffering.
Jiang Xiaohan's gaze was fixed firmly on the nine dragons on the bronze box. After this period of in-depth study and research on various identification books, she speculated that this might be a mechanism box called "Nine Palaces Array," with each dragon pattern hiding a grid behind it. Only one grid contained the key item, while the rest were traps.
These traps may conceal deadly liquids, flying arrows, or self-destructing devices. What appears to be nine options could actually only offer one true choice.
Having mentally rehearsed her strategy repeatedly, Jiang Xiaohan decided to put it into practice tonight.
To counter the risks of acid, phosphorus, mercury, poisonous sand, and venomous arrows, she donned a heavy protective suit and carried a stack of umbrellas as makeshift shields. Though it seemed somewhat comical, she understood the terrifying ingenuity of ancient traps; countless heroes had fallen victim to them. For a novice, caution was always wise.
Nine dragon heads connect from tail to head, evenly distributed on both sides, seamlessly merging with the dark yellow casing, leaving no flaws for Jiang Xiaohan to ponder over.
Until He Jian Guo first opened the stone trough, she was inspired and began to look for clues around the Dragon Ball.
After many attempts, she found that the small balls seemed to be related.
When she took out four orbs and compared them to the dragon balls on the box, she found that their patterns were exactly the same.
At this point, Jiang Xiaohan suddenly realized that those seemingly insignificant patterns were actually the codes corresponding to each section of the dragon's body.
Sticking to the gentlemanly way, Jiang Yu decided to start with the three-headed dragon in front. She lightly touched the orb before the central dragon's head, but there was no reaction. After a moment of hesitation, she tried to move the dragon's body left and right, but it remained silent and still.
Jiang Yu did not give up. She picked up a small wooden stick and scanned the dragon scales piece by piece until she reached its eyes, only then did she notice something was different.
She then took a small stick, apologized with utmost humility while aiming for the dragon's eye, and poked it forcefully, causing a slight sound.
"With a click," Jiang Yu realized she had triggered some mechanism. She immediately raised her umbrella as a shield, waiting for a moment. The lid remained as silent as before.er they returned home. The villagers were heartbroken, those unfortunate piglets were ultimately dealt with under the guise of an accident. As a result, it was discovered that one of them was actuall...