Cao Da hesitated, glancing at his brother's wife's belly from the corner of his eye, muttering "so, so...", but he couldn't explain the reason for a long time.
Jiang Yushu was talking to Guo Honglei sideways and didn't notice anything.
Guo Honglei was worried about his wife and his brother's illness, so he took the opportunity to say goodbye and tell him some family matters.
"So what?" Zou Gui was so curious that his heart was pounding. They were familiar with the soldier who had stayed at his home to recuperate. He shook Cao Da's arm anxiously and asked, "Just tell me."
"Would you like to say a few more words?"
"Please, say a few words to me at last, so I can learn something from you."
Cao Da, from a prominent family in Xicang, had been pampered since childhood and was naturally soft-hearted. When surrounded and begged, he smiled and said, "Hey, stop shaking! It's going to fall apart!"
Guo Honglei turned his head and frowned, saying, "Don't be rude to our guests."
Zou Gui and the others smiled awkwardly, immediately let go, and stood aside.
"It's getting late, Brother Cao, we should return to the camp to report." Guo Honglei said as he put on his sword.
"immediately!"
Cao Da was talking in a passionate way. Suddenly, he hooked his left hand around Zou Gui's neck and, with his right hand, pulled another man closer. He lowered his voice and said, "Giving birth to a daughter is called 'Nong Wa', and giving birth to a son is called 'Nong Zhang'. Wan Zhang is an only child with dozens of sisters, so the common people mock him as 'a piece of Zhang in the Wan Wa kiln, arrogant and carefree'!"
"Hahaha, that's not a mockery, it's clearly the truth!"
"'A piece of zhang in a kiln of ten thousand tiles'? Interesting."
"Hmph, you corrupt official! Look at the way he bullied the people today. He deserves to be exterminated!"
"What a waste of the good word '璋'." Zou Gui and others were overjoyed and talked excitedly.
Across half the hall, Jiang Yushu probably heard a few words and couldn't help laughing.
But then, she vaguely heard Cao Da whispering about Wan Bin's secrets in the bedroom, such as "Wan Bin is inhumane", "looking for doctors and medicine to strengthen his yang", "being cuckolded", etc.
Zou Gui and the others opened their eyes wide, were very interested, and were amazed. They said with gloating pleasure: "It's what he deserves! He deserves it!"
"Even if you force yourself to take in eighteen concubines, you won't be able to give birth to a son."
"Hehehe, it turns out he's not really a man at all."
"It's obvious that Wan Bin and his son did all sorts of evil things and lost their virtue, which is why one of them died without an heir and the other died a violent death."
Jiang Yushu suddenly felt embarrassed and quietly moved aside, feeling both angry and amused, thinking to herself:
Throughout history, if a woman can't bear children, people often blame the woman, ignoring the man. If a woman only gives birth to daughters, people often don't blame the man, but instead blame the woman, mocking her as a "tile kiln." Alas, how abominable!
This Mr. Cao, what a joke! He described it so vividly, as if he had heard it from under the bed of the Wan family...
Guo Honglei also heard it, and knowing his friend's temperament, he reluctantly said, "Brother Cao, are you leaving?"
"It's getting dark, let's go, we'll talk next time." The other border troops had heard it countless times and were not surprised at all, they just urged him.
"Oh, right away!"
Cao Da spoke humorously, huddled in a corner of the main hall with a few other listeners, occasionally chattering and swaying. After a while, he reluctantly put on his sword and promised, "The Wan Bin family has made countless jokes over the past few decades. I'll tell you all about it in detail next time I have time!"
"Okay!"
"It's so funny, it's almost hilarious."
"Don't forget." Several listeners began to look forward to it.
Cao Da mocked his enemies mercilessly, feeling refreshed. He walked out side by side with Guo Honglei and answered cheerfully, "Don't worry, I'll definitely tell you!"
Jiang Yushu was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, so she simply pretended she heard nothing and walked him out of the hospital, waving goodbye.
"Goodbye!" Cao Da and others were riding on their horses, some bowed their heads, and some clasped their fists.
Guo Honglei sighed, "You've been working hard taking care of the family. The autumn wind is cold, go back."
"Be careful on your journey and take care of yourself."
Guo Honglei nodded, whipped his horse, and the group quickly disappeared into the deep twilight.
Half a month passed in a flash.
In the golden autumn season, the weather is clear and cool, the grass and trees all over the mountains of Xicang are yellow, and the crops are ripe.
