Chapter 38

The mining town at night is silent, except for one, the square in the center of the town. At this time, bonfires were everywhere. Almost all the people in the mining town and the villages under the jurisdiction of the mining town came here to participate in the annual beer festival.

"Today we gather here and wish our next year will be more beautiful!" The mayor, old Billy, began his regular speech. In his opinion, this is the most important part of the year.

"Although our children and your husbands may still be fighting on the front line at this time, everyone in our mining town will guard them!" Old Billy is worthy of being the mayor of the town for decades. He talks all the way, and is very easy to incite the emotions of the villagers. At least now he reminds everyone in the square of his thoughts for his relatives.

"This year, our mining town has overcome many difficulties and has..." Old Billy is still giving a speech, but the following people don't listen to him much, because they have talked about the most important part. The next part is about how much contribution and achievements old Billy has made as mayor in this year. Many civilians have limited cultural level. For example, the Locke family may know a few words on the front line. The vast majority of the remaining people simply don't understand what old Billy is saying. The honest civilians don't understand the words such as mineral increment and economic improvement. Let alone them, even old Billy may not know what he is talking about, His words were given to him by the administrator of the town. The administrator is the administrator assigned to each town by the baron. His level is lower than that of the mayor, but he belongs to the Baron, and old Billy dare not offend him.

Around the campfire, except for some more honest civilians listening to old Billy's heavenly book, the rest began their own carnival. Those who drink drink and those who eat bread eat bread. Today's beer is free. Bread costs money, but it's very few. It only takes a few coppers. For most people who don't have enough to eat, it's a benefit once a year. Smart businessmen began to sell their own goods. Although the shops in the whole mining town closed and closed, one or two of them still insisted, and this annual beer festival is the best time for them to make money.

Old Locke was drinking and boasting with people he knew in the town with a glass of beer. The object of boasting was his son who became a team leader. There were a group of honest ordinary people around him. In their opinion, the team leader was no longer a small role. It was worth flattering them. Many people even proposed marriage. Even if little Locke hadn't come back, At least the marriage can be booked.

Although old Locke is honest, he is not stupid. Of course, he can't respond casually. Besides, his daughter and wife are nearby. How can he deal with his son's life event casually. While the merchants don't pay much attention to old Locke, the team leader. This level is just the same as the captain of the garrison team in the town. At most, it is the same as the village head, and it is in charge of military affairs. The gold content can't be compared with the village head at all. Moreover, the merchants are heavy on profits. It's unknown whether old Locke's children can come back alive from the battlefield. Because the merchants have money, Their status is higher than that of ordinary people, so they don't care about the father of a small captain.

The officials in the town with higher status, such as the clerk, tax officer, financial officer and several captains of the garrison, despise a small captain even more. Why do they value a small captain with a lower level than themselves.

Of course, this is just the idea of some people, and many people greet old Locke. For example, an official in charge of trees in the town. The official in charge of trees is an exquisite person. No one offends. He has friends with everyone and has good comments. Old Locke was flattered and offered a glass of wine. The Forest Officer talked casually, which made old Locke drunk earlier. Mine town is not big or small. It is said that there are only five or six team leaders out of the town. The families of these five or six people are at least more noble than more than 90% of the people present. It doesn't take much to make friends. The forest officer thinks so.

Later, even the mayor's family sent a relative to offer a glass of wine to old Locke. Smart people can be found everywhere, especially those old slickers who have been mixed for so many years.

Faustin is located in the southwest, which is different from the East sherlow, which is rich in wheat wine. More people here drink beer. The cost of beer is lower than that of wheat wine. Most people can afford it, and it is also more popular in Faustin.

The night of beer festival was deep and beautiful, and the small mining town had a good night.

The next morning, the people lying on the ground in the middle of the square were awakened by the cold wind. Although there was beer to warm their stomach and the campfire burned all night, it was late autumn after all, and no matter how good they were. Old Locke was blown by the cold wind, and his back hurt again. With hazy eyes open, he walked to the town.

TIA and Leah's mother and daughter stayed at a relative's house in town last night. They can't stand the cold wind all night. Old Locke walked on the road and thought of his own field. The working people were like this. In addition to three meals a day and short family life, what he wanted was his own one-third of an acre of land.

In the town, the enthusiasm of this distant relative stayed. The three members of old Locke's family went to zhenzikou and were ready to go home. The mining town is very small. Almost every family has been living in it for three generations. Old Locke is a single child now. TIA has several sisters and brothers, but they all have a very weak relationship. Everyone despises this relative who married to the countryside. His mother depends on his son. Locke has become famous in the army. She is also a mother. Those who despised her before, Now I don't talk to her so casually. Although TIA doesn't adapt, she feels very good.

When he got to zhenzikou, old Locke talked about his land again. I wonder if the guinea pigs he drove away yesterday will come back and steal his rice and potatoes today. TIA kept groping with dozens of copper coins in her arms. These were earned by selling eggs last night. She planned to pull two pieces of cloth and make a new skirt for her daughter during the new year. Her daughter took care of them these years. The old couple suffered a lot. She had long regarded Leah as her own daughter.

Leah is supporting her parents. Old Locke's face is still red. At a glance, she knows that she drank too much last night. Although TIA is holding a headscarf and wearing thick linen clothes, she is still shivering with cold. After all, the old couple are old and Leah has to worry a lot.

The three men went to the entrance of the town. In the distance, a dragon like black horse team came. The bell Ding Ling and the hammer hanging around the horse's neck rang. People familiar with the noise knew as soon as they heard it. This is the Baron's caravan. They are back!

Old Locke and his party looked at it and said that they didn't have to go back for the time being.