Traveling through time as a peasant girl to turn things around

In the afternoon, the fourth son, accompanied by an ox and a plow, went to a relative's house to plow the fields where crops were grown. He said, "Dad, if there's any heavy work, just tell me. It's so much, how long would it take you to plow the fields by yourself? Now that we have an ox, we won't have to plow the fields one by one." Li Guang was delighted. He felt it was the right decision to move the family here. He plowed the areas around him that couldn't be plowed. He built the pigpen and chicken coop, surrounded the east wall with sorghum stalks, and built a wooden fence on the south wall, along with the main gate. The main gate was usually not open, but a gate tied to a wooden stick was left open.

Chai Ping'an and Jiaxing have gone to open up wasteland. Jiahe and Li Dong are still working as carpenters at Chai's house, making large wardrobes. Li Dong wants to build a set for each room: a desk, chair, bookshelf, and wardrobe. The new room will have a large bed, while Chai Zhen's room will have a large kang.

Old Lady Li was also going to pay the wood delivery people. They all had to support their families and couldn't work for nothing. He wrote down the list from the village chief. He was going to exchange it for some small change and copper coins to pay the workers. That night, Chai Zhen said, "We're going to the county tomorrow. Who wants to go?" The fourth child went to inform the village chief. Little Naibao was happy. She was going to make money again. She smiled at her great grandfather. Chai Zhen smiled at his granddaughter, "Tell me, what do you want Great Grandpa to do?" Little Naibao blushed and whispered in his ear, "Great Grandpa, sell me some more things!" Looking at his face, he smiled, pursed his lips, and the soft voice sounded in his ear again, "Okay, Great Grandpa's baby, whatever you say, Great Grandpa will do it!" "Let's sell potatoes" to make money! "Baby, how much?" Little Naibao thought, and asked Grandpa how much a pound of potatoes was worth. Chai Zhen said to his granddaughter, "There is no such dish in the world. We have to report it to the county magistrate and hand it over to the emperor before we can sell it ourselves. The apples that Great Grandfather brought last time were not sold for a single cent. They were all given to the county magistrate and then sent to the emperor on the same day. If the emperor takes it seriously, an imperial edict will come down in a few days. What Great Grandfather can sell, he gives to his people. Besides, didn’t you give it to them last time? Great Grandfather, don’t worry, go sell it if you have nothing to do. My granddaughter still has some, and she wants me to give it to her. “Okay! Great Grandfather will go tomorrow!” The little fat boy saw them whispering in each other’s ears, and he also staggered to Chai Zhen. Great Grandfather held him, and Chai Zhen picked up the little fat boy, one on each side. The doctor was also happy to see the child. Butler Ma had a good eye for finding such a good family. There was something different about it. He wanted to protect this family. This family took good care of him, and he wanted to stay here permanently. There are not many people in this village, and their minds are simple and honest. The transportation is blocked, like a paradise.

Everyone ate peanuts, melon seeds and drank tea, it was great!!

Unlike the capital, which is too cold, it's a good place to retire. Let the village chief go to the household tomorrow.

Late at night, everyone went back to sleep. Only Old Lady Li, Li Ru, Chai Zhen, and Little Milk Bag were still awake; the three little boys were all asleep. They were all dressed in floral underwear, lying on the heated kang, covered with cotton quilts. Just then, the sound of horse hooves came from afar, "thump thump thump," approaching quickly until they reached the Chai family's door. Chai Zhen handed the child to Li Ru and said, "Don't make a sound." He blew out the lights and went out. Old Lady Li locked the door. Chai Zhen called the fourth child up, "Grab your dagger and follow me." Chai Zhen stood inside the doorway and asked, "Who is it?" "Chai Hua." Chai Zhen opened the door, and Chai Hua stepped forward, "Second Uncle." "You're back, come in." Chai Hua led the horse in. Two more men followed behind, short and frail, but with bright, spirited eyes. They nodded and also led the horse in. Chai Zhen closed the door and locked it. They went to the west room, where Old Lady Li lit the light and opened the door. Chai Hua led the horse to the trough to feed it, and then they all returned to the west room. Chai Hua introduced, "This is Second Uncle." The two thin men saluted. Chai Hua said, "These two beside me are... Second Uncle, who do you think he looks like?" Chai Zhen said, "Tell me, kid."

