Sister Han is good at farming

"Alas, there has been less and less water in the fields recently. I don't know if I can still plant the late rice."

"If things continue like this, we won't be able to plant rice, let alone have water to drink."

"Yes! The price of grain in the grain store started to rise yesterday. I'm afraid life will become more and more difficult."

"That's right! We were so scared that we kept this season's grain at home and never dared to sell it. The elders in the village said that this year might be a drought year, so we should keep more grain to feel at ease."

"Indeed! I heard that two families in the village sold their land before the drought became so severe, and they got a high price."

"Alas, when disaster strikes, people start selling their land. The lives of ordinary people like us really have no guarantee at all!"

"you do not say!"

"I'm curious, who has nothing better to do than to buy land at this time? Isn't this a waste of money?"

"You don't know this, do you? I don't know what's going on with that Ruan Lao Si. He seems to have had great luck recently. He first built a big brick and tile house with a yard, and then set up a food stall. He makes a lot of money every day. Now, as soon as he has money in his pocket, he thinks about buying land."

Under the banyan tree in Zaoziling, a group of farmers sat in the shade to enjoy the cool air. They took off their straw hats to fan themselves and chatted with each other.

"Their land is really too little. What can they eat with the five acres of newly reclaimed land? Although they know how to farm and can increase production, the daily food rations for a family of eight are there. How can the income from five acres of land be enough to meet their needs?"

"During this drought, I wonder if the sorghum and corn in their fields will still be as productive as potatoes?"

"Don't even mention Ruan Lao Si. If it doesn't rain, even the God of Heaven can't do anything! Can't you see that there are already finger-wide cracks in the ground? I'm almost shaking from carrying water lately."

"Who says it's not true? In order to make sure that what we plant in the fields doesn't go to waste, we have to work so hard, alas!"

"My shoulders are all bruised from carrying water. Hot water and plasters are useless. Even so, I'm worried that I won't be able to carry water in the future. Alas!"

"Why are you sighing here? Ruan Lao Si bought a waterwheel from Carpenter Yan and is pumping water from the fields! Why don't you go and have a look?"

As Ruan Dayou passed by breathlessly, he couldn't help but shout to the people under the shade of the trees.

"Can that thing called a waterwheel really pump water into the ground?" Everyone didn't believe it.

"Why would I lie to you? My wife saw it all. So I'm going to go and see for myself. Well, I won't talk to you anymore. I have to go first. Otherwise, if there are too many people, I won't be able to get a good seat."

Ruan Dayou ran towards Wudaoling in a hurry.

The people under the shade of the tree looked at each other.

"How many truths can that woman Li Cuihua tell?" Some people didn't believe it.

"Yes, she is the one in our village who is most likely to exaggerate things. Can you believe what she says?"

"But, having said that, if that waterwheel can really pump water into the fields, I should be able to plant my late rice." The person who complained before said with hope on his face.

With the topic guided in this way, everyone began to imagine themselves.

"My dying vegetable seedlings have been saved!"

"We don't have to carry water to the fields anymore!"

"If that's true, then the waterwheel is a really great thing. No, I'll go take a look too! If it's really that magical, I'll go to Carpenter Yan's house and buy one."

"Yes, yes. It's true that whenever we doze off, someone will deliver a pillow. If we need anything, there is a ready-made solution!"

Everyone stood up one after another, put their straw hats on their heads, and ran towards Wudaoling with the same goal.

In Wudaoling, Ruan Wantie gave loud reminders from time to time as if he was protecting a priceless treasure.

"Hey, fellow countrymen, please understand each other. You can look at it, but don't touch it! My family spent a lot of money to buy it!"

Everyone was staring at a large rotating drum in the mountain stream as if in a state of attentive salute. The drum rolled up and down as the water from upstream rushed down.

The drum is about four meters high, supported by a two-meter-long, half-meter-diameter axle with twelve wooden spokes that spread out radially. Each spoke has a scraper and a water bucket at the top.

