"Bend it a little more." Su Jinli smiled and gently put the braided wristband on his hand, her eyes as gentle as water. "It should be as curled up as the tail of a flying fox." Her words were like a spring breeze, gently blowing through Jiang Yan's heart, filling his tired body with strength again.
Finally, at the first crow of the rooster, the first improved curved hoe was completed. Jiang Yan, carrying the hoe, stood at the door of the dilapidated temple with high spirits. The light of the morning sun shone on the curved hoe handle, as if it had been coated with a layer of dazzling gold. He couldn't wait to try hoeing the ground, and saw that the hoe easily cut into the soil, saving much more effort than before. Jiang Yan couldn't help but grin, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. The smile was pure and bright, like a child who got a favorite sugar painting. "Madam, it's done!" Jiang Yan shouted excitedly, his voice full of joy and pride.
The news spread quickly throughout Yangzhou City like wings. When the people heard about it, they all carried their old hoes and rushed to the dilapidated temple like a tide. Su Jinli stood aside, watching Jiang Yan standing on the slope, carefully demonstrating to the people how to use the new hoe. The holes in his official robe swayed wantonly in the wind, but it could not hide the smile on his face that came from the heart. When Jiang Yan dug the hoe in his hand for the first time, the soil was easily turned up, revealing moist and fertile black soil, as if the earth was showing people its determination to regain its vitality. Seeing this, the people's eyes were full of emotion and awe. Suddenly, they knelt down and kowtowed in unison, shouting "Living Bodhisattva".
An old man, leaning on a cane, trembled as he stepped forward. With his wrinkled hand, he gently touched the wooden handle of the hoe, tears of excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Master Jiang, Miss Su...this hoe..." The old man's voice trembled with emotion, and for a moment he was speechless.
"Take it and use it." Jiang Yan smiled and gently put the hoe into his father-in-law's hand, his eyes firm and warm. "The water has receded, the land must be planted, and life must be good." His words, like the warm sun in winter, shone into the hearts of every citizen.
Su Jinli stood quietly beside Jiang Yan, watching him toil with the common people, a strange feeling welling up in her heart. She suddenly felt that this scene was far more moving and comforting than the delicate rouge and powder in the backyard. In her previous life, the stable life she had longed for in the prime minister's mansion was but an illusion. Now, able to be by her lover's side, watching him wear his hands out for the people, watching the people smile for a long time because of a hoe, she truly understood the sweetest honey in life.
The sun gradually sets in the west, and the afterglow is like a layer of gauze, gently sprinkling on every corner of Yangzhou City. In the dilapidated temple, straw sandals have been piled up into a small hill, emitting bursts of fragrance. The new hoes are shining in the fields, as if telling of the mission they are about to embark on. Su Jinli sat quietly on the doorstep, carefully bandaging the wound on Jiang Yan's hand. The wristband woven with straw ropes was still firmly on his arm, witnessing every bit of their journey. Jiang Yan suddenly held her hand gently, and his fingertips gently rubbed the calluses she had caused from weaving straw sandals, his eyes full of affection and love. "Madam, when Yangzhou is better, we..." Jiang Yan was about to speak, but was interrupted by Su Jinli.
"Let's go back to the capital and open a farm implement shop." Su Jinli raised her head and looked at the figure carrying a hoe on the distant ridge, her eyes flashing with longing and hope. "Let's call it 'Tongxin Chu'. Like us, we will hoe all the bitterness into sweetness." Su Jinli's voice was soft and firm, as if painting a beautiful picture for their future.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yan's face lit up with a brilliant smile. He gently placed Su Jinli's hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. The burrs of the straw wristband brushed against the back of her hand, leaving her feeling a warmth like the spring sunshine. In the corner of the dilapidated temple, old women were still tirelessly weaving straw sandals. The fragrance of the sandals, mixed with the scent of earth, drifted slowly toward the distant riverbank. There, the newly built dam, illuminated by the setting sun, shimmered with golden light, like a honey-paved road leading to a bright future never to be flooded again, carrying the infinite hope of the people of Yangzhou City for a better life.
As time passed, Yangzhou City, thanks to the combined efforts of Jiang Yan, Su Jinli, and the people, flourished. The introduction of new hoes made farmland reclamation more efficient, and the people began sowing the seeds of hope on their own land. In the fields, tender green seedlings broke through the soil, swaying gently in the breeze, as if demonstrating the tenacity and perseverance of life.
Su Jinli and Jiang Yan weren't content with the status quo. They knew more needed to be done to restore Yangzhou City to its former prosperity. So, they organized mutual aid groups among the people to share their planting experiences and work together to solve problems. Jiang Yan used his knowledge to explain astronomy and meteorology to the people, helping them better grasp the farming season. Su Jinli, drawing on her experience at the bookstore, recorded various planting methods and precautions for crops, compiled them into pamphlets, and distributed them to the people.
The straw sandal workshops grew rapidly, not only meeting the needs of the people of Yangzhou but also receiving increasing orders from surrounding areas. The craftsmen's craftsmanship became increasingly refined, creating straw sandals that were not only sturdy and durable but also intricately embellished with decorative elements. These sandals became a specialty of Yangzhou, generating substantial income for the local community.
Throughout this process, Jiang Yan and Su Jinli's relationship with the people grew closer. They were no longer distant rescuers, but partners fighting alongside the people. The people were filled with gratitude and respect for them, often sending fresh fruits and vegetables from their own harvest to the dilapidated temple as a token of their gratitude.
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