"This is the fat boy's mother, the general's wife." Chai Zhen hurried off the kang. Old Lady Li and Li Ru knelt. The thin woman stepped forward to help everyone up, curtsied, and said, "It's my turn, Huo Ying, to thank you for helping me look after the child." She knelt and saluted. Old Lady Li hurried forward to help him up. "Come sit down and talk." Ru went to bring tea. "Have a cup of tea first, to quench your thirst. I'll go make dinner," Chai Zhen said. "Is there something important that brings you up so late?" Huo Ying stood up. "I want to see the child. Is it okay?" Chai Zhen told her to get on the kang. "Ah!" Then she looked at Da Kang. He was inside. She climbed onto the kang and looked at several children. She looked at them one by one until she saw her son. She looked around. They all had the same floral underwear. She carefully reached out and touched it. It was soft and comfortable. The child was sleeping soundly, who knew what sweet dreams he was having. His little mouth was wrapped tightly, and the little milk bag watched. This was the little brother's mother. Off to the front lines, she couldn't be with her child, and her life was in danger at any moment. Little Milk Bag was very respectful. He looked at her with a smile! Her consciousness had already reached the space to check what was there. She wanted to give her little brother and his mother a gift to save their lives. She couldn't let her little brother lose his mother.

Huo Ying looked at her son sleeping soundly, and then looked at the cotton-padded clothes beside her, and she touched them. She didn't have such soft clothes for her child, it seemed that Chai Hua was right, they were from a good family. After not seeing her for three months, her son seemed to have grown up. He looked clearer. She took out two silver notes from her pocket, handed them to Chai Zhen, and said, "Second uncle, please accept them. It's not much money, don't think it's too little." Chai Zhen: "Take it back, as long as we have food, we will have the child." "We are volunteering to raise this child for the general to defend our country." Huo Ying also said simply: "Okay! I will protect the country even if it costs me." "I'll keep this money." "If the child's father and I can come back alive in the future, we will repay you. If we are gone," Huo Ying shed tears! She wiped her tears and continued: "Please raise him! When he grows up, tell him who his parents are. "Let him be your child now. "Also,...I am the daughter of Duke Huo of the Capital. When the child grows up, tell him about his grandfather's home. If he wants to go, he can go. If he doesn't want to, he can live here. It would be nice if he could live a peaceful life and be the child of an ordinary family..."

The battle ahead was uncertain. Huo Ying turned around and said to the people around him, "Xiaojuan, you stay here and take me to look after Ma Ye!" "Miss, please let me go with you. I have inherited the martial arts skills from the Duke and can protect you. Please..." Xiaojuan knelt down and kowtowed, "Miss, I have never left you. Please let me go with you." Huo Ying looked at her and said, "No, you stay and look after the child for me. This is the child of the general and me. You know how important it is! Stand up."

Huo Ying sat down and looked at the child in Chai Zhen's arms. Her eyes suddenly brightened. She said, "What a bright and beautiful baby." "Second uncle, this is..." "My great-granddaughter, Guoguo. Her full name is Chai Jin!" "Guoguo!" "Jin, beautiful jade." "Little darling, can you hold me, auntie?" The little baby looked at his great-grandfather, turned his head, and stretched out his arms. "Ahhh." Hello, auntie! Huo Ying picked up the little baby, so adorable. "When you grow up, become my wife! I love you so much." She stood up and held the little baby, walking around the room. She loved him so much that she forgot to hold her own son. The kid on the kang tossed and turned, and Li Ru knew he needed to pee. She picked him up and told him to pee in the basin. The fat, white kid in his flowered clothes looked like he came out of a painting, so adorable. Huo Ying looked at her son, not daring to wake him. The little baby nudged Huo Ying, "Auntie, go hold the little brother." Chai Zhen took Guoguo. "Ru, dress the child." "Huo Ying held her son, tears streaming down her face. The little fat boy felt his face was wet, and he scratched it with his little hands. After scratching for a while, he opened his eyes and looked at the woman in front of him for a long time, "Ahhhhhhh, sob sob sob." The little fat boy cried like a mountain collapsing and the earth cracking. Huo Ying held her son in her arms and couldn't help crying. The child's face turned red from crying. Chai Zhen came forward with the little milk bag in his arms, and the little milk bag stretched out his little hands to touch the little fat boy's face. "Don't cry, little brother." "Ahhhh" the little milk bag got anxious and shouted loudly! "Sob sob sob." He just cried sob. With a look of disgust. "Ah!" The little fat boy stopped crying, for he was afraid that his sister would not kiss him. There were also delicious food and fun things. His little mouth opened and closed, "Mommy, Mommy!" Every cry melted Huo Ying's heart, and it hurt so much.