The scraper scrapes the water, and the bucket fills the water. The stream water rushes in, and the spokes are slowly rotated by the inertia of the water. The buckets are filled with river water and lifted up step by step. When they reach the top, the buckets naturally tilt and pour the water into the aqueduct, which is then connected to the bamboos at the top and bottom.

The closely connected bamboos drain the water in the bamboo tubes to the fields that need irrigation.

"It's amazing! It's fucking amazing! This isn't some kind of waterwheel, it's something used by gods!"

Looking at the waterwheel in the distance automatically delivering water to the fields, everyone was extremely excited and full of praise.

"Isn't it? In this way, as long as we are near springs or rivers, we can use water wheels to bring water to our fields."

"We don't have to worry about anything. We just turn the waterwheel over there and the water will automatically flow into the fields. It's so convenient!"

"Yes, that's right!"

"Ruan Laosi, how much money did you spend on this waterwheel?"

Among the villagers who were discussing the matter, someone immediately asked Ruan Wantie about the price of the water truck.

Ruan Wantie chuckled and answered flawlessly: "You'll have to ask Brother Yan for details. If you're interested in buying one, you should let Brother Yan know in advance. It is said that he will come to survey the terrain and then build a waterwheel of the corresponding size based on the terrain. The price will naturally be different for different sizes."

Although everyone did not get a specific answer, it did not stop them from guessing.

"It may cost several dozen taels of silver. I see that the materials used in the waterwheel are very solid, so less will not do."

"It really costs dozens of taels of silver, but my family can't afford it."

"Yes! Who can afford such an expensive thing? Moreover, it is a drought year. It is better to keep some money in hand to feel at ease."

"You are a bunch of idiots! If there is a drought and nothing can be harvested, what good will it do you even if you have mountains of gold and silver? If you don't have enough to eat or drink, you will still starve to death, right?"

An elderly man in the village kept banging his walking stick on the ground, shaking with anger.

Everyone, look at me and I look at you.

"We don't know what the situation will be like next year. If we can store more food, we will feel more at ease."

“We still have to buy this water truck!”

"Yes! Let's go ask about the price first. If it doesn't work out, we can buy a waterwheel together from several families living together."

"Right! If several families buy one together, each family shouldn't have to pay much."

"In this way, the water shortage in the fields can be solved temporarily. But what if there is not much water in the springs and rivers? Wouldn't everything we have done before be in vain?"

"It's fine if other places have no water and are suffering from drought, but our Qingping Town guards the Qianlong River and is also suffering from drought and water shortage. It's really unreasonable."

"That's right, if the drought really gets that serious, we might as well dig the dam of Qianlong River!"

"You are talking nonsense, kid. Are you digging the dam to prepare for a miserable life in the future? Our Qingshui County has not suffered a flood in the past 40 to 50 years. Floods are no better than droughts."

"This……"

While everyone was talking, Ruan Wantie also looked at Ruan Qingqing.

"Daya, do you have any solution for this?"

Ruan Qingqing pursed her lips and stared at the gurgling water in the mountain stream in a daze.

There is a solution, but it is not something they can come up with.

This involves the national economy and people's livelihood, and it seems very abrupt for ordinary people like them to bring it up. Whether the county magistrate will take it seriously is one thing, but more importantly, if it is not handled properly, it will cause unnecessary trouble.

They can't mention it, but there are people who are very suitable to mention it.

Ruan Qingqing thought of her original uncle Ruan Wanxi and her eldest cousin Ruan Shixing. They were both students, so it might be better for them to handle some matters.

However, they had stayed at home for a month due to field leave and had just returned to school. It would take another month for them to have another day off.

The crops in the fields may not be able to wait for a month.

After thinking about it, Ruan Qingqing clapped her hands after spreading lime on the newly bought field and went to find Grandpa Ruan.