freenovelworld Chapter 103: Reclamation and Farming
Chapter 103: Reclamation and Farming
With fertile land secured, Su Yuning felt a significant boost in her confidence. She then rushed to the village to organize the villagers to cultivate the land. Not only that, she promised to provide a hearty lunch for those who participated and pay them twenty copper coins daily. These generous terms quickly spread, and everyone in the village, young and old, eagerly signed up. Soon, everyone was gathered on the wasteland behind the village, working enthusiastically.
As everyone was sweating profusely from their work, Woody's wife approached Su Yuning and asked with concern, "Yuning, how many acres of wasteland are you planning to reclaim this time?" Su Yuning stopped what she was doing, wiped the sweat from her forehead, smiled brightly, and answered crisply, "Actually, it's not that many, only about twenty acres." Hearing this number, Woody's wife was slightly surprised, but then curiously asked, "Is this land reclamation free?" As she spoke, she planted her shovel on the ground and stared directly at Su Yuning.
Su Yuning gently shook her head and said truthfully, "It's not free. It costs one tael of silver per mu (unit of land area)." Upon hearing this, the wooden-headed wife's previously expectant face instantly turned to deep disappointment. She muttered to herself, "It actually costs money... Sigh, if only it were free to cultivate the land, I would have my husband contract a few mu to farm." One tael of silver is roughly equivalent to half a year's living expenses for an ordinary farming family like theirs. Therefore, apart from Su Yuning, whose family was relatively well-off, very few people were willing to spend such a large sum of money to cultivate wasteland.
Just then, the village chief's wife pouted with displeasure and gathered together with several other equally bloated, fleshy old women. They whispered among themselves and occasionally let out a piercing laugh.
"Oh my, look at some people, their eyes are practically bloodshot! Seeing others making money by leasing land, they can't suppress their restless hearts, without even considering their own capabilities." The village chief's wife said sarcastically, while glancing sideways at the people they were talking about, her face full of disdain.
"Hehehe, that's right! With her character, she dares to dream of being like her!" another old woman chimed in, laughing so hard she almost fell over, as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world.
“People like that are just born to be restless! I have to give my niece a piece of advice: get rid of her as soon as possible, lest she steal our vegetable-growing skills and then go off to work for someone else’s farm. Otherwise, she’ll lose everything!” another old woman chimed in, her eyes gleaming with cunning.
Faced with the cacophony of mockery, Su Yuning couldn't stand it any longer. With a stern face, she shouted loudly, "Alright, alright, everyone, let's all shut up! Let's finish our work quickly so we can go home sooner. Look at the sky, it's getting dark."
Hearing Su Yuning's words, the chattering old women fell silent, though they still occasionally cast disdainful glances at the person they had mocked. Then, everyone busied themselves. The men rolled up their sleeves, shouldered large baskets full of stones, and trudged out with heavy steps; while the women, hoes in hand, bent down and diligently cleared the weeds from the fields. For a time, the entire field was a scene of bustling activity, everyone working diligently at their posts, their efforts arduous but their spirits high.
The wooden-headed woman was filled with gratitude for Su Yuning's timely intervention. She looked up and smiled at Su Yuning, expressing her heartfelt thanks. Her smile was as radiant and beautiful as a flower blooming in spring, prompting Su Yuning to smile back. At that moment, their friendship deepened even further.
In the distant northern desert, sunlight streamed onto the ancient tents, reflecting the marks of time. Inside, the old lord sat on a carved chair, his face full of concern as he inquired about his son Ye Beichen's progress in his love life.
"Beichen, what's going on between you and Yu Ning? Have you two reconciled? And has she agreed to remarry you?" The old lord's weathered eyes were fixed on Ye Beichen, hoping to hear a satisfactory answer from him.
Ye Beichen gave an awkward smile, scratched his head, and said, "Father, please don't worry about me! My relationship with Yu Ning has indeed improved somewhat, but feelings can't be rushed; they need to be nurtured slowly. So please give me a little more time, okay?"
Hearing this, the old lord frowned and sighed deeply, "Ah, my child! You know my health is declining day by day, and I might just kick the bucket any day now. My greatest wish is to see you settle down, get married, and have children before I die, so I can rest in peace! You'd better hurry!"
Ye Beichen quickly stepped forward, gently grasped the old lord's hand, and comforted him, "Your son understands your feelings and will definitely try his best not to disappoint you. Please rest assured."
At this moment, the old lord seemed to suddenly remember something and continued, "By the way, Beichen, your concubine, Xiaodoukou, is actually quite nice. She's completely devoted to you. Why don't you just take her in too? Wouldn't it be better if everyone lived happily ever after?"
Ye Beichen was stunned by the old lord's words, and it took him a long time to recover before asking, "Are you talking about Xiaodoukou?"
The old lord smiled and nodded in affirmation.
However, Ye Beichen waved his hands repeatedly without hesitation, saying urgently, "No, no, Father, there is absolutely no affection between Xiaodoukou and me. Please don't arrange this marriage so hastily! How can such an important matter as marriage be decided so hastily?"
"Oh dear, this won't work, that won't work, when will I finally be able to hold my grandson as I wish!" The old lord stomped his feet in anger, his head throbbing. "Alright, alright, how about this, I'll go and summon the third young lady of the Nangong family and ask her. If she agrees, you two can remarry, how about that?" With that, the old lord looked at Ye Beichen expectantly.
Upon hearing this, Ye Beichen felt a surge of anger rising within him and retorted angrily, "Hmph! So what you say goes!" With that, he turned his head away and refused to look at the old lord again.
