Chapter 60 Jinjiang First Release Chapter 60 I discussed it with it, but...
Yu Qinglong didn't know what the Dayan Kingdom's disaster response system was like, or if it even existed. But from what Fang Shu had said, it seemed the state wouldn't intervene in a situation like theirs where the flooding hadn't yet wiped out the harvest.
The best outcome would be to reduce or exempt some taxes, but complete exemption is impossible. Moreover, even if there is a partial exemption, it depends on whether someone can reach out to the gods and pray for their favor.
So at this time, we should harvest as much as we can. This is the most effective response measure we can take.
The family worked all day.
When I'm hungry, I eat some steamed buns and drink some water, which can be considered an indirect rest. The rest of the time I'm basically busy all the time.
Yu Qinglong felt that his current physical condition was quite good, but by noon he still felt back pain.
Fang Dingman and Fang Wu went back home that morning. The beans on the cart had to be brought home to be processed and dried, otherwise they wouldn't keep well.
Yu Qinglong and Fang Shu were not very familiar with this kind of thing. Fang Shu had never encountered such a large flood in this season since he was a child, so he had no experience.
The young couple continued to harvest in the field. When Fang Dingman came back with the ox cart, they were still cutting bean stalks.
Fang Dingman said, "Your mother can stay at home to work, so we can have a hot meal when we go home in the evening."
Fang Shu and Yu Qinglong loaded up the truck with everything they'd harvested while waiting. Fang Shu said, "Dad, we've almost finished harvesting here. It looks like we can get some over there, too."
Fang Dingman also saw it. The sky was still a little cloudy, but it never rained again. The water receded a little, revealing more crops.
"Go and take a look, and take back whatever you can."
"Father, why don't you take a break first? Shoucheng and I will hurry up and finish the harvest." Yu Qinglong said, "The water in that field has just gone down, and it's deep and difficult to work on."
"It's okay. The sooner we get it done, the better. There are other places to go."
Fang Ding looked at his son and his wife with a look of deep sorrow. He had also endured hardship as a child, and he didn't want his children to suffer the same. But now, there was nothing he could do.
At this moment, everyone around is bent over and working. Who isn't doing this to have more food to eat at home?
Fang Dingman said to Fang Shu, "Let's collect the crops quickly. If we can finish them sooner, maybe we can go to your father-in-law's house and help out."
Yu Qinglong said, "Thank you, father."
Fang Ding wiped his face, which was covered in mud: "What are you thanking me for? Let's continue collecting."
The three of them worked together, not talking anymore. It was afternoon, and they had harvested another load, but this time it contained both soybeans and rice.
Compared to soybeans, rice is much more resistant to flooding and has a chance to recover if left in the field. While a yield reduction is inevitable, as long as the rice survives, there's always more to harvest. They only harvested the rice that seemed unlikely to recover.
Fang Dingman said, "I'll go back once more. Long'er, you and Shu'er go to your father's house and help him out. Your eldest brother is injured, and your family has lost a strong laborer."
Yu Qinglong said, "Then we'll go. Father, please go back slowly."
The couple didn't have time to take a breath and went to the other field.
The Yu family was also out at the moment, harvesting soybeans, but without a car, they had to carry them home one by one.
Yu Dayou and Yu Qingye were currently working on this, while Zhou Yuehua and Bai Wanqiu were in charge of the harvest. My sister-in-law was at home tending to the harvested beans and cooking, so she wasn't here.
Yu Qinglong watched as two people cut the crops and two carried them, and they actually cut faster. Because the fields were quite far from home, and the roads were difficult to navigate, the round trip took quite a while. But if they wanted to help carry the crops, they had nothing to carry.
When carrying crops home, we use an L-shaped bracket made of wooden sticks and boards. After placing the crops on the board, we tie it tightly with ropes and then carry it on our back.
Without this thing, they couldn't carry much, so Yu Qinglong and Fang Shu could only help with the harvest.
When it’s almost done, everyone will carry it back together.
There is no rack, but there are enough ropes.
It's very prickly when I carry it on my body, and it's also very wet and heavy.
Unexpectedly, before they had gone halfway, Fang Dingman returned with an empty ox cart. But this ox cart was not the one at home, and the ox was not salted egg yolk.
Yu Qinglong asked him, "Father, why are you back so soon?"
Fang Dingman said, "Since your brother Fang Shan is here to help, I'll have him take the salted egg yolks back first. I figured I could help carry them home to your father's house, which would save some effort."
Zhou Yuehua said, "Thank you, in-laws, for taking the trouble to make this special trip."
"Thank you, put the things in the car quickly."
"Uncle Fang, you've arrived at the perfect time." Yu Qingye, who was quite outgoing, said as he loaded beans onto the cart, "I've carried the most this trip."
His shoulders were already worn raw. He'd worked hard, and his skin was thick, but it couldn't bear the weight of a wet load. The moisture soaked the skin, making it even more tender and more susceptible to wear.
Fang Dingman said: "Look, am I here to bring you charcoal because it's cold?"
Yu Qingye smiled and said, "Exactly, thanks to my uncle Fang."
The group of people started laughing, and they felt that the heaviness in their hearts was slightly relieved.
But when I got home, I started to worry again.
Dealing with these waterlogged beans was a hassle. And how could anyone live in this half-built house? If they couldn't live there, what if the beans got lost?
People's hearts are unpredictable. Let's not talk about normal times. But right now, every household has to reduce their production. You never know if some unscrupulous person will come and steal.
Yu Dayou and Zhou Yuehua finally discussed and decided to let their eldest son and daughter-in-law stay at their in-laws' house for a while, while the couple stayed behind.
