Chapter 126 Measuring the Land
The farmland in this village was quite large. Qin Xiangnuan tried to measure it on foot, but she couldn't see the end even after walking for a long time. Qin Feng, however, had endless energy. He followed Qin Xiangnuan, hoe in hand, and kept nagging, "The prince of Xiaoyao Marquis's Mansion, although he's not worthy of me, he's certainly not bad. Did he say anything to you in private? How did he react to the old woman embarrassing you yesterday?"
"This land can grow some potatoes."
Qin Xiangnuan bent down, scooped up a handful of soil from the ground, and used his fingertips to rub it into a fine crumb. After examining it, he said to Qin Feng, "Brother, write this down." Qin Feng held the brush, the ink already dry. He licked the tip of the brush on his tongue, filling his mouth with ink. He then began to write down the details. Seeing his serious expression, Qin Xiangnuan said in a cheerful mood, "The villagers here have been lazy for years. If they were to grow fruits and vegetables that only have one harvest per year, they wouldn't wait."
"Brother Hei and his men are blocking the way in the mountains, stealing things. It's a job that pays off without any effort, but if people get used to it, they'll develop bad intentions and become lazy. If they're forced to work again, they'll want to go back to their old ways after a little fatigue." Qin Xiangnuan had a clear understanding of human nature. She turned to Qin Feng and said, "So only by showing them quick rewards can we truly change them slowly."
The old saying "help in emergencies but not in poverty" has never been wrong.
"But where are our seeds going to come from? Should we have Jiang Lin's men go to the town again? This village probably needs a lot, and the round trip, plus the losses along the way, will probably take a lot of time." Qin Feng held the booklet, his mind racing faster than before. "We've already wasted a lot of time. Even with the New Year's amnesty, we still have to catch up on the ground we've lost."
"Dad and I have discussed and calculated that we must leave in three days."
Qin Feng's calculations were accurate. Qin Xiangnuan only looked at the ground and said calmly, "The hermit has his own clever plan. Just write down what I say and don't worry about anything else."
In the pavilion in the distance, Jiang Lin looked at their figures, standing with his hands behind his back.
The wind blew away the sounds, making it impossible for him to hear Qin Xiangnuan and Qin Feng's conversation. The distance was too great to make out their lips. Qin Xiangnuan pointed at a few distant spots, gesturing with her arms to create patterns and models. Jiang Lin tilted his head, pondering for a moment, as if he had grasped some clue.
Late at night, Qin Feng ran back to the yard. As soon as he entered the door, he shouted loudly: "Dad, give me some hot water!"
"The wind is so cold tonight! My ears are almost frozen off!" Qin Feng stamped his feet, and everyone in the house ran out. Without a word, Qin Yi ran towards Qin Feng, holding a hot water bottle and scarf. He happily raised his hand to take it, but unexpectedly, Qin Yi walked past him without even a glance and ran towards Qin Xiangnuan.
Qin Yi looked at Qin Xiangnuan's two red cheeks distressedly, "Nuannuan, just let him do any work."
"What if you get frozen?" Qin Yi frowned, and he showed no mercy in betraying his own son.
When Qin Feng heard his words, his heart sank. He turned his head pitifully to look at Zou and said coquettishly and aggrievedly, "Mom, look at what Daddy said..." Zou nodded, walked in front of Qin Feng, and stroked his face with her hand. Before Qin Feng had time to enjoy the warmth of maternal love, he felt a chill on his neck the next second. When he lowered his head again, the fox fur scarf had been taken away by Zou and wrapped in Qin Xiangnuan's hand.
"These warm hands are tender and cannot be exposed to the cold wind."
Zou looked back at Qin Feng, raised her leg and said casually, "You are a man, you can't be broken by the wind."
Qin Feng's expression went from heartbroken to resigned in just a few seconds. He seemed to have gotten used to the treatment at home. His friends in the capital were all spoiled braggarts who had everything handed to them and were the ones who kept their word. Whenever he heard them bragging about their treatment at home, Qin Feng would envy them from the bottom of his heart. He looked at Qin Xiangnuan surrounded by countless people asking about her well-being, sniffed his nose, and said to himself, "If there is a next life, I must be a woman."
"And she's a favored woman!"
Qin Feng swore silently, and suddenly felt warmth in his hand. He widened his eyes in confusion, but saw Liu gently put the hot water bottle into his palm, "Your parents are taking care of Nuannuan. Your uncle is not around. Nuannuan and I know their good intentions, but they have wronged you." These two sentences made Qin Feng's heart warm instantly. He was afraid that two lines of hot tears would flow down immediately.
"Auntie, don't say that!"
Qin Feng held the hot water bottle and said, "Even if mom and dad don't do this, I will take care of my little sister!" He said this with confidence. Qin Xiangnuan heard the noise coming from the other side, took a look, and couldn't help but chuckle.
After dinner, Qin Xiangnuan returned to her room, asked the second in command for some rice paper and a brush, and began to map. She recalled her daytime field surveys, mapping out all the village land. Qin Xiangnuan meticulously marked each plot of land, its type of soil, and its suitability for each task, to prevent the gang from losing track and making mistakes after they left.
Knock, knock—while she was concentrating on drawing, someone suddenly knocked on the door.
"Come in," Qin Xiangnuan paused as Anliu entered, carrying a bowl of steaming wontons. "This is freshly made by the chef at the Prince's residence. The Prince asked us to bring you a portion so you can try it." The steaming soup wafted with fragrance. Even though Qin Xiangnuan had just eaten dinner, her stomach still rumbled.
Anliu pursed his lips, smiled secretly, took out another thing from his sleeve and put it on the desk.
"The prince asked me to bring this to you, saying that the Third Miss might be able to use it." Anliu unfolded the rolled-up scroll. After Qin Xiangnuan saw what was painted on it clearly, her eyes widened in surprise and she asked, "How did he know that?"
Anliu took a step back and spoke up for Jiang Lin. "The prince actually cares deeply about you. He once saw something similar when he went south, used to divert water for irrigation." Qin Xiangnuan stroked the scroll. The ink hadn't dried yet; it must have been painted specially by Jiang Lin that afternoon. Whatever the intention, it was worth gratitude.
"Thank the prince for me."
Qin Xiangnuan nodded in agreement, and Anliu left with his mission accomplished. Before leaving, he did not forget to close the door of the room.
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