Chapter 10: Entering the Pit

How to support a family in the future is an eternal problem.

If this happened in modern times, even if he couldn't find a job that matched his major, he could still support his family by working as a salesperson with his eloquence, but this happened in ancient times.

In ancient times, ordinary people had no human rights.

At that time, there were four types of occupations: scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans. The rankings showed the difference in status.

Su Fengzhang thought seriously about the idea of ​​farming, from a certain old man's grain reform to contracting the back mountain to plant fruit trees, and even thought about canned fruit. In the end, he came to the conclusion that it was not feasible.

He had lived in the city since he was a child and had no experience in farming. He only had a vague understanding of the techniques he had heard about. It was unknown whether he could even support himself, let alone develop high-yield and disaster-resistant varieties.

Besides, their family consists of children and women. It would be fine if he was willing to farm, but should Su Zhaoshi, who has never worked in the fields in her life, be asked to farm as well?

Not to mention the craftsman industry. The money earned by the craftsmen in the village who have already graduated is just enough to support their families throughout the year. He has no skills and no connections, so it is impossible for him to become a craftsman.

The master craftsmen of ancient times did make money, but that was a result of real skills, which cannot be envied.

The path of a businessman had long been defeated by Su Zhaoshi. Even if Su Zhaoshi was persuaded, it would be difficult if he thought about it carefully. There are rules for doing business. You can't make money by simply copying the modern Malatang and Oden. Seasonings are scarce these days, and it is extremely difficult to get that taste. If you sell it too expensively, no one will buy it, and if you sell it too cheaply, it won't be enough to cover the cost.

Su Fengzhang sighed deeply, sat down and opened the book, but his mind was in a mess.

Does he really want to take the imperial examination?

If this path can be taken, it will naturally be a great success. If you pass the examination for a scholar, you can be exempted from corvee labor. If you pass the examination for a juren, you may be able to get an official position. If you pass the examination for a jinshi, it will be even more amazing, bringing honor to your family.

But the problem is, after studying hard for decades, the competition in the imperial examination is even more intense than that in the college entrance examination. Does he, an outsider, have the ability to do this?

It's not that he is belittling himself, but he is really far behind those scholars who are immersed in the sea of ​​books.

Before Su Fengzhang could figure out what he was thinking, Second Uncle Su came to the door and said, "Sister-in-law, Erlang, I used to farm your two acres of land, but now that you are at home in mourning, why don't you take it back and farm it yourself? It's still food after all."

"It's time to plant it." Su Zhao frowned, but she still said this. The family still had some money, but there would be so many places to spend it in the future. It would be nice to plant two acres of land and have some food to eat.

Uncle Su said again: "I have some seedlings growing over there. I'll let Erlang go pick them directly later."

"How can you be so nice?" Su Zhaoshi felt a little embarrassed. The rice seedlings could be sold for money. "Why not just go by the market price?"

Uncle Su waved his hand and said, "Sister-in-law, what's the value of a few bundles of seedlings? If you want to calculate it so clearly, you are not looking down on me."

"Feng'er, come with me later. Your second uncle will teach you how to farm." Uncle Su said as he looked at Su Fengzhang, and felt that this nephew did not look like someone who could farm.

He can help for one year, but he can't help every year. There is still a long time to come.

Uncle Su was a farmer, so he felt that teaching this skill to his nephew was the real thing to do.

Su Zhaoshi felt distressed when she heard this and quickly said, "Uncle, why don't I go and plant the crops?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Aunt Bai said, "Madam, you are still seriously ill and you can't farm. Let me do it. I did farm work when I was a child, so I'm sure I'll be more skilled than you."

Uncle Su looked at his sister-in-law, whose face was still a little pale, and then at Aunt Bai, who looked delicate, and was speechless for a moment.

How could Su Fengzhang let the two women go to the fields? He quickly said, "Mother, Aunt Bai, you stay at home. I'll go. Second Uncle, let's go."

At this time, Madam Wei and Zao'er also shouted in unison: "Second Young Master, let's go."

Madam Wei added, "I am used to doing rough labor. Two acres of land is nothing."

Zao'er also said, "Before I was sold, I also had to go to the fields."

They all signed indentures to sell themselves to the government. Mrs. Su Zhao was a kind person who never beat or scolded them. Deep down, they were both afraid that one day the Su family would really collapse and sell them for money. It would not be easy to meet such a good family again.

Uncle Su felt even more helpless and didn't know what to say for a moment.

In the end, Su Fengzhang still followed them out, but not only him, but other people in the family also came along. There were five adults working on the two acres of land, and two children were also working on the land.

But when they got to the edge of the field and took a look, Su Zhao was dumbfounded.

During the busy farming season, people around are busy planting seedlings, many of them are women. Just like men, they roll up their trouser legs and stand in the fields, and can plant a row of seeds in one go.

Another person had a leech stuck on his leg. When he found it, he didn't even blink, but reached out and tore it off and threw it on the edge of the field.

Not to mention Su Zhaoshi, even Aunt Bai, who claimed that she had farmed when she was a child, felt dizzy when she saw it.

Su Fengzhang was also frightened at heart, but he turned around and comforted her: "Mom, you guys go back first. It's only two acres of land. I will finish planting it in a short time. Don't worry, my second uncle will help me."

"Yes, sister-in-law, you should go back quickly and stop causing trouble." Uncle Su also said.

