The Leisurely Life of a Peasant Woman in the Tang Dynasty

Golden sunlight bathed the fields, and the air was filled with the fragrance of earth and grass. Tang Youyou and her family had been waiting by the edge of the field, eagerly anticipating the arrival of their distinguished guests. In the distance, a group of men slowly approached, led by none other than the smiling County Magistrate Liu.

"Madam Tang, I've long heard of your name!" County Magistrate Liu dismounted and greeted Tang Youyou enthusiastically.

"Your humble servant pays his respects to the county magistrate." Tang Youyou and his family saluted hurriedly.

"No need for formalities. I came here today because I wanted to see with my own eyes how Madam Tang creates miracles." County Magistrate Liu smiled heartily and, led by Tang Youyou, walked into the fields.

Looking out, golden waves of wheat rolled in the wind, and the branches were bent by the plump ears of wheat. County Magistrate Liu carefully observed the crops in the field, and from time to time he asked Tang Youyou about her planting methods, his eyes full of admiration.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!" County Magistrate Liu praised repeatedly. "Madam Tang, you are indeed very capable. No wonder your family's grain production is so high this year."

"Your Excellency, thank you for your praise. I am just applying some of my experience to practice." Tang Youyou said modestly.

"Experience is also a valuable asset!" County Magistrate Liu sighed. "I'm here today not only to express my condolences, but also to share something. The county government has decided to allocate the wasteland east of the village to your family for cultivation and provide some financial support. I hope you can continue your efforts and lead the villagers to prosperity."

Tang Youyou was filled with gratitude. She knelt on the ground and said excitedly: "Thank you for your kindness, my lord. I will do my best to live up to your expectations!"

County Magistrate Liu personally helped Tang Youyou up and encouraged her, "I believe in you, Madam Tang. You are a capable person, and your future is full of hope!"

After seeing off County Magistrate Liu, Tang Youyou's family was so excited that they couldn't calm down for a long time. They understood that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance to change their destiny.

"Mom, now we have bigger fields, can we grow more crops?" Tang Jin asked excitedly.

"It's not just food," Tang Youyou looked at the fields in the distance, a glimmer of hope in her eyes, "We can also develop other industries, such as handicrafts. We can use the slack time during the farming season to weave some straw sandals and bamboo baskets. This will not only increase our income, but also enrich our lives."

"Mom, your idea is really great!" Tang Wan's eyes sparkled with admiration. "I will definitely study hard and help you share more of the work."

As night fell, Tang Youyou and his family sat in the yard, gazing at the starry sky, their hearts filled with longing for the future.

"Mom, do you think our future will be as bright as this starry sky?" Tang Xiaoya asked innocently, looking up at her little face...

The golden moonlight gently sprinkled in the yard, casting a warm glow on Tang Youyou's family. Tang Wan and Tang Jin looked at their mother, their eyes filled with determination and confidence.

"Don't worry, Mom. My brother and I will work hard to help you realize your plan!" Tang Wan's voice was clear and firm, revealing a maturity that belied her age. Since entering this world, she had witnessed her mother's hard work and dedication, and felt the tremendous changes that had taken place in this family under her leadership. She knew that everything her mother did was for them, so that this family could live a better life.

"Yes, Mom, we'll all work hard!" Tang Jin clenched his fists, a serious expression on his small face. Although he was still a child, he already understood responsibility and accountability. He wanted to be like his brother, a supportive mother, and contribute to the family.

"We're going to have a good life!" Tang Xiaoya clapped her hands and shouted happily, her clear laughter echoing in the quiet night sky. She was still too young to understand what the adults meant by "good life", but she knew that as long as the family was together, every day would be happy.

Looking at the children's hopeful eyes, Tang Youyou felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She reached out, hugged the three children in her arms, and said softly, "Okay, let's work together to create a beautiful future of our own!"

Late at night, the children gradually fell asleep in their mother's warm embrace. Tang Youyou gently put the children down, stood up and walked to the window, looking at the dark fields in the distance, the words of County Magistrate Liu and the innocent smiling faces of the children kept appearing in her mind.

"New fields, new hope..." Tang Youyou murmured to herself, with a determined light in her eyes. She believed that as long as the family worked together, no difficulties could stop them from moving forward.

Tang Youyou turned back to the table, lit the oil lamp, and began to carefully outline the blueprint for the future under the dim light with a rough piece of paper and pen...

The morning light slowly opened the curtain, and a new day began with the singing of birds. Tang Youyou got up early, washed up simply, and began to prepare breakfast for her family. Today's breakfast was particularly rich. The aroma of white rice porridge filled the entire house, and paired with a few dishes of refreshing homemade pickled vegetables, it greatly increased people's appetite.

"Mom, what delicious food did you make today? It smells so good." Tang Wan walked into the kitchen with sleepy eyes. She saw the steaming breakfast on the table at a glance and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

"Today is a good day, we have to celebrate!" Tang Youyou said with a smile, "Yesterday, County Magistrate Liu agreed to expand our farmland. From now on, our lives will get better and better!"

