Chapter 228 – Ferry Planning

Granny Rong treated everything on this patch of land in the woods as her own, so of course she took good care of the rabbits.

With the children helping gather tender greens, there was never a shortage of fresh grass. Granny Rong would occasionally mix in some feed for them too, and she always stopped the children from doing things they shouldn’t—like poking away those grape-like soft droppings.

Absolutely not. These rabbits were supposed to eat those again, and if they went too long without doing so, it could actually kill them.

Father and daughter watched as Granny Rong replanted the seedlings that still had soil on their roots, then followed her to the riverside fields.

This was the first area that had been sown, and being right next to the river, the soil retained more moisture—perfect for young sprouts. Compared to the other plots near the house, the plants here were doing even better. From a distance, the whole field shimmered with pale green.

As they got closer, the seedlings stretched across the entire field in a lush carpet of green. Just looking at it made one feel at peace.

Granny Rong stepped into the field as usual and, with practiced precision, began pulling out seedlings that had grown too densely together.

The two silently noted: this plot didn’t require thinning and transplanting. Any extras were simply uprooted and tossed aside by Granny Rong.

They exchanged a glance and quietly backed away.

Leave the expert work to the expert. They truly couldn’t be of help here.

Yan Yu plucked a reed from the riverbank and idly twirled it in her hand.

“Just wait until it’s time to harvest—I’ll really show what I can do then.”

Not to be outdone, Yan Lao’er added, “I can handle watering and fertilizing, too.”

Truth was, they didn’t want to become completely useless under Granny Rong’s care. She was capable, sure, but she did far too much for them. It made them feel a little guilty—especially when the whole village was busy working hard…

Since they were already by the river, Yan Yu decided to do a bit of planning.

“This patch of reeds probably only appeared after the water receded. So, when the river starts rising again, it’ll probably come right up to here.”

“Good thing when we marked out our land, we didn’t go too close to the water. Otherwise, once the level rises, the whole plot would be flooded… But, Dad, should we take precautions anyway? What if the river rises suddenly? Maybe we should build up a little barrier along the edge?”

“This river won’t rise all at once. You’re planning too far ahead. Let’s wait and see what spring looks like next year,” Yan Lao’er replied.

Yan Yu was just musing aloud—she knew full well they had no time for that now.

“Everyone in the village draws water from that side. If we put a raft there, it’d get in the way. What if we launch it from Granny Rong’s side instead? That area has more rocks and less grass,” Yan Yu suggested.

Yan Lao’er looked over. Right next to it was Granny Rong’s plot.

Sure enough, it was just as neatly tended as this side.

Of course—Granny Rong didn’t distinguish between the two. She cared for both with equal attention.

“Alright, that spot looks good. We’ll hammer in a post later and lay down a few planks—make a simple little ferry dock,” Yan Lao’er said.

The two of them headed off to inspect the northern field near the mountain.

The vegetable seedlings there were different again—so neatly lined up they looked like they’d been measured with a ruler.

Yan Yu remembered they hadn’t sown that many seeds here. Granny Rong must have gradually transplanted them over, which explained the current scale.

Even the slope near the mountain had been cleared and planted with vegetables. In other words, the field had quietly expanded well beyond its originally marked boundaries.

After surveying all their plots, Yan Lao’er was full of anticipation for the autumn harvest.

“We’ve got a good amount of land, and it’s all planted with vegetables. Come harvest time, it’s going to be a grand sight.”

“Dad, I was just about to bring this up—we’ll have plenty for ourselves, but with all the other families in the village growing vegetables too, we should start thinking about how to sell everything,” Yan Yu said.

“Selling won’t be a problem. Here in Guanzhou, people start stockpiling veggies in autumn for the winter. If we haul our produce to Yongning City, it’ll definitely sell. Worst case, we can go even farther—big cities always have demand,” Yan Lao’er said confidently. He had good reason: no one else was growing vegetables on such a scale.

Most folks put their energy into growing grain—food that actually filled your belly. Vegetables? Nice to have, but you could eat more or less depending on what you had. That was how the common people thought in this world.

They’d only ever plant a few vegetables in their home gardens, maybe clear a few small corners of land here and there, or scatter some seeds in the wild and hope the weather cooperated.

“Selling’s a must, but I was thinking—we should save a good bit for ourselves. Winter here lasts for months, and I’m worried we won’t have enough to eat,” Yan Yu said, clearly thinking about their family’s meals.

Yan Lao’er considered this. She had a point.

“Then let’s buy some big jars to pickle vegetables, and we’ll dry some to store as well.”

“I’ve been wanting to get some pickling jars for a while. Every family needs water jars too. Dad, when you’ve got time, see if you can find out who’s making them. We’ll need a lot, and buying from the shops just isn’t cost-effective. It’d be better to go straight to someone who makes them.”

Yan Yu loved buying in bulk—cheaper prices, heh!

“You think this place is like back home, with manufacturers galore and warehouses full of stock? For daily essentials like this, if you see someone selling, you better grab it. Don’t worry so much about saving money—just get what we need first,” Yan Lao’er said. He’d been around and had learned a thing or two.

“Just look at the bricks for our house—we still haven’t got all the green bricks we need. Speaking of which, I should probably make the rounds at a few brick kilns. Master Lu and his crew don’t work slow, but now they’re doing both the pigsty and the courtyard wall, and we’re holding them up. Without enough bricks, they can’t move forward.”

Yan Yu fully agreed.

But she raised a sharp question.

“Dad, do you still have money? We’ll need to pay for more bricks, right?”

Yan Lao’er: …

His pockets were bone dry.

“Didn’t your mother still have fifty taels? If I don’t get paid tomorrow when I go to Crouching Tiger City, we’ll have to dip into that.”

“Oh right, did you see the magistrate when you delivered the medicine? Did they pay promptly?”

Yan Yu grinned. “Don’t worry, Dad. We didn’t meet the magistrate himself, but he was very efficient about it. Once we delivered the herbs, they inspected and logged them, issued a document, stamped it—and boom, silver in hand.”

Yan Lao’er squinted at her for a moment, then suddenly asked, “How much did your uncle give you?”

Yan Yu instinctively reached for the little backpack on her back.

“How’d you know Uncle gave me money?”

“Heh!” Yan Lao’er chuckled inwardly. You’re my daughter—how could I not know?

“You brought so many things with you on that trip to Crouching Tiger. Knowing Old Yan, there’s no way he’d let you come back empty-handed. Come on, spill it—how much did he give you?”

Yan Yu burst out laughing.

“Dad, go take a look at yourself by the river—what a handsome sour face, ha!”

Yan Lao’er touched his face. “Handsome? I’ll take that. Sour? Never!”

“This time Uncle treated us all the same. Big Brother, Eldest Sister, and me—we each got ten copper coins,” Yan Yu said proudly.

“Uncle also said we have to bring him our assignments every half month so he can check them. He’s definitely going to rank us too. I’ve decided to use half my power and claim the top prize next round.”

Yan Yu was brimming with fighting spirit.

Sorry, Big Brother. Sorry, Eldest Sister. The top prize is mine and mine alone!

(End of chapter)