CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39: EXPERIENCING A DIFFERENT KIND OF FARMER

EDITOR: ENDLESSFANTASY TRANSLATION

The farmers from Dafeng Village whose fields were flooded, along with some mountain villagers driven down by the wind and rain, all heard the reputation and came to Lin Wanwan’s door, wanting to become her Manor Guests (those who lost their fields and specifically do farm work for others to earn a living).

Lin Wanwan happened to need people, so she kept them, with Lin Zhentian assisting Kun Lun in management.

With Lin Wanwan’s support, the houses of Third Uncle and Meng Xi’s families were rebuilt. Lin Goudan’s illness also improved significantly; his diarrhea was no longer serious, and Lin Wanwan visited daily to diagnose him.

Because Lin Wanwan didn’t charge a consultation fee, Lin Mengli’s family killed a rooster to send her extra meals, and also brought her thirty-two saved eggs. Lin Wanwan didn’t refuse. Regardless of the amount, it’s always a gesture of goodwill.

For a time, everyone in Lin Family Manor knew of Lin Wanwan’s superb medical skills.

Even though Lin Wanwan tried her best to explain that she only had amateur skills, no one listened; they all felt she was overly modest.

When people from Lu Family Manor and Dafeng Village came to Lin Family Manor to report typhoon losses to the Lin Clan Leader, they also heard about Lin Wanwan’s miraculous healing. Before long, the name of Divine Doctor spread throughout the three villages.

Those from outside the manor saw children of Lin Family Manor dressed in high-quality robes, calling them scholar attire, and they were so envious their eyes turned red, regretting why they weren’t from Lin Family Manor!

Lin Family Manor residents felt invigorated when visiting seven aunts and eight uncles. Previously, because the village was poor, women in the family only returned to their maternal homes once a year at most, but now the frequency clearly increased.

This was also specially permitted by the Lin Clan Leader; the clan hadn’t held a joyful event of taking a new bride for a long time. Getting people to move around more brought hope of marrying a young lady.

In the Tang Dynasty’s marriage market, one indeed died of thirst or drowned; wealthy and status-holding men had piles of secondary wives, while those without wealth or status couldn’t even marry a proper lady.

After the typhoon, Lin Wanwan continued her rice harvest despite some losses, though not extremely huge.

During this time, a funny incident happened to Lin Wanwan: before the rice was fully harvested, a group of old men and women hearing rumors came to "glean" rice around the fields.

The Lin Clan members and Manor Guests helping with the harvest were infuriated and almost fought with them, but Lin Wanwan threw a handful of Copper Coins by the roadside to stop the dispute.

Lin Wanwan, living in modern times, had never witnessed such robber-like behavior first-hand, only seen similar events in the news—truckloads overturned, crowds looting; unrelated villagers "picking" during fruit harvest.

You say rural farmers are simple, indeed they are, but when committing small evils, it’s quite exasperating.

Lin Mengbo told Lin Wanwan that such gleaming was just minor; in poor years, fights between manors, villages, and towns over water and land, even using farm tools as weapons, were common.

During the fiercest fights, even the court’s people dared not intervene; such fights were always handed over to local clan leaders or village chiefs to resolve.

However, because most residents in Lin Family Manor were fishermen accustomed to struggle against the sea and earning a living with their lives, their temperament was fierce, and nobody dared to provoke them easily. If provoked, they’d put you on a boat and throw you into the sea, making you disappear without a trace, simply treating it as a missing person case.

This time, because the news of Lin Wanwan’s bumper rice harvest spread widely, coupled with the typhoon causing numerous hardships, this incident occurred.

Moreover, those "gleaning" were all elderly; ancient governance emphasized filial respect, so Lin Family Manor men, constrained by respect for the elderly, dared not fight openly.

Aside from this matter, everything else went smoothly.

Ultimately, Lin Wanwan’s late rice was weighed, averaging fifteen stones per acre, astonishing the surrounding ten miles. Lin Clan Leader had to deal daily with various people wanting to exchange grain seeds with him.

After the great grain harvest, people from Xiao Family Bookstore visited, signing a contract with Lin Wanwan to print the "Three Character Classic".

Lin Wanwan specially asked them if they wanted to print the multiplication table too; the shopkeeper smilingly informed her that the bookstore already had these calculation tables.

Well, Lin Wanwan indeed underestimated Great China’s mathematical prowess.

Thus, with the book published, Lin Wanwan gained a steady income in the Great Tang, not leading to wealth but flowing gently.

Unnoticed, winter was approaching, and the sweet potatoes could soon be harvested.

Lin Wanwan sent Hua Nong and Kun Lun with Xiao Chong’s letter to inform him she planned to harvest sweet potatoes tomorrow.

Unexpectedly, after Hua Nong returned, she brought news that Xiao Chong was seriously ill.

"What, seriously ill?" Lin Wanwan felt as if another shoe upstairs finally dropped.

The historical records Lu Shouyue investigated were indeed accurate, no mistakes made.

During these days, Lin Wanwan prepared flu medications like ribavirin, oseltamivir; symptom improvement drugs like Tylenol and traditional Chinese medicines such as Lianhua Qingwen and Banlangen; cough and phlegm syrup; and fever-reducing Medin and Tylenol, just waiting for Xiao Chong’s news.

Hopefully, these medications would help with Xiao Chong’s illness. Such a handsome County Magistrate, having inspected almost all Mao County villages and fields on foot, can truly be considered a promising official. If he just perished like this, it would be a major loss for Mao County’s villagers.

There’s a saying, "A clear County Magistrate for three years, one hundred thousand snowflake silver pieces," encountering a corrupt official, the grassroots villagers truly suffer immensely and are helpless.

Lin Wanwan returned to modern times, removed the packaging from the medicines, placed them into separate small ceramic bottles, then returned to the Tang Dynasty, packed a medicine chest and hat, and instructed Kun Lun to prepare a carriage to go to Xiaoxi Town County Government to act as "Divine Doctor".

She entrusted Qingyu to Lin Mengbo’s family, plus Yun Shang’s care, with no major issues.

"Tell the children not to forget the afternoon labor class." Lin Wanwan instructed Lin Zhentian before getting into the carriage with Hua Nong, shouting, "Kun Lun, let’s go!"

Lin Zhentian looked worriedly at Lin Wanwan’s carriage, feeling very anxious inside.

Wan Wan was actually going to treat the County Magistrate’s illness; curing him would certainly bring joy, but failing could lead to great trouble—what was the point?

Sometimes, things are better left undone; living their little lives in Lin Family Manor is quite lovely—why go seeking out the high and mighty, running the risk of great disaster at any careless turn?

Lin Zhentian was very worried for Lin Wanwan, torn over whether to report to the Clan Leader, but he ultimately held back and said nothing.

Through recent days of interaction and observation, Lin Zhentian discovered that Lin Wanwan doesn’t like self-righteous and gossiping people. Now, relying on Lin Wanwan for sustenance, he naturally had to follow Lin Wanwan’s lead, never speaking out behind her back.

The main thing was, the matter had already occurred; even if now he told the Lin Clan Leader, what measures could a clan leader of a rural family take? If it were the direct lineage of the Lin family, there might be some hope.