Su Zhaoshi's face turned even paler, but she still refused to leave.

Aunt Bai gritted her teeth, squatted down and tried to roll up her trouser legs, but she was still wearing a silk skirt, which looked out of place no matter how you looked at it.

"Aunt, don't come down. You'll be a great help if you help me look after mother." Although she was an aunt, Aunt Bai had always been nice to him, so Su Fengzhang hurriedly stopped her.

At this time, his eldest cousin Su Cizhang came over with a load on his shoulder. He was startled by the commotion and said quickly, "Aunt, why are you here too? We brothers can lend a hand here."

Just now, he waited for a long time but the rice seedlings were delivered directly.

"Lan Zhang, Huihui, stop them, don't let them come down." Su Fengzhang instructed. He could see that just rolling up their trouser legs and getting downstairs was a psychological challenge for both women.

In order to prove his ability, Su Fengzhang went down to the paddy field. The cold feeling made him shiver, but after getting used to it, he was fine. He just worried about being attacked by leeches all the time.

Uncle Su was also helpless in his heart, but he explained clearly how to farm.

Su Fengzhang memorized it in his heart and could recite it by heart after reading it several times. But when he bent down to plant rice seedlings, he found that they were completely different things. There was a gap between what he thought in his mind and what his body planted.

On the other side, Madam Wei and Zao'er also went to the fields. They were indeed experienced and were more skilled in farming than Su Fengzhang. At least Uncle Su wouldn't shake his head when he saw them.

Su Ci Zhang delivered the seedlings and went back. Their own land had not been planted yet, so Uncle Su stayed.

There are only two acres of land in total, and the four of them working together can farm it quite quickly.

Su Fengzhang familiarized himself with the situation for a while, then called out to the people on the ridge, "Mom, go back and cook first. We'll be hungry after we finish planting, and we'll have to eat when we get home. Make some delicious food."

Su Zhao had no choice but to nod and agree.

The Su family made quite a commotion, and the people who were planting rice nearby saw it and thought it was a joke.

One of the women was the most outspoken. She couldn't help but say to the people next to her, "This Madam Su used to be an official's wife. How could she know how to farm? Did you see that? She turned pale when she saw the leeches. She almost fainted."

That person also said: "That's right, she's too spoiled. I'm not saying anything, it's okay for Madam Su not to go to the fields, but the young servant in the family doesn't go down either. Isn't this just feeding another mouth in vain?"

"You don't know this, don't you? That Bai Yi Niang is very pretty and still young. I'm good at business. If the Su family can't make ends meet in the future, I can sell Bai Yi Niang and get at least ten or twenty taels of silver."

"That's not the case. Aunt Bai gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl."

"The twins are the Su family's children. She's not the only one who's younger. Besides, when they call her 'mother,' they're calling her Madam Su."

"I think you are overthinking it. The county magistrate came here to give gifts before. This lean camel is bigger than a horse. The Su family is not short of money."

"If they were rich, why would their second young master work in the fields?"

"We have land at home and live in the village. We can't just rent it out to someone else, right? I think Su Erlang is a good guy. He can live a down-to-earth life and his family has a big house. Once he's done with his mourning, we can arrange a marriage for him."

Others said, "You're still worrying about the Su family. Even if they have no money, they still wear silk and satin and have servants at home. If you have this time, you might as well worry about yourselves. Don't starve yourself to death during this period of famine."

"That's right. If people can't make ends meet, they can pawn things, sell clothes and jewelry, or even sell their concubines. But your family is so poor that you can only sell your children."

"That's right, and Second Su and First Su have a good relationship. They won't let their nephews and nieces go hungry or cold."

"That's not certain. Even if Su Er is willing, will Su's wife be happy?"

Uncle Su's family's paddy fields are all at the other end of the village. When the family was divided, his father said that the eldest brother was capable, had a big house, and had spent a lot of money on studying over the years, so most of the land in the family was left to the second brother.

It was actually fair to divide it this way at the time. The Su family had a lot of wealth, and Uncle Su's paddy fields were connected together, which made many people envious.

Zhang listened to the discussions of the people around her, and her already worried look became even more worried, especially when she found out that her eldest son and second son had gone to help at the other end, even though their own work was not yet finished.

Uncle Su helped to plant two mu of land before returning home. He was not very relaxed at all. "Hey, I was thinking that if Erlang could work, I would give him another two mu of paddy fields at home, but now I see..."

Su Cizhang said helplessly: "Dad, my cousin used to be a scholar. It's good enough for him to do this."

Su Caozhang even said, "That's right, Dad. In my opinion, we should cultivate those two acres of land. Wouldn't it be better to send the grain over when the autumn harvest comes? Why bother letting Erlang work in the fields? It's too much trouble."

Uncle Su was even more troubled and could only curse: "You don't understand."

Their family can certainly help for one or two years, but if Erlang has no other job and stays in the village for the rest of his life, can they still help him for the rest of his life? Even if he is willing, will his two sons always be willing to do so?

Zhang was frightened by the news of delivering paddy fields and helping with white labor. She quickly said, "Stop talking nonsense and get to work. There are still so many fields to be planted."

The author has something to say:

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Have you ever experienced farming?

I have to say that farmers work really hard. If it weren't for modern machines,

Bending over to plant rice is really tiring, especially with leeches.

To be honest, if Shengge were to go farming now, he probably wouldn't be able to support himself.