Anyway, the weather is not particularly cold at this time, so you can just pull up a curtain in that half of the house and make a tent-like place to live in.
Yu Qinglong looked at them with a feeling of pity: "Father, Dad, there's no one in our village with a big house. Is there any spare one? We can just rent one for a while. It's too dangerous here."
Yu Dayou said, "It's okay. It doesn't look like it's going to rain anymore. We can hold on."
Yu Qinglong knew his parents were mainly worried about someone stealing at night, and they were reluctant to spend money. But he couldn't say he was staying here and let his parents go to live with the Fang family, as that would make it even more unlikely for them to go, so he could only endure it for the time being.
There was a reason the family didn't plan to stay in the second house often: there weren't any spare rooms there. Because it was a temporary partition, there were only two rooms. One for my uncle and aunt, and one for Yu Qingxi. It was fine when Yu Qingxi wasn't home, but when he was, it became inconvenient. And with a flood like this, he definitely had to go home to help with the work.
On the way back, everyone in the car was silent.
Yu Qingjia was injured and couldn't help out during the workday, feeling like he was frying in oil. He felt even more guilty when he thought of his pregnant wife, who had no place to hide from the wind and rain.
Yu Qinglong was still thinking about renting a house for his family, but he didn't know how to say it at the moment, so he didn't say anything.
Fang Dingman comforted them, "Don't be discouraged. Life is full of hardships. As long as we all work together, we can overcome any difficulty. Any fire can be extinguished, but the fire in your heart cannot be extinguished."
Fang Shu asked, "Is this the reason why you've been so reluctant to give up secretly practicing calligraphy?"
Fang Dingman was immediately shocked, "You kid! Is that just practicing calligraphy? That's called practicing character!"
Fang Shu smiled and said, "You're right. I'll practice more in the future."
Yu Qinglong knew that his father-in-law would sometimes write secretly. Although he could read, his handwriting was particularly ugly, so ugly that it was a bit heartbreaking. Whenever he was discovered, he would secretly hide it.
In fact, the whole family knows about it, but they usually don't expose it. The father and son are really trying hard to liven up the atmosphere.
Yu Qinglong whispered the reason to his sister-in-law, and she finally smiled.
When we returned to Fang's house, it was already dark and Fang Wu had already prepared dinner.
I made some steamed buns, fried eggs and some vegetables. I also made some porridge tonight.
Fang Wu also brought out portions for Yu Dayou and Zhou Yuehua, but the two did not come.
Seeing Zhou Jian'er was hesitant, she picked up the largest steamed bun and put it in her bowl: "Coming to my house is like coming home, you should eat. I can't believe how happy I am to have you here. It's easier for newlyweds to get pregnant when they see other people. You can be here often for Long Ge'er to see you, and I can have a grandson sooner."
Fang Dingman said, "That's the situation. So you two can stay here without worry, but don't betray us."
"Thank you, Uncle Fang and Aunt Fang," Zhou Jianer said. "If there's anything you can ask us to do in the future, just let me know. I'm well-equipped, but I can handle all the housework."
"Oh, that won't do. You see, my family only has Fang Shu. This child didn't come easily, so your uncle and I treasure him very much." Fang Wu said, "You don't have to do anything."
"Do we need to shell beans then? I can do that job." Yu Qingjia said, "Uncle Fang and Aunt Fang, you are very kind to let Jian'er and I stay here. We usually do housework, so we can help."
"Okay, shell the beans then. That's a lot of work."
The most menial tasks are often the hardest to do, because they're often tiresome to do, yet unavoidable to not do. The beans were soaked in river water and needed to be peeled and dried quickly, otherwise they'd get moldy in their pods and be inedible.
The group quickly finished their meal and gathered around a small oil lamp to work. The less soaked beans were rinsed with clean water and hung with the stalks in a cool, well-ventilated place. The more soaked beans were peeled.
In just that one day, not a single hand in the family was unscathed. Not only were their hands covered in wrinkles from soaking, but there were also countless tiny cuts.
Yu Qinglong felt that after being in this world for so long, only today did he truly experience the real life of a farmer.
They worked till late at night before everyone went to bed. Fang Wu had already thoughtfully tidied up the side rooms and made up the quilts.
Yu Qinglong watched his elder brother and sister-in-law go to the side room, then rushed to Fang Shu.
When he lay down on the kang, he was so tired that he didn't want to say a word. Just as he was thinking about holding on, he felt Fang Shu's hand pinching his leg with moderate strength.
"No, you're tired too, go to bed early."
"It won't hurt a little longer." Fang Shu said, "This way, it won't hurt too much when you wake up tomorrow."
"Okay, that's enough. Lie down and I'll give you a massage."
"No. I know you want to keep me asleep so you can secretly write your storybook."
“…”
Yu Qinglong was speechless for a moment when his thoughts were discovered.
Fang Shu said, "There's still a lot to do when the sun comes up. I can't get tired out. Let's take a day off today."
Yu Qinglong couldn't sleep well when he thought of his home in Shangxi Village. He just wanted to make more money quickly.
Now I feel very tired, but I can't fall asleep.
Fang Shu then held the man in his arms and said, "Brother Long, be obedient."
Yu Qinglong: "...If you want me to sleep, then don't push against me!"
Fang Shu was embarrassed: "I've discussed it with it but it won't listen. There's nothing I can do. It will be fine in a while."
He said as he pushed down on his little brother and clamped his legs together: "Is this okay?"
Yu Qinglong: “…”
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Author's words: Fang Shu: It doesn't listen to me [burst into tears]
Qinglong: [laughing and crying]
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