Old Lady Li prepared a meal and brought it over for them to eat. She took the child and held it to Li Ru, who nursed the child. Old Lady Li brought a quilt to the new house and told them to go to bed.

After finishing her meal, Huo Ying looked at her son and said, "Go to sleep, Ye'er." The fat boy refused to sleep and looked at his mother. Old Lady Li said, "Sister, why don't you sleep in this room with the child? There are only women and children here." Huo Ying looked at Old Lady Li, then at Chai Zhen, tears streaming down her face. "No, I have to leave right away." No time could be lost. Huo Ying felt heartbroken, as she had important things to do. She had to leave the child. She got up and left. The fat boy started to cry loudly. The little milk bag looked at Chai Zhen and whispered, "Grandpa, ask Auntie what's the urgent matter." Chai Zhen looked at the little milk bag and said, "Okay." He picked up the little milk bag, called Huo Ying, and the three of them went to his room.

Chai Zhen entered the room, closed the door, and said, "Sit down." "Can you tell me about it?" "I know it's confidential, and there are no outsiders here." Huo Ying thought for a while and said, "I want to go to the capital to urge for food. One hundred thousand troops are waiting for food urgently. I have to go back to the capital to ask for food, and then find out what happened. Why is the food not delivered yet? Thick clothes should also be sent. It's also cold in the southeast. Little Naibao listened, "How much food is needed?" Chai Zhen asked. Huo Ying: "At least one hundred thousand stones of food." Chai Zhen said, "How about this, you send the food back to the front line first. You write a letter to your father to help you submit it to the emperor and investigate the matter. Huo Ying said, "Food is also needed." Chai Zhen looked at his granddaughter, and the little Naibao also smiled. "We have food." "Yellow flour, white flour, millet flour, millet, rice, sorghum and soybeans for the horses." Chai Zhen took out the waist badge that Ma Hua had given him last time and handed it to Huo Ying. "Let's go to the county tomorrow and ask the county magistrate to find a carriage and escort agency to take us there. The village chief will collect the remaining food from our village." Huo Ying thought it was a good idea and would take care of the food first. Chai Zhen brought out paper and pen. Huo Ying wrote a letter to his father, handing it to the emperor, asking him to send food and military uniforms.

Chai Zhen put the child to bed. Huo Ying also rested for a while.

At dawn, Chai Hua harnessed the carriage, saying it was fast. Huo Ying climbed in, and Chai Zhen followed. They went to the square and called the village chief. Together they headed for the county town. In the carriage, Chai Zhen told the village chief that the county magistrate should find a carriage escort agency to transport the grain. This matter was to be kept strictly confidential. Ma Hua knew the bodyguards, so he went to find them. In less than an hour, they arrived at the county town. Chai Zhen and Village Chief Huo Ying went to the county government office, while Chai Hua led the horses out to the escort agency. Chai Hua knew the escort leader well, so he went to his home first. His surname was Li, Li Gang. Li escorted Ma Hua into the living room and said, "That wind brought you here, brother." "I'm looking for you because I need you to escort me," he said, lowering his voice. "You must be faithful and reliable!" He looked at Li escort, waiting for his nod. "There's nothing outside... You must be reliable. It's thousands of miles to the southeast." Li escorted Ma Hua, his expression serious, understanding the importance of this escort. He offered whatever money he wanted. "How many men do you need?" "How many men do you have? How good are your martial arts?" Escort Captain Li considered carefully. A journey of a thousand miles would cost at least one hundred taels of silver. "There are eight men with good martial arts skills, almost ten." "What about their character?" "Don't worry, brother. Character is the most important thing. If they don't, our escort agency won't hire them. They're just trying to make a living." "Okay, let's take these eighteen men, you nineteen, and my wife." "This escort is very important. I'll pay two hundred taels of silver now. What do you think?" "That's too much!!!" "No, you take it. Twenty ingots, ten taels of silver." "Just tell me if you need anything. We'll set off tomorrow night." "How many carriages do you have? Frames ready." "We have fifteen good ones." "Let's see how big they are." As Escort Captain Li left, several of his brothers gathered around him. He said, "Notify all the brothers to come to the hall immediately." "Okay, big brother." Upon hearing the job, the younger brother outside jumped for joy and went to call the others. Escort Captain Li led Ma Hua to the backyard. Indeed, there were fifteen fine carriages. "Feed the horses well." Ma Hua took out another fifty taels of silver and gave it to Li Biaotou to buy good fodder for the horses. "Don't refuse, brother. You must accept it." If Li Biaotou didn't get any more work, the escort agency would be closed. This time... Li Biaotou accepted it. The escort agency didn't need to be disbanded!

