Traveling Through Farmhouses: Taking the Baby on a Famine Escape

Zhang Xixi arranged for the two Baos and Zhou Yujie to harvest the rice, then drove the horse-drawn cart to town to buy food. Everyone had worked hard harvesting rice these past few days, so they needed to eat something good.

Because Zhou Fu and Zhou the carpenter's waterwheel research had reached a critical stage, Zhang Xixi didn't ask them to help this time. It would be better to finish the waterwheel research as soon as possible!

As we passed the village entrance, Chen and Xiao Chen were spreading out tarpaulins. Because they didn't have enough tarpaulins at home, they had to borrow tarpaulins from everyone in the village. Since the village hadn't built a dedicated threshing ground yet, they had to be extravagant!

Zhang Xixi greeted them and continued driving the carriage towards town!

In the rice paddies, everyone was busy and worked hard. In no time, they had harvested seven or eight bags of rice. Wang Daniu also arranged for four people to transport the rice to the village entrance. To ensure fairness, everyone took turns, changing every half day.

When Zhang Xixi arrived in town, she went straight to the pork stall, bought half a pig's head, and then went to the general store to buy some other things before catching her horse-drawn carriage and heading back.

After returning home, she arranged the food standards for the next few days. Generally, about two acres of rice can be harvested in a day, so it should be finished in two days. This amount of pork should be enough for them.

After lunch, everyone rested for a while before continuing the harvest. Zhang Xixi told the two children and Zhou Yujie not to go out in the afternoon and to stay home and do their homework.

Da Bao's eyes lit up. "Mom, I think we should do more farm work to remember how hard it is to produce food. I'll go this afternoon!"

Zhang Xixi refused, saying, "Go back to your studies this afternoon. I know what you're up to; you just don't want to study!"

"Mother!..."

Da Bao wanted to say something, but Er Bao and Zhou Yujie grabbed him and ran away!

Zhang Xixi chuckled and said, "This child has quite a lot of reasons!"

At this moment, a carriage was slowly making its way towards the deserted village. Inside sat a man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, dressed in blue silk. Outside, a servant was driving the carriage, and next to him sat a burly man holding a knife.

The two people outside were chatting idly. "Xiaoping, this road is so difficult to travel. Why haven't we arrived yet? Could we have taken the wrong road?"

“Brother Wu, there’s only one road from the town in this direction, we shouldn’t get lost. Didn’t the old man who gave us directions say it would take more than an hour to get there?”

"It should be soon!"

Several old women in the village, having nothing better to do, went to the village entrance to chat and gossip, and also helped to turn over the rice.

Old Wang picked up a handful of rice and examined it closely, exclaiming in amazement, "This rice is so thick and plump, there isn't a single shriveled grain in this handful. The yield must be four or five hundred catties!"

Mrs. Chen smiled and said, "We measured it this morning, and it's about 600 jin per mu."

"Yo!"

"That's a bumper harvest! With so much rice, we're going to make a fortune!"

Old Wang thought to herself, "I wonder how much rice my family will have. If it were four hundred catties, I'd be laughing in my sleep!"

The old women were very happy. Judging from the yield, their own rice would definitely be just as good!

The group then turned over the rice stalks even faster.

Before long, a horse-drawn carriage arrived at the village entrance. Old Wang and the others looked at the person getting off with curiosity. He was dressed very well and was obviously not an ordinary person. Could he be here to find Zhang Xixi?

As soon as Sun Wenfang got off the carriage, he saw rice paddies scattered on the ground. He looked at the burly man Wu Yong beside him and said, "It's rice harvesting season now!"

"Master..." Then, remembering something, he quickly corrected himself, "Master, I remember the harvest doesn't start until September!"

"What's the reason this villager is up so early? Let's ask someone!"

After Sun Wenfang finished speaking, she walked towards Chen and the others. Wu Yong immediately followed, while the servant waited below with the horse in his hand.

"Excuse me, ma'am, why is the rice being harvested so early? Has something happened?"

Seeing the approachable question from this distinguished person, Old Madam Wang quickly replied, "Sir, we harvest our rice only when it's ripe. Nothing happened. You can see for yourself."

After saying that, he grabbed a handful of rice and gestured for Sun Wenfang to see.

Sun Wenfang took the rice and saw that the grains were indeed plump!

But, that's not right!

He remembered that farmers usually started raising seedlings in April, so how come the rice is already ripe now!

"Auntie, how long has your rice been growing? Look how plump the grains are, this year should be a little better!"

Old Mrs. Wang said with a smile, "That's right, our rice will be ready for harvest in a few days. This year's rice is growing really well; it's ripe in less than three months!"

Do you have some secret recipe?

Old Wang waved his hand, "There's no secret recipe, it's just the same as before!"

Hearing Old Wang say this, Chen, who was standing nearby, breathed a sigh of relief. She had thought that Old Wang would expose her daughter!

Unfortunately, Mr. Chen put his mind at ease too soon!

Old Wang looked around, then lowered her voice and said, "Actually, I think our village is protected by the gods, so..."

Sun Wenfang, her servant, and Chen listened as Old Wang rambled on and on.

He recounted in detail everything from the appearance of Zhang Xixi, the immortal master, during their escape from famine to their settlement in a deserted village.

Chen tried to stop him but failed, because Old Wang was telling the story like a myth, so vividly and wildly that he lost himself in it!

What was said was indeed true, but it was exaggerated several times over. For example, the earthquake that killed many animals was described as the animals dying because the gods were angry and it was to avenge them, and so on...

The Chen family listened in utter disbelief. This Granny Wang really had the ability to make up stories...

When Sun Wenfang and the others heard this, they looked at her as if she were a fool. Had this old woman lost her mind?

Wu Yong tried to interrupt several times but failed because Old Wang was too talkative!

They were the ones who asked first, and it felt impolite for the other person to leave before finishing their answer. Sun Wenfang and the others stood there awkwardly, listening to the nonsense. It was a feeling that was hard to imagine!

When Zhang Wenbo came to help dry the rice, he saw them and quickly walked over.

He bowed and clasped his hands, saying, "This student greets Your Excellency, the County Magistrate!"

"No need to be polite!"

Sun Wenfang thought to herself, "There are still people who recognize me in this remote place!"

Old Lady Wang was so shocked by Zhang Wenbo's appearance and words that she couldn't utter a word of surprise. "Your Excellency, Magistrate!"

really?

Finally, someone came to the rescue!

Sun Wenfang asked in confusion, "Who are you?"

"The student's name is Zhang Wenbo. He visited the county government a few months ago."

Sun Wenfang thought for a moment, "It's that scholar who settled in the deserted village!"

Zhang Wenbo smiled and said, "Indeed, I am a student!"

"That's perfect. Show us around and tell us about your village, especially the rice cultivation."

"Your Excellency, please!"

Zhang Wenbo stepped aside to let Sun Wenfang go first.