The whole family sat down at the dining table, but Jin Dashan was not allowed to eat and was locked in the woodshed.
Zhang glanced at her mother-in-law, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something but she didn't say a word. She lowered her head, picked up her bowl, and began to eat.
Li Lanfang took a bite and said, "I'm telling you, it's just that Dashan made a mistake and let Zhao Heng go, right? A little punishment is enough, why are you making such a big deal out of it?"
The old lady spoke up, and Zhao Heng added, "That's right, Auntie. No matter what, Jin Dashan is your son. How can you be so heartless? Look, he hasn't eaten for two days already. Are you going to lock him up for another day?"
Liang Shuyan frowned: "What? Lock me up for a day? I'll tell you right now, if you work properly and behave properly, I'll consider letting Dashan go!"
Zhang finally couldn't hold back any longer: "Mother, there's so much work to do at home. Besides, Zhao Heng did something wrong, how can we blame Dashan? This is not fair to Dashan!"
“Fairness? What is fairness? If he hadn’t released Zhao Heng back then, this wouldn’t have happened. What time is it now? School is about to start, and look at Zhao Heng, he’s still the same. School’s starting, how can I possibly tell the magistrate?”
A moment of silence fell over the dinner table.
Zhao Heng got anxious, put down his chopsticks and said, "Auntie, don't be angry. I'll change, I'll change, okay? I'll do whatever you want. I've decided to risk everything to reform myself. Dashan, Dashan did all this for me, locking me in that dark room without food or water. I don't know how scared Dashan is at night."
After saying that, Zhao Heng burst into loud sobs!
"Alright, stop crying. What are you crying about? Since you've already said so, then after you finish eating, go to the backyard and clean it up. Then wash the wooden bucket and cart used for making jelly, and as usual, cut some wild grass for the donkey!"
While wiping away his tears, Zhao Heng said, "Auntie, Zhao Heng knows!"
Before he had finished eating, Zhao Heng carried a broom outside.
"Erniu, go to the woodshed and call your older brother out. Tell him to clean the house. He's going to school tomorrow, so make sure everything is ready. Also, collect all the dried potatoes in the village and grind them into powder!"
"Yes, Mother!"
Today it was Liu's turn to wash the pots, but considering that Liu was pregnant, Ruyan pushed Zhang out after finishing her meal: "Sister-in-law, you should go back to your room and rest. Leave the pot washing to Ruyan!"
After finishing her meal and resting for a while, Liang Shuyan turned around and went to find Yu Lizheng. Yu Lizheng lived at the end of the village. She wanted to finalize the matter of the wasteland, sign a document, and take advantage of the moist soil to plant potatoes on a large scale.
Li was lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), sitting cross-legged and smoking. When he heard a knock at the door, he said to Jiao, "Who is knocking? Go and see!"
Jiao was exactly fifty years old and was making shoes for her eldest son, Yu Qiudong. He was fifteen years old this year, and by all accounts, he should have reached the age to be married. However, Yu Qiudong had never been quick-witted since he was a child, and he was not very clever in his speech or actions. Whenever he had an episode, he would cry and make a scene, so Yu Qiudong's marriage was also a problem.
"Who else could we have in our family? I just hope that one day we can find a wife for Qiudong, even if she's a widow. As long as she knows us well and treats Qiudong well, I'll be incredibly grateful!"
Jiao went out wearing only a pair of shoes.
When she opened the door, she saw Liang Shuyan and quickly said politely, "Oh dear, what wind blew her aunt into our house?"
Liang Shuyan laughed heartily: "Isn't this just a matter of winds blowing from all directions? I need to talk to Li Zheng about something. Is Li Zheng home?"
Jiao pointed inside the house: "Having nothing to do, isn't he smoking inside? Auntie, please come in!"
As soon as he entered the house, Li Zheng hurriedly stood up, tapped his pipe on the kang (a heated brick bed), and said with a smile, "Oh dear, her aunt is here! Come on, sit down!"
Liang Shuyan cut to the chase: "Lizheng, I'm here today about the wasteland. Last time I said I was going to the county government to sign some documents, and so much time has passed. I wanted to plant some potatoes, so I'm getting the paperwork done first. Also, I'd like to pay the rent all at once."
"What are you talking about? Didn't we agree to pay the rent after the harvest? I've already spoken to the magistrate about the paperwork, and he said that as long as someone is cultivating the wasteland, the procedures can be waived, and it won't be so troublesome. That's why I haven't told you."
Jiao handed a cup of tea to Liang Shuyan: "Auntie, have some water. Tell me, how come you're so capable? We just fled famine and came to Daling Village. Most of the villagers are struggling to make ends meet. But you've managed to start a business and even put up so much rent. Looks like you've made a lot of money."
“I haven’t made much money. These wastelands belong to the village, not to any one family. I’m going to farm them now, so it’s better to pay the rent in full to avoid any complaints from the villagers.”
Li Zheng was surprised that Liang Shuyan was so efficient and had even thought things through so well. He nodded and said, "Yes, that's true. There are some people in the village who are really hard to deal with, but since her aunt has settled everything, I'm sure some of them won't dare to say a word!"
Clearing the land was something she could do in her spare time, and she didn't have much time for it. Liang Shuyan continued, "Also, Lizheng, I'd like to ask you for a favor. See if there are any idle people in the village who can help me clear the land and plant potatoes. The clearing work will pay two coins a day. Those who are lazy and try to get by will be spared. In addition, I need someone to till the land. Five coins a mu (unit of land area) will pay. For the rest, I'll find some women to cut potatoes and plant them. That will also pay two coins a day!"
Li Zheng's eyes widened: "This, this is not a problem. How about I plow the land for you?"
Yu Lizheng's family was also struggling financially, so when he heard about making money, he took it upon himself to do it. Liang Shuyan nodded in satisfaction: "Yes, I'll feel more at ease if you're farming."
Jiao called her daughter Chunxia over: "Auntie, do you think we could let Chunxia go and learn how to grow potatoes? You can teach her a bit and she'll get the hang of it. I'll help you cut the potatoes, okay?"
“Okay, it’s the same whether someone else does it or not, but if I’m talking about peace of mind, I’d rather you two do it. I’d feel more at ease if you did it.”
With a troubled expression, Mrs. Jiao said, "To be honest, what's been worrying me this autumn and winter is that my son is of marriageable age, but we still can't find a suitable girl. How can parents not worry about their children?"
Liang Shuyan seemed very interested in matchmaking. Suddenly, something came to mind, and she said, "Maybe I can find a wife for your Qiudong?"
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