Chapter 2 Chapter two

When brothers Cao and Xiao first settled down on the banks of the Damo River, there was no difference between high and low.The earliest houses were all earth walls and thatched roofs, and there was not a bluestone tile house.This newly-built immigrant village is less than five miles away from Qiaotou Town in Mohe County. There was no village name at that time, so the people in Qiaotou Town called it Kuzipo.They also inquired, where did these gangsters with weird accents come from?Xiao Taiping then taught the brothers of the two surnames to make up consistent stories, saying that they were flooded because of the Yellow River breach, the whole village was flooded, and their homes fell into the bottom of the river.The people of Qiaotou Town believed it, and sighed endlessly—the people of Qiaotou Town in the seventh year of Tongzhi not only believed in it, but also were very sympathetic.

The rogue Wang Dadu in Qiaotou Town didn't know how to be sympathetic, thinking that there was an opportunity to blackmail, he claimed to be the owner of this barren slope at the bottom of the river, and brought a group of ruffians to the slope to make trouble.Cao Tuan's brothers were polite first and asked Wang Dadu to show evidence.Wang Dadu couldn't produce any evidence, but he let it go.Xiao Taiping became angry, and his rebellious nature broke out. With an order, the brothers took out the remaining prestige of the party, and beat Wang Dadupi and the gang of scoundrels back with fists, kicks and sticks.Wang Dabel suffered a loss, and immediately ran to Mohe City to report to the real owner of the barren slope, Mr. Bai Er, the kiln owner of Baijiayao, and asked Mr. Bai Er to recognize the land.At that time, Mr. Bai Er was worried about the lack of manpower in the kiln. He got the report from Wang Dadu, and then he knew that this group of scorpions had come, so he hurried over from Mohe City.

It was Cao Ershun who first saw Mr. Bai Er from Kuzipo. On that historic morning when Mr. Bai Er came to Kazipo, Cao Ershun was sweating profusely, making thatch roofs for himself and Xiao Taiping's three earthen huts.Riding on the house mountain, Cao Ershun was condescending, and he was the first to see Mr. Bai Er sitting on the topless sedan chair and the accountant and kiln shopkeeper of the Bai family who were walking up the slope.Looking at the situation, Cao Ershun figured out that this group of people was extraordinary, thinking that they were the government's police officers.Cao Ershun panicked instinctively, and without saying hello to Xiao Taiping who was passing straw and mud under the house, he slid down the earth wall with a "squeak".

Xiao Taiping, who was working, came in without knowing it, glanced at Cao Ershun, and asked, "What's wrong, second brother?" Cao Ershun pointed down the slope: "Here, Taiping, you...look!" Xiao Taiping also saw Mr. Bai Er and his party who came to recognize the land.On the half slope not far away, Mr. Bai Er stretched out his fat white hand and opened the blue curtain of the sedan chair, got out of the sedan chair, and looked up the slope with a smile.While looking at it, he pointed around with the hookah stick in his hand, as if the master was pointing at his belongings.

Xiao Taiping still didn't expect that Mr. Bai Er came to claim his barren slope land, and he thought it was another kiln master who went to the slope to recruit people to go down the kiln, so he ignored him, pouted his mouth, and signaled Cao Ershun to go up the wall again, put the grass roof thatched Finish. By the way, Cao Er stepped on the cushions and climbed up the house mountain. Mr. Bai Er was ignored by Xiao Taiping. When Xiao Taiping saw Mr. Bai Er again, Mr. Bai Er was in trouble: Mr. Bai Er who came to recognize the land was surrounded by brothers Cao Tuan who refused to admit his account as usual, and he could not move under the old locust tree on the slope.Mr. Bai Er and the others yelled in desperation.This shout alarmed Xiao Taiping, Xiao Taiping left Cao Ershun on Wushan Mountain and ignored him, and followed Mr. Bai Er's resonant shout to the old locust tree alone.

Seeing Xiao Taiping approaching, the brothers stepped aside one after another. In this way, Xiao Taiping, surrounded by Cao Tuan brothers, appeared in front of Mr. Bai Er. Xiao Taiping asked the brothers in front of him solemnly, "What happened?" Xiao Taiping's younger brother, Xiao Taizhong, pointed at Mr. Bai Er and said angrily, "Brother, here comes another man who knows the land! This guy said that the slope land where our house is built is the kiln land he bought last year! Hey, look Is he tired of living?" The besieged Mr. Bai Er found out that Xiao Taiping was the leader of the gang, so he took aim at Xiao Taiping, and saluted Xiao Taiping with his fists cupped and said: "Hey, hey, brother in charge, I said that this slope is my land. Yes, that’s not nonsense, I have the title deed document! I’m here today, I don’t want to drive you away, I just want to meet and get to know you! Now that I know you, what’s not to discuss? ?Yes or no?"

