Chapter 20: It is not easy to open up new land

Zhang Juexia ran into the house angrily, rummaged through the bed to get his worn-out purse, weighed it in his hand, and then returned to the kitchen.

She threw the purse toward Ye Beixiu and said, "Here are twelve taels of silver, enough to treat your leg."

Ye Beixiu took the silver and opened it in surprise. "Where did you get the silver?"

"This silver will be my dowry!"

Ye Beixiu looked at Zhang Juexia in confusion, "Is this the reason why you didn't return home that day?"

"You are quite clever. Because of these twelve taels of silver, my father and I severed our father-daughter relationship."

Ye Beixiu stroked the hair on her forehead with a distressed look on his face. "Why are you doing this? Since I'm planning to get married, shouldn't I get the betrothal gift?"

Zhang Juexia shook his head. "You don't understand. The betrothal gift is the betrothal gift, and the dowry is the dowry. Some things must be fought for. Besides, it doesn't matter if I don't return to that home. I am very satisfied with this result."

"Thank you, my lady!"

"Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for taking me to see my leg and for using your dowry to treat my leg."

"That's all?"

"Um."

"Actually, you don't have to thank me. I have a feeling that if this happened to me, I believe you would help me in the same way."

Ye Beixiu tapped her forehead and said, "Stop talking nonsense. It's okay if one of us has a lame leg. I hope you will be fine forever."

"Then let's not dwell on the issue of whether to treat your leg or not because of the money. Ye Beixiu, from the moment I got on the ox cart, I decided to live a good life with you. So, I hope your leg can be cured and you can live like a normal person."

Zhang Juexia smelled the faint fragrance of corn, "The steamed buns should be ready, let's eat first."

Ye Beixiu put the purse back into Zhang Juexia's hands and said, "I'll do these things. You go put the money away first."

When Zhang Juexia returned to the kitchen, the dishes and steamed buns were already laid out. Ye Beixiu had already picked up a steamed bun and started eating it with relish. "My wife, this steamed bun is so fragrant."

Seeing how deliciously he was eating, Zhang Juexia couldn't help but pick up a steamed bun and started eating it.

Some white flour is mixed into the cornmeal, so it doesn’t taste so hard and isn’t so rough when swallowed.

"After dinner, you can continue making nets at home. I'll go out and work for a while. The day after tomorrow, we'll go up the mountain again to see if there's any new prey in our traps."

"I'll go with you. I can help you a little."

"No, I can do it myself."

Zhang Juexia just wanted to go and take a look, and she said a lot of good things to Ye Beixiu before he agreed.

"Then let's all get some sleep first, and then go out when the sun isn't so strong."

After Ye Beixiu said this, Zhang Juexia of course agreed.

She didn't want to go out in the hot sun.

The two of them took a short nap, got up, drank a glass of water, and then went out.

Ye Beixiu was carrying a hoe in front, and Zhang Juexia followed behind him.

The place he chose to reclaim was not far from their house, and it was only about two or three hundred steps away.

She looked around and felt that the place Ye Beixiu chose was pretty good.

There is plenty of sunlight and the terrain is high, but the disadvantage is that there are too many gravels.

Ye Beixiu had dug out the weeds on the ground with a hoe, and they had all wilted under the sun.

She bent down and gathered the weeds she had dug out, preparing to carry them home and dry them. She could use them for fire or to feed the chickens.

After doing this, she started picking up stones outside.

The more she picked, the colder she felt. How could crops be grown in this geology?

Although she didn't know much about agriculture, she had seen adults farming when she was young, and she knew that good crops could not be grown on this kind of land.

Ye Beixiu's hoe never stopped. When he looked up to wipe the sweat off his face, he saw Zhang Juexia squatting on the ground in a daze. "If you're tired, go home!"

"I'm not some rich girl, so I don't get tired easily. Husband, is this the kind of land all over our mountainside?"

Ye Beixiu understood. "Our area is both mountainous and wasteland. I circled the mountain for a long time this morning before I found this piece of land. Other places are even worse."

Zhang Juexia stopped hesitating and bent down again to pick up the gravel.

"The soil here is just a little thin. Let's add more fertilizer and it will be fine in a few years. My grandparents' vegetable garden used to be like this."

"Um."

The two of them did not rest the whole afternoon until it was getting dark, and then they decided to go home.

Zhang Juexia gathered the weeds and tied them tightly. Ye Beixiu picked them up and put them on his shoulders. "Just take the hoe. I'll carry the rest tomorrow. There's plenty of this stuff in the mountains. No one will take it."

After arriving home, both of them were so tired that they had no appetite.

Zhang Juexia washed herself and started making knitting threads with the help of an oil lamp.

After Ye Beixiu cleaned the house and washed himself, he sat aside and watched Zhang Juexia work.

"My lady, you have such a skillful hand."

Zhang Juexia glared at him and said, "You're just making small talk."

Ye Beixiu chuckled and approached Zhang Juexia, "How about you teach me too, my lady? I have nothing to do."

Zhang Juexia looked at his clumsy hands and asked, "Do you really want to learn?"

He scratched his scalp again, "Let's just forget it!"

"Pour me a glass of water."

Ye Beixiu was obedient. He stood up, brought a glass of water to Zhang Juexia and handed it to her mouth.

After Zhang Juexia finished drinking, he took the cup outside.

Zhang Juexia gestured to him, "Sit down!"

Ye Beixiu rubbed his hands and sat down next to Zhang Juexia. "Madam, do you have something to say?"

"Let's first take care of the wasteland you chose, and then clean up our yard and the gate, and then plant some vegetables."

"That's what I thought."

"After working for half a day today, I finally realized that I was overthinking it. Reclaiming land is really not an easy task."

"It's not easy for us mountain people to do anything, even hunting, but we all live well. My lady, don't worry too much."

"Yes. We should make more manure from now on, and save the wood ash too, and then transport it all to the fields. No, I have to go to the backyard to check on those two chickens; I'm relying on them for laying eggs and manure."

Zhang Juexia put down the colored thread in his hand and was about to run out, but Ye Beixiu grabbed him and said, "The chickens have already gone to their nests. It's not too late to wait and see tomorrow."

Ye Beixiu took the opportunity to pull Zhang Juexia into his arms, "My wife, I have done all the work that should be done. How do you reward me?"

Without waiting for Zhang Juexia to reply, his lips touched hers...

Zhang Juexia hesitated...

He pushed harder and harder until he felt pain in his back. "Madam, you..."

Zhang Juexia touched her red lips with her hand, and the area around them was hurt by his stubble. "Can't you be more gentle?"