CHAPTER 21: CHAPTER 21: LEARNING TO FARM

The kitchen was repaired, and a plot of sandy field was leased.

The Zhang family in the sandy field planted rapeseed, which had already turned yellow. Once they harvested it, the Xiao family would plant their own crop.

The ridges of the field were empty, but with guidance from Aunt Zuo and Aunt Luo, they could dig them up and plant some vegetable seedlings. In a month or two, they would have vegetables to eat.

The Xiao family had no farming tools, but the neighboring Luo family and their landlord, Aunt Zuo, were willing to lend them some.

"When we have some money, I’ll go to the blacksmith to make a hoe."

Chun Ning imitated the digging style of the older men in the neighborhood, and he, too, lifted the hoe high. Although it was awkward at first, after a few tries, he could wield the hoe smoothly.

What Chun Ning didn’t know was that his elders stood at the doorway, their eyes moist with tears as they watched him work in the sandy field: the hands that once held a pen now wielded a hoe and sickle... This disaster had utterly changed their fate!

"Aunt, let me pass."

Chun Nuan was in the kitchen preparing some Bianxia. She sliced ginger and brewed soup, then boiled it together with white alum and Bianxia.

There was no firewood left in the kitchen at the moment, so she wanted to fetch some from under the eaves. When she did, she saw her elders standing at the doorway, wiping away tears.

"Nuannuan..."

Mrs. Xu turned around, saw Chun Nuan, and quickly wiped away her tears: "What are you doing? I’ll do it."

"It’s nothing, I’m just going to get some firewood."

Ah, women, always so sentimental.

"Aunt, Mom, don’t be sad," Chun Nuan said. Seeing that her grandmother wasn’t there, it was no wonder that they couldn’t control their emotions: "One must endure hardship to become superior. It’s good that the men of the Xiao family can be both scholarly and capable in martial disciplines. Chun Ning has grown quickly; we should be proud of him."

"It’s our fault for being useless, letting you young ones shoulder these burdens."

At that moment, the Xiao family heard Aunt Zuo speaking from the side of the field ridge.

"Chun Ning, you need to pick up the weeds you’ve dug up and throw them onto the open ground, otherwise, before your vegetables grow, the weeds will already be lush green, competing with the vegetables for nutrients," Aunt Zuo, always enthusiastic, reminded: "When digging soil, you pick the weeds as you dig."

"Sister, I’ll pick the weeds," Chun An came running: "That way Ning brother will have an easier time."

"Okay, go ahead, be careful," Chun Nuan instructed: "Stay a bit away from Ning brother. He looks forward when he digs but not back, so be careful not to get hit by the hoe handle."

"An’an, you... be careful, don’t disrupt Ning brother’s digging,"

Mrs. Huang was about to tell her to not dirty her clothes, but swallowed her words.

Things are different now; the children of the Xiao family are no longer young masters.

If Chun Ning can put down his books and pick up a hoe to dig and climb trees to pick flowers, what can’t her son do?

Though washing clothes is indeed tiring, the ones truly tired weren’t her.

Indeed, Mrs. Huang noticed that ever since they arrived in Shu City, the children’s clothes needed washing daily, either covered with mud or dust, all dirty.

Back in the Capital, even the servant children were never this dirty.

Truly, a fallen phoenix isn’t as good as a chicken!

"Very well." At this moment, the old lady, supported by Chunyan, stepped out: "Capable of entering the main hall and working in the sandy fields, holding a pen and wielding a hoe, able to write and farm, very well, our Xiao family will not fall!"

Hearing this made everyone’s eyes glisten with tears once more.

Chun Nuan thought these elders were just too idle and causing a fuss.

Right, she remembered there was an embroidery workshop at the pier. She’d ask if they could find some work tomorrow.

They didn’t expect them to earn much, just finding tasks to pass the time and save them from excessive sentimentality.

Indeed, Chun Nuan realized that once a person is busy, there’s no time to overthink.

Just like her now, engaging in frying flowers and preparing herbal medicines, her feet barely touched the ground, task after task, never-ending, truly never-ending.

Chun Ning was also busy, getting up before dawn to pick flowers in the mountains with Luo Xiaogang. After frying them, they went to the dock to sell flower cakes, earning about ten or so copper coins daily after cost.

Coming back from the dock, he was busy digging soil and planting vegetables.

The Xiao family lacked labor, and a half-grown child like Chun Ning was already supporting the entire sky of the Xiao family.

"Chun Nuan," Aunt Luo approached as she saw Chun Nuan gathering firewood: "I saw you digging at the ridges. I’ve cultivated some melon seedlings. Do you want to plant some?"

"Yes, please, Auntie. How much do they cost?"

"You child, do your people from the Capital talk about money for everything?" Aunt Luo laughed: "We country folk don’t have such fuss. These seeds and melon seedlings aren’t worth much. Whoever has more would plant a few, and later if you have something my family doesn’t, just give us a share. Don’t charge me, okay?"

"Great, thank you, Aunt Luo."

This kind of relationship made Chun Nuan feel comfortable.

Just like Chun An said: In this world, there are more good people.

Since settling in this place called Shuikou Village, the villagers had been very friendly.

Every aunt and elder lady she met would greet her, all knowing her name was Chun Nuan.

Chun Nuan recognized the aunts from the Luo family, the Zuo family, and the Deng family. As for others, she didn’t even know their names, but when she met them on the road, she smiled slightly, and they’d greet her happily.

"Chun Nuan, carrying firewood?"

"Chun Nuan, digging wild vegetables?"

"Chun Nuan, doing laundry?"

In short, she had become a well-known name in the village.

However, her elders could not easily approach the villagers.

This wasn’t entirely their fault. Firstly, they were daughters of small officials from the Capital, having only interacted with similar people. Coming to Shu City, they didn’t even know how to get along with these neighbors. Secondly, they developed habits of not stepping out of their doors and not mingling much. Now, apart from doing laundry, the elders rarely stepped out.

Even if the village grannies wanted to gossip, they couldn’t find the opportunity to chat with them.

Certainly, they also knew one thing: Doctor Xiao had offended the Emperor. It was better to minimize visits to their house.

After all, even the Xiao family, a prominent family, avoided them, so though not afraid, they were a bit cautious.

Chun Nuan understood all of this very well.

Chun Yan and Chun Shu became good sisters with the third daughter of Aunt Luo’s family, going up the mountain to dig wild vegetables every day. Chun Nuan no longer worried about her two younger sisters bringing back anything poisonous. Anyway, she’d have to inspect it before it went into the pot.

"Then wait here. I’ll bring some over for you."

Aunt Luo returned to her own field.

In a short while, as Chun Nuan was tending to the fire, she heard Aunt Luo calling outside.

"Auntie, you’re here."

"Yes, I’m here. Let me show you. This is winter melon seedlings, this is loofah vine, this is cucumber, this is bitter melon, and this is pumpkin vine," Aunt Luo also brought a few other vegetable seedlings: "These are chili pepper and eggplant seedlings I pulled from Old Lady Zhong’s field."

Seeing Chun Nuan freeze there, Aunt Luo paused as well.

"Chun Nuan, have your family never planted fields before, and you don’t recognize these vegetables?"