Zhang Sanye, the kiln shopkeeper next to Mr. Bai Er, immediately introduced to Xiao Taiping: "This Mr. Bai Er, you don't know us Mr. Bai Er! Mr. Bai Er is the most famous benevolent person in our Mohe County! He is here today. Look at everyone, it is indeed a kind gesture!" The old housekeeper brought by Mr. Bai Er also came over from behind Mr. Bai Er, dipped his thin and long fingers in his saliva, opened the deed book, and showed the yellowed land deed to Xiao Taiping: "Look, this Is it the land of the Bai family!" Xiao Taiping didn't need to look at the land deed in the hands of the old housekeeper, he already understood in his heart that this sloping land seemed to be owned by the owner.Mr. Bai Er is decent, he is not a rogue like Wang Dadupi, he will never come here out of thin air, so he must treat each other with courtesy.Therefore, Xiao Taiping cupped his hands to Mr. Bai Er and said, "Mr. Bai, since this sloping land belongs to you, we should leave immediately. In such a big Mohe County, we can always find a place to live!"

Mr. Bai Er said with a smile: "No, that's not necessary! I've heard about you. You came here after a disaster. It's not worth mentioning to borrow a piece of wasteland from me! What's more, these thatched huts Most of you are built again, I want to drive you away, what does it look like? Don’t ruin my reputation? I’m explaining my words here. This sloping land is the kiln land I bought, and I just want to dig it underground in the future. Charcoal, I don’t want to plant anything, you just use it, let’s use it for three years first! After three years, I’m going to really dig the charcoal underground, let’s discuss what to do!”

Xiao Taiping thinks that no one can tell what will happen after three years, if this place is not easy for people to live, maybe they will leave after three years.Xiao Taiping thanked Mr. Bai Er on behalf of Brother Cao Tuan, and gave Mr. Bai Er a respectful bow, saying: "Since I borrowed Mr. Bai's precious land, I will ask Mr. Bai more in the future!" On that day, Xiao Taiping had vaguely felt that he would have some kind of connection with Mr. Bai Er in the future, but he couldn't tell what kind of connection it was.Xiao Taiping didn't expect that Mr. Bai Er would be a person who fundamentally changed his destiny.

Leaving aside the matter of the land, Mr. Bai Er naturally talked about his Baijia coal mine.Standing under the old locust tree, looking at so many young and strong men up and down the slope, Mr. Bai Er seemed to see a circle of good animals.Mr. Bai Er affectionately touched the strong shoulders of some brothers, his two small eyes were extremely bright: "...Okay, okay, they are all good young people!" Xiao Taiping didn't know what Mr. Bai Er meant, and looked at Mr. Bai Er in confusion. Mr. Bai Er smiled and said to Xiao Taiping: "... You guys are newcomers, and you haven't harvested the wasteland for a while. Are you in trouble? I have to help with this job. Who told you to live on my sloping land? ? If I don’t help you, who will help you?!”