Thousands of acres of potatoes have their stems and leaves withering one after another, waiting to be harvested.
Early in the morning, the morning mist has not yet dissipated and the dewdrops are crystal clear.
Jiang Yushu washed and dressed neatly, opened the window to get some fresh air, and said happily, "Yes, it's a nice day again today!"
"It's getting colder and colder. You should put on more clothes, girl." Cuimei walked briskly, wearing only a thin jacket.
Jiang Yushu turned around, took the coat and put it on, reminding him, "You should also wear more clothes, be careful not to catch a cold."
"But I'm afraid of the heat. Let's go and have breakfast!" Cuimei helped the person out of the bedroom.
As the months progressed, her body grew heavier, and her movements became increasingly inconvenient. Fortunately, Jiang Yushu had always been busy and was used to it, so she could hold on for the time being and continued to work every day.
When the two of them stepped into the main room, breakfast was already served.
Guo Hongzhe sat alone, facing the door, holding the book in both hands, concentrating on reviewing "The Analects of Confucius" and reciting it seriously.
"Third brother," Jiang Yushu said with a smile, "Hurry up and have breakfast. The military doctors will be here soon. They always work according to the time."
Guo Hongzhe quickly stood up, turned around and shyly answered, "Sister-in-law." He waited until his second sister-in-law sat down before sitting down.
"Third Master," Cuimei quickly served the porridge. After distributing it, she sat at the end of the table as usual and asked curiously, "You get up early every day to recite your lessons, and then burn the midnight oil to write essays. Don't you get tired of that?"
Xiao Tao arrived carrying a plate of mixed grain dumplings. She placed it on the table and sighed, "I feel tired just looking at you! We're busy with the autumn harvest, you should rest for a while too."
Guo Hongzhe shook his head and replied seriously, "How can I get tired of reading the books of sages? I just flip through a few pages when I have time, and I don't feel tired."
Jiang Yushu lowered her head to peel a boiled egg, frowning as she offered encouragement, "The books of the sages contain many profound truths. Reading them is a joy and a way to cultivate your character. Reviewing the Four Books and Five Classics and memorizing them thoroughly is always a good idea!" Then she changed the subject and advised, "However, we're busy with the autumn harvest right now. You've been working hard all day, from morning till night, and you really should rest for a while. In my opinion, you should wait until winter to study again."
"Okay, I'll listen to my sister-in-law." Guo Hongzhe agreed verbally, but secretly decided to find ways to study hard. He was full of energy and fighting spirit, and vowed to pass the imperial examination to avenge his previous shame.
After dinner, the family split into two groups.
Fang Sheng, carrying his medicine box, hurriedly said, "Doctor You just came to invite us. He said they're already pounding herbs next door and have sent people to dig up ginger. We need to hurry so they don't have to wait too long."
"Let's go." Guo Hongzhe had been ill a while ago and still needed to recuperate, so Jiang Yushu arranged for him to help Fang Sheng and prepare Jiangjunjin wound medicine in the deserted house next door so that he didn't have to do farm work.
At the same time, Jiang Yushu slowly got on the carriage, accompanied by Cuimei and Xiaotao on her left and right. Zou Gui whipped the horse and shouted, "Gee!" More than ten people rushed towards the fields.
The two groups crossed, and Guo Hongzhe moved aside to the side of the road, saying with concern, "Sister-in-law, please take care of yourself."
"Girl, take good care of her and don't let the lady be too busy." As the only doctor in the village, Fang Sheng shoulders a heavy responsibility and is very worried.
The wheels clattered. Cuimei and Xiaotao parted the curtains and poked their heads out to answer, "Don't worry, doctor. We understand."
Jiang Yushu also poked her head out and instructed, "As we agreed beforehand, you'll all be busy until 15:00. You should all have lunch first, then rest for half an hour. Although the army is pressing us, half a month should be enough to complete the mission. Don't be embarrassed to ask, or you'll work on an empty stomach."
Fang Sheng and Guo Hongzhe nodded, "I know!"
The old horse knew the way well, so the driver didn't need to worry and it headed steadily towards the fields.
Not long after, Jiang Yushu got out of the car carefully, and her companions picked up farm tools and started digging potatoes.
At this moment, the vast and flat fields are bustling with activity. Every household is busy with the autumn harvest, and laughter and joy can be heard one after another.