"Really? That's great!" Tang Wan's eyes suddenly lit up. She seemed to have seen golden rice fields swaying in the wind under the sun, and the joy of the harvest was on everyone's face.

Tang Jin and Tang Xiaoya were also woken up by the noise here. They ran over rubbing their eyes. When they heard the good news, they also cheered happily.

After breakfast, Tang Youyou began planning new farmland and a handicraft workshop. She took out a cloth bag she had sewn herself, filled with various seeds she had collected over the past few days. According to her plan, part of the newly reclaimed farmland would be used to grow rice and wheat, and the other part would be used to grow cash crops such as cotton and soybeans. This way, not only could she meet her family's daily needs, but she could also sell the remaining agricultural products at the market, increasing the family income.

"Mom, look, I want to plant a few peach trees here. Then next spring, our family will be able to eat peaches grown by ourselves!" Tang Wan said excitedly, pointing to a vacant lot next to the yard.

"That's a good idea. Let's plant some more pear trees and apple trees. Then in autumn, we'll have more fruits than we can eat!" Tang Youyou said with a smile, as if she had already seen a scene of a bountiful harvest with abundant fruits.

"Woof woof woof!" The little yellow dog next to him also barked excitedly, as if cheering for this bright future.

In the evening, Tang Youyou and his family were immersed in beautiful visions of the future. However, unexpected events happened. The originally clear sky was suddenly covered with dark clouds, the wind blew violently, and raindrops as big as beans fell down with a crackling sound.

"Oh no, the rain is coming too fast!" Tang Youyou looked at the heavy rain pouring down outside the window, and suddenly a bad feeling arose in her heart. She hurriedly called the children and ran to the fields to check the situation.

However, when they arrived at the edge of the field, they were stunned by the scene before them...

The once smooth fields had become a vast ocean, the muddy rain roaring, drowning the land they had painstakingly cultivated and their hopes for the future. Newly planted seeds drifted everywhere, and the once lush green vegetable seedlings were ravaged by the storm, leaving a devastated mess.

"Mom, what should we do? Our fields are all flooded!" Tang Wan looked at the scene in front of her, tears couldn't stop falling, her voice full of anxiety and helplessness.

When Tang Jin and Tang Xiaoya saw this scene, they were so scared that they burst into tears.

Tang Youyou's heart felt like it was being tightly grasped by an invisible hand, causing unbearable pain. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her flustered emotions, and softly comforted the children, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's just a rain, it's okay, it will be fine."

She knew that she couldn't panic at this moment. She was the backbone of the family. If even she panicked, what would happen to the children?

"Wan'er, Jin'er, Xiaoya, you go home first. Mother will stay here to see the situation." Tang Youyou suppressed the uneasiness in her heart, tried hard to force a smile, and said to the children.

"Mom, we won't leave. We want to stay here with you!" Tang Wan shook her head firmly. She knew that at this time, her mother needed their company and support more than ever.

Tang Jin and Tang Xiaoya also nodded sensibly, holding on tightly to the corner of Tang Youyou's clothes, unwilling to move even a step.

Tang Youyou looked at the sensible children, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She touched their heads and said softly, "Okay, let's wait for the rain to stop together."

The rain kept falling, and Tang Youyou's family of four stood on the edge of the field for a long time until it got dark and the rain gradually subsided.

"Mom, look!" Tang Wan pointed to the distance and shouted in surprise.

Tang Youyou looked in the direction Tang Wan pointed, and saw a familiar figure running towards them.

"It's County Magistrate Liu!" Tang Youyou recognized the man at a glance, and a glimmer of hope suddenly ignited in her heart.

County Magistrate Liu ran up to them and said breathlessly, "Madam Tang, I... I heard it's raining heavily here, and I'm worried your fields might be damaged, so I hurried over to see how things are going."

Tang Youyou looked at the official in front of her who was so worried about the people, her heart filled with gratitude. She pointed to the flooded fields not far away and sighed helplessly: "I'm sorry to trouble County Magistrate Liu. You can see that the rain came too quickly. Our fields..."

"Alas, this natural disaster and man-made disaster is something no one could have predicted!" County Magistrate Liu frowned as he looked at the scene before him. He patted Tang Youyou on the shoulder and comforted her, "Madam Tang, don't worry. I will do my best to help you find a solution and overcome this difficulty together."

As night fell, Tang Youyou and his family returned home exhausted. Although the sudden rainstorm had caused them heavy losses, County Magistrate Liu's promise and support were like a beacon, illuminating their way forward.

"Mom, don't worry, we'll think of a way, there will definitely be a way." Tang Wan looked at the worried Tang Youyou and comforted her softly.

Tang Youyou nodded, picked up a piece of wood on the table, and fell into deep thought...