Xiao Taiping tentatively asked: "Sir, what do you mean..." Mr. Bai Er pointed the hookah in his hand to the brother in front of him: "What I mean is, tell all of you brothers to go to our Baijia kiln, filling your stomach is not a problem!" Xiao Taiping didn't know Mr. Bai Er's true intentions, but he thought that Mr. Bai Er really wanted to help Brother Cao Tuan, so he said, "Thank you for your kindness, sir. I don't have to worry about going down to the kiln. The kiln king has sent people here, and many brothers have already done things with them." Mr. Bai Er was stunned, and his face turned down: "Hey, so... I'm late?" He turned to blame the kiln shopkeeper Zhang Sanye, "These brothers have been on the slope for almost a month, you Why don't you come and take a look? If Wang Dadu didn't come to tell me, I don't know! In our territory, they let the Li family and the Wang family take the lead!" The owner of the kiln, Mr. Zhang San, said in a low voice: "There are too many things going on in the kiln, brother... brother didn't take care of it for a while..." Only then did Xiao Taiping see that Mr. Bai Er wanted Cao Tuan's brothers to go to his Baijiayao, and hurriedly said: "Not all brothers have gone to Lijiayao and Wangjiayao, and some brothers can go to Mr. Do it in the kiln!" Mr. Bai Er nodded, his face was still not good-looking. Only then did Mr. Zhang make it clear: "I said, gentlemen, since you have lived in Mr. Bai Er's kiln and received the favor of the old Bai's family, how can you go to another kiln? You can go to our Bai's kiln. Just do it!" Xiao Taiping looked at the brothers around him, then at Mr. Zhang Sanye and Mr. Bai Er, and said hesitantly: "This... this needs to be discussed with the brothers! Lijiayao and Wangjiayao are not bad for the brothers. For lunch, four liters of new sorghum will be given a day..." Mr. Bai Er's small eyes lit up, and he asked Mr. Zhang on the spot: "Hey, how much sorghum do we give to the kiln?" Zhang Sanye said: "It's the same, the three small kilns in Qiaotou Town are all at this price." Then he said, "Sir, have you forgotten? Years ago, we established rules with Li's Kiln and Wang's Kiln, and the same price for the same industry. , can’t lift it alone.” Mr. Bai Er thought for a while, tossed his big greasy black braids, and said decisively: "These brothers and sisters are not ordinary potters, they were displaced in our hometown by a disaster, we have to help them! In this way, for anyone who comes to our Baijia kiln to go to the kiln, we will take care of two meals, and give...five liters of sorghum a day, that's the deal!" Zhang Sanye was stunned, a little embarrassed: "Is this okay? I'm afraid... I'm afraid the Li family and the Wang family are not happy!" Mr. Bai Er rolled his eyelids: "If you have anything to say, tell them to come to Mohe County to talk to me." This result was unexpected by Xiao Taiping and Cao Tuan's brothers. Xiao Taiping and the brothers around him were all moved by Mr. Bai Er's kind conditions for going to the kiln. Many brothers expressed on the spot that they would work in Baijiayao. Xiao Taizhong, who wanted to teach Mr. Bai Er a good lesson, said at this time: "...Mr. Bai, don't say that you always take care of two meals and return five liters of sorghum. The old kiln! Why? Just because of your loyalty, sir!" This way, Mr. Bai Er is very satisfied. Because of the arrival of these gangsters from the north, his coal mine is no longer afraid of lack of energy. In Mr. Bai Er's view, these gangsters of unknown origin are simply sent to him by God. It would be reckless for him not to get hold of a herd of cattle and drive them as hard as he could. On this day, the brothers of Cao Tuan were also very satisfied. Not only did they get the right to live on this slope, but they also got the very kind treatment from Mr. Bai Er, who was kind and enlightened. Xiao Taiping was the most satisfied.After Xiao Taiping got Mr. Bai Er's public promise, he got Mr. Bai Er's private promise when he said goodbye to Mr. Bai Er alone. Mr. Bai Er was on the side of the slope down the road, just before getting into the sedan chair, he sighed to Xiao Taiping meaningfully: "Brother, our Qiaotou town is a good place, crops grow on the ground, black charcoal is underground, as long as you have the ability I don’t have to worry about having nothing to eat, and I don’t have to worry about not being able to make money at home!” Turning to Mr. Zhang, Mr. Bai Er said again: “Hey, a Li Heilian came from outside the pass the year before last—that’s Li Wuye from Lijiayao now. , When I came here, I had nothing to lose, so it will be released in less than two years?" Zhang Sanye, the kiln shopkeeper, said knowingly: "Isn't it a big deal? It's a big deal. I earned thousands of taels of silver in two years, built a big tile house, and married the daughter of Zhang Teapot in Erqiao Village as my wife... ..." Xiao Taiping became active, knowing that Mr. Bai Er and Master Zhang had something to say, so he looked at Mr. Bai Er anxiously, waiting for Mr. Bai Er to give further instructions. Mr. Bai Er smiled, pointed Xiao Taiping's head with his bulging fingers and said: "Brother, work hard, you can send. I can see that you are not ordinary, and you are convincing! Those brothers and sisters listen to you." yes, right?" Xiao Taiping nodded, originally wanted to say, I am the head of their second regiment!If they don't listen to me, who else can they listen to?But in the end, he didn't dare to say it, for fear that if he said it, Mr. Bai Er and Mr. Zhang San would be shocked, and it would also ruin the plan of himself and his brothers to take root here.On the day when the public discussion broke up, Xiao Taiping led his brothers to swear a blood oath against the blue sky and green land. From now on, no one can mention Cao Tuan in the chaos again. Anyone who dares to mention it will be killed without mercy!Therefore, Xiao Taiping only said: "The fleeing brothers listen to me, and I will listen to you, sir. Whatever you say is what you say. In the future, I have to ask sir to take care of me!" Mr. Bai Er patted Xiao Taiping on the shoulder and said: "Say it, talk it! My brother, you get all the brothers on the slope to come to the Baijiayao for me! Let me get them all, Lijiayao, Wangjiayao Don’t go to the kiln alone. As long as your brother can get all the brothers in my kiln to go up and down the kiln, I will pay you three kiln wages! When you are done in the future, I will ask you to build a charcoal kiln. Let you make a lot of money!" Speaking of making a lot of money, Mr. Bai Er wrapped his arms around his arms and made an exaggerated and seductive gesture. This was the first time the seed of ambition was planted in Xiao Taiping's heart.From this, Xiao Taiping knew about Baoyao.Recalling it many years later, Xiao Taiping still clearly remembers the exaggerated gesture of Mr. Bai Er picking up the money, and his excitement at that moment. Staring at Mr. Bai Er's smiling face swaying in front of the sedan chair, Xiao Taiping really wanted to show his loyalty to Mr. Bai Er, and even wanted to reveal the little bit of money he had - the fifteen taels of silver he got when the Cao Tuan was disbanded , Ask Mr. Bai Er how to make this bet of small money produce a bet of big money?However, because of his sincere admiration for Mr. Bai Er and the incomparable excitement in his heart, Xiao Taiping, the former leader of the Niu Party, was unable to speak for a moment. His heart became anxious, his knees softened, and he knelt down in front of Mr. Bai Er ...