Ma Hua came out of the backyard and walked to the entrance of the hall. He rolled his eyes and said, "Everyone, I've heard that you are all very good at martial arts. I want to have a competition." "Okay." "Brother, let me try." "Ajing, go ahead." "Thank you, brother." Li Baotou knew that this was a demonstration of martial arts skills for the brothers to help them on this escort mission. Seeing his brothers getting thinner, he felt distressed.

Ma Hua stepped forward and stood up! Ah Jing launched a flying kick. He and Ma Hua exchanged punches and kicks for a moment, evenly matched, until Ma Hua called for a halt. "What's your name, kid? You're quite skilled in martial arts, alright?" Ah Jing smiled shyly, scratched his head, and said, "I learned from my elder brother." Li Biaotou called everyone into the house and named eighteen people. The rest of you go back. "Guard the house for now, and practice martial arts at home. Don't slack off." Two taels of silver each, go home, and come back tomorrow. Seven of them left.

The remaining eighteen people said, "Everyone, sit down. I'll say a few words. Is there anyone who doesn't want to go on this escort mission? Everyone, go." Every word I say next must be remembered and not disobeyed. "Don't tell anyone about this escort mission, not even your parents or brothers. This is top secret. In our line of work, everyone understands. Don't leak a single word. I'm sending money home now. We can't celebrate the New Year at home, but we need to make sure our families have a good time. Ten taels per person. Come early tomorrow afternoon after a full meal. Take the money and go. There's still seventy taels left. He has to take it with him. Ma Hua saw that he was handling it well. He told them to "meet at the county government gate tomorrow." He said goodbye. "Goodbye!"

Li Escort thought, "Pay double the money. Also collect the fodder money." He closed the gate and inspected the carriage and horses, checking the horseshoes. He took out his knife, packed his darts, found a change of clothes for the journey, and prepared food.

When the village chief, Huo Ying, and Chai Zhen arrived at the yamen, someone had come to meet them. They went straight to the back hall and dismissed the servants, leaving the four of them alone. Huo Ying said, "Sir, County Magistrate Zhang, I am Huo Ying from the General's Mansion, a third-rank military officer. Only you and I, the four of you, know about this matter. You will be in charge. Here's the thing: tomorrow night, I will go to Taoyuan Village, under your jurisdiction, to collect food to send to the front lines, and you will handle the aftermath. Of course, no one from the yamen is needed to quell the rumors. I will arrange to leave at night, and you will ensure the safety and smooth flow of traffic in your jurisdiction within the county, and try to avoid running into anyone.

Arrange your own people to open the county gates on demand. Top secret.

After Ma Hua returned, they returned to Taoyuan Village. Huo Ying got out of the car at the door and ran into the west room. She could hear her son's laughter from afar. "Ye'er." Juanzi looked at the four children and, seeing the mistress return, picked up the fat boy and walked over. "Young master, the mistress is here." Huo Ying felt so awkward. "Juanzi, there's no young master here. From now on, you'll be the older sister. You're not that old. Just look after these children. Fourth Auntie can do other things." Old Lady Li also came in and said, "Yes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Juanzi, treat me as your niece. You must say so when you go out. Sister, to protect Ma Ye, we'll tell everyone he's my third son's son, Chai Ye." Huo Ying said, "Thank you for your consideration. That's fine. Let's call him Chai Ye." Huo Ying hugged her son and kissed him, unable to let go. She sat on the kang and picked up the little baby. "Hello, Guoguo." "Hello, Auntie!" The little baby kissed Auntie's face. The fat boy also kissed his mother's face. Harmony and joy filled the air.