The pavilion, originally built for weighing, remained in use. Outside, in the open space, officials were polishing several iron scales. Two sets of tables and chairs were placed side by side, each equipped with writing brushes, inkstones, and an abacus, ready for weighing taxes, calculating, and recording accounts.
Inside the pavilion were Zhuang Song and two old accountants. As the three of them were discussing, Zhuang Song saw Jiang Yushu and hurriedly stood up and said, "You're finally here! Sit down, please. We have something important to discuss."
Jiang Yushu sat down and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't know you guys were coming so early today. I'm late."
"That's all right. It's already a great achievement for you to still be able to work in the fields every day." Zhuang Song waved his hand, never blaming her for her slowness. Even in the cool autumn weather, he was still anxious and irritated, his mouth blisters forming as he spoke impatiently, "Last evening, the county magistrate sent a message, ordering us to transport all the potatoes to the county! I wanted to tell you right away, but it was already dark, so I couldn't disturb you."
Jiang Yushu thought for a moment and then asked slowly, "This is government grain, so it should be handed over to the government. So, what should we do specifically? Transporting two or three thousand acres of potatoes over a long and bumpy road is not an easy task."
"Tsk, just thinking about it makes me feel troubled!" Zhuang Song sighed and shook his head, pounding his head with worry. He smiled wryly and said, "Magistrate Pan only issued the order; we have to figure out the specific methods ourselves. The Magistrate allows us to act at our own discretion, but we must be frugal and avoid waste."
"Ah? Oh, I see."
here we go again!
The government neither allocates money nor provides manpower, but only assigns tasks!
Jiang Yushu frowned and said with a headache, "No matter when or where, if you want to get something done, especially something important, how can you do it without money? Even a penny can make a hero fall."
"That's true, but the county is in financial difficulty right now and can't allocate money for the time being." "Don't sigh, come, let's discuss it and think of a way quickly. We must transport all the grain before the snow falls, otherwise if the snow blocks the roads and mountains, it will be delayed until next spring." @Infinite good articles, all in Jinjiang Literature City
Therefore, the four acquaintances had to rack their brains and deliberate repeatedly until the evening, when they finally agreed on a solution:
"It's settled!" Zhuang Song, his mouth dry, gulped down a large cup of warm tea, flicked the paper with his fingers, and said, his voice hoarse from days of hard work and shouting, "The forty-two villages in the two towns are each responsible for transporting their grain to the county. They will each provide their own manpower and vehicles. Vouchers will be issued based on the final weight of the grain, and the government will reward the villagers after they submit their work."
Jiang Yushu pondered for a moment, then couldn't help but whisper, "The voucher is like an IOU. Will the government refuse to pay? If they do, the villagers will surely resent us."
"How could they possibly deny it—" Zhuang Song paused, clearing his throat. Unsure, he hesitated, "Surely not? If they did, how would the government save face? My guess is they'd give them some sort of reward to avoid public resentment."
Jiang Yushu had no other good ideas and sighed, "I hope so." After she finished speaking, the four of them smiled bitterly at each other and all of them gritted their teeth and did the hard work.
After nightfall, the aroma of food wafted through the Guo family's kitchen and main hall.
In addition to home-cooked dishes, there was a braised fish on the table.
Matron Pan picked up a large piece of fish and urged, "I was in town on some business today, and I asked him to buy some fish. They're so fresh! Eat more. Alas, I've been busy every day, and it's been almost seven months, and I still haven't gained any weight."
Jiang Yushu's bowl was piled high with food. She said hurriedly, "Okay, okay, okay, I can help myself. Ma'am, please sit down and stop busying yourself."
"Hey." Nanny Pan agreed, but she couldn't sit still and served Guo Hongzhe more food. "Third Young Master, eat more too. Strengthen your body so you can have the energy to study."
Guo Hongzhe nodded happily.
Matron Pan turned around and served Jiang Yushu some soup. Ever since they had settled in Liu Village, Matron Pan had been in charge of the kitchen. She was conscientious and thrifty, and she wouldn't tolerate a single grain of food being wasted.
After dinner, the uncle and his wife chatted, and Guo Hongzhe happily announced, "Today we made another fifty bottles of ginger medicine for wounds! We've already dug up half of the ginger in the field."
"Thanks for your hard work."
Jiang Yushu also happily announced: "After calculating today, we found that there should be more food this autumn than in the summer."
"That's great!" Guo Hongzhe beamed. "Once this gets out, outsiders will know about the Guo family's farming capabilities!"
After a while, the sister-in-law went back to her room to rest, while the brother-in-law went back to his room to study.