Not long after, the old lord indeed sent someone to invite the woman named Xiaodoukou to his presence. The old lord, all smiles, asked Xiaodoukou in a kind and amiable manner, "Miss Nangong, would you be willing to remarry my son?"
However, Xiaodoukou only responded with a forced smile, "Heh heh, what kind of schemes are you two plotting now? Don't forget, you're the ones who killed my mother! And now you still have the nerve to ask me to come back? Besides, are you so out of touch? Let me tell you the truth, I've already married someone else, become the concubine of the Grassland Alliance Leader, and am six months pregnant! If you dare to touch even a single hair on my head, the Grassland Alliance Leader will definitely not let you off easily!" After saying that, Xiaodoukou put her hands on her hips, raised her eyebrows, and looked very fierce.
Upon hearing this, the old lord was so angry that he trembled all over, his vision blurred, and he fainted on the spot. Ye Beichen was shocked to see this and hurriedly stepped forward to support the swaying old lord. He quickly found several servants to help him, and together they took the old lord to a nearby clinic to ask a doctor to come and treat him.
Meanwhile, Little Bean, standing to the side, wore a smug expression, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She couldn't help but mutter to herself, "Hehe, this is such a great result! I've finally avenged my mother!" After saying this, Little Bean turned and swaggered away, as if she had accomplished a remarkable feat.
After a long and tense rescue process, the old lord finally slowly opened his eyes and gradually regained consciousness. Ye Beichen, who had been by the bedside the whole time, was so moved by this scene that tears welled up in his eyes. He held the old lord's hand tightly and cried out, "Father, you've finally woken up! Thank God! If anything had happened to you, what would I have done?"
The old lord smiled weakly and comforted Ye Beichen, saying, "Silly child, don't be so sad. How could such a small matter be difficult for your father? I'm still looking forward to holding my grandson soon! Now that everything is alright, you should hurry back to the capital and bring your daughter-in-law home so I can see her."
Ye Beichen nodded excitedly in agreement, "Yes, yes! I understand! I will definitely bring my wife home to visit you as soon as possible!" After saying that, Ye Beichen, along with his newlywed, inseparable guard and Xuan Yuan Rong'er, boarded the carriage and embarked on their journey back to the capital. Along the way, the couple chatted and laughed, looking forward to their bright future.
Back in the city, Ye Beichen looked at Ximen Haoze with a serious expression and earnestly instructed him, "Ximen Haoze, from now on, you are the true owner of Ni Chang Pavilion. I hope you can wholeheartedly manage this shop well, making it well-organized and prosperous. At the same time, you must also take good care of Xuan Yuan Rong'er, ensuring she lives a happy and stable life. Remember, you must treat her well, spend wonderful times with her, and never let me down!"
Upon hearing these words, Ximen Haoze felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Knowing the great responsibility he bore, he quickly nodded respectfully and replied, "Yes, yes, your subordinate will certainly follow your teachings and do his best in everything. Please rest assured, sir!"
After giving these instructions, Ye Beichen turned and headed towards the factory. However, when he arrived, the workers told him some news—the woman had actually returned to her hometown with her second brother and sister-in-law. Upon learning this, Ye Beichen didn't hesitate at all and immediately went to the market to select some exquisite gifts. Then, he hurriedly boarded a carriage and sped off towards Xinghua Village without stopping.
Meanwhile, on the dock, Chestnut Girl, carrying an exquisite food box, walked gracefully towards the shore. Her charming figure immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding brothers. They all laughed and cheered, "Hey, sister-in-law's here! A warm welcome to sister-in-law!"
Chestnut Girl blushed with embarrassment at their antics. Head bowed, she quickly walked towards Gu Wanfeng's studio. Once inside, she gently opened the food box, carefully took out the still-steaming dumplings, and tenderly offered them to Gu Wanfeng, saying softly, "These are handmade dumplings by my grandmother, filled with shepherd's purse and pork. They taste especially delicious. Why don't you try them and see if you like them?"
"Okay, thank you." Gu Wanfeng seemed to be in a very good mood, responding with a broad smile. Then, with practiced ease, he picked up his chopsticks, steadily lifting a plump, adorable dumpling, and gently placed it into the tangy vinegar in the small dish beside him, allowing the dumpling to fully soak in the sauce. Then, he contentedly put the vinegar-soaked dumpling into his mouth and began to chew it with relish.
In no time, Gu Wanfeng had eaten two dumplings, but for some reason, he felt the taste was just a little off. After a moment's thought, he reached for a plump, white garlic clove on the table, skillfully peeled it, and took a small bite. Instantly, a pungent, spicy flavor filled his mouth, but this unique spiciness intertwined with the savory aroma of the dumplings, creating a surprisingly delightful taste. Gu Wanfeng became even more enthusiastic, eating dumplings and garlic with great relish. The originally somewhat bland lunch became increasingly delicious thanks to this wonderful combination.
At this moment, Chestnut Girl, watching Gu Wanfeng's unrestrained eating style, couldn't help but look puzzled and asked softly, "Young Master Gu, isn't eating raw garlic too spicy?" Hearing Chestnut Girl's question, Gu Wanfeng looked up, still smiling, and explained, "Haha, Miss, you don't know! As the saying goes, 'A meal without garlic is half as flavorful.' Only by eating dumplings with garlic can you truly appreciate their wonderful taste. Besides, eating raw garlic not only enhances the flavor but also helps prevent colds, which is very beneficial to your health!"