For the sake of her child, Jiang Yushu insisted on drinking a stewed cup of fresh goat milk every night.
As soon as you open the lid, you'll hear steam rising from the air, with the aroma of milk mixed with osmanthus powder. Stir it a little and you'll find coarse hazelnut powder at the bottom of the bowl.
"Thanks to the Bodhisattva's blessing, Madam didn't suffer from morning sickness, otherwise how would we live!" Nanny Pan, Xiaotao and Cuimei folded all kinds of children's clothes neatly and put them into the box.
Jiang Yushu took a sip and said thankfully, "I've always wondered why I haven't had morning sickness yet. I'm eating and drinking as usual."
"That's a good thing." Xiao Tao smiled and sighed, "Thinking back to when the Crown Prince's wife was pregnant with the young master, it was incredible! The cooks in the mansion were so busy, they had to rack their brains to prepare food all day long."
Jiang Yushu rubbed her belly and sighed, "Fortunately, I'm not like that. Hey, there's plenty of goat milk. Why don't you drink it recently?"
"Ahem." Cuimei and Xiaotao exchanged a glance and answered in unison, "We're tired of it."
In fact, Jiang Yushu had already gotten tired of drinking so much. She stirred the osmanthus powder and sighed, "I'm tired of it too, but I still have to drink it for another three or four months."
Within a few days, the road from Yuehu Town and Liangang Town to the county seat in the south was filled with horse-drawn carriages, ox-drawn carts, mule-drawn carts, etc. loaded with potatoes, with wheels squeaking and whips cracking in an endless stream.
Early that morning, an accident happened in Liangang Town, and the village headman panicked and asked for help. Zhuang Song had to call Jiang Yushu and rush to find out what happened.
In late October, the autumn air was chilly, the yellow leaves fell, and the fallen leaves covered the mountains and fields.
On the way, Zhuang Song, riding on his horse, said solemnly, "Let's take this opportunity to go to Liangang Town and stay there for a while. We can carefully calculate the grain that has been collected in the two towns and see how much is still needed."
Jiang Yushu nestled in the wolfskin cushions and backrest, feeling anxious, but through the curtains, she soothed him, "Don't worry too much. The county's requirement is 15 million catties. I've estimated it repeatedly lately, and even if it falls short, it won't be far off. It should be enough to get by."
"I hope God will bless us with a good harvest!" Zhuang Song said as he admired the autumn scenery. "May God bless us to complete our mission smoothly so that we don't get scolded."
Jiang Yushu smiled and said, "I pray often, but I don't know if the Bodhisattva will be willing to make my wish come true."
At noon, a group of villagers transporting grain suddenly entered the official road from a small path. The two groups met, and although they were not familiar with each other, they knew each other. After exchanging a few words, they continued on their journey together.
The carriage that Jiang Yushu was riding in was quite large, and it ran parallel to the mule cart next to it, almost blocking the road.
Soon, there was a sudden commotion around the bend ahead, with the sounds of carriages and people, which sounded very noisy.
"Listen, it's so lively up ahead! What's going on?" Cuimei lifted the curtain and looked out.
Jiang Yushu thought for a moment and said hesitantly, "It might be a grain transport team from a certain village returning from the county. However, it's strange. Judging from the sound of the wheels, it seems to be fully loaded."
"Returning with a full load? That can't be our grain transport team. The Heqin County Court is too poor to offer much reward."
Jiang Yushu nodded in agreement, "I think so too."
The next moment, several riders came galloping around the bend. The leader spoke with a capital accent and shouted, "Get out of the way!" without allowing any further argument.
"Get out of the way immediately and let the officials pass first!"
The crowd was stunned, looking at each other, at a loss for what to do.
Zou Gui, who was in charge of driving the carriage, pulled the reins. Although he was not happy to be shouted at, he could tell that the other party was no ordinary person. He swallowed his anger and pointed to the woods on both sides. He asked awkwardly: "There are mountains on both sides. How can we give way?"
The other party frowned and replied unhappily: "Find a way yourself! This is the official road, let the officials pass first, it's only natural."
At this time, a young and energetic villager in the grain transport team muttered: "We are also doing errands for the government. This section of the road is too narrow. It is wider in the front. We are not as good as you..."
The other person's face changed, and he looked ferocious and angrily shouted: "How dare you! Who do you think you are? How dare you complain?"
"If you don't give way immediately, I'll have your carriage dismantled!"
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