"Where are you going tomorrow?" Lou Yunchun asked again.
"Delivering books to the countryside."
Lou Yunchun had heard Xu Jiang mention this, but he had other important matters to attend to tomorrow and couldn't go with her. Just as Liang Mo had just said, she was unfamiliar with the place, and going alone would inevitably make people worried.
"Let Liang Mo accompany you tomorrow."
"good."
Xu Jiang was used to running around in the wild, so she didn't think there was anything wrong. She just didn't want to make him worry, so she agreed.
Seeing that she had no objection, Lou Yunchun breathed a sigh of relief, and then reminded her: "Don't delay on the way. The three villages are far apart. If you delay, you may not be able to make it back to the city in time."
Xu Jiang nodded, "I understand." Seeing that he was still worried, he raised his hand and said, "I promise to be back before the city gates close."
Lou Yunchun thought for a moment and said, "I'll come back after court is over. If you haven't come back yet, I'll go pick you up."
"Okay...all okay." Xu Jiang thought to herself why this person was so fussy now, but she also felt appreciated. She felt that it was very heartwarming to be thought of by others.
She happily pulled Lou Yunchun inside and said, "Both couches have been delivered today. Let's go and take a look."
Upon hearing this, Lou Yunchun's eyebrows lit up and he couldn't help but quicken his pace.
Xu Jiang went to borrow a donkey from Shopkeeper Wang. When Shopkeeper Wang heard that she was going to the countryside, he packed up and wanted to go with her.
"The crops have just been planted, what are you going to do?" Xu Jiang guessed that he was worried and followed her, so he said, "Liang Mo will be with me, brother, don't worry."
"How can he know the roads in the village as well as I do?" Shopkeeper Wang's eyebrows raised, fearing she would refuse again. Then he added, "It's not just about you. I just wanted to go see how the crops are doing this year and ask who has wheat so I can harvest it. We sold a lot of wheat during the Qingming Festival, so it's time to restock. I also want to take some grain seeds to lend. I should have done this a long time ago, but a shop assistant had family matters and couldn't get away, so I was delayed. Now is a perfect time to go."
After hearing what he said, Xu Jiang did not try to stop him and asked curiously, "Lend it?"
Shopkeeper Wang nodded. "Some poor families can't afford to buy seeds, so their fields go to waste. They go to the government office to borrow money, but they're worried about a poor harvest and not being able to pay back the interest, so they come to me for loans."
"What's the interest rate for grain loans from the imperial court?"
"It depends on the year. In years of famine, we usually don't charge interest, and we might even open a public warehouse and distribute seed grain. But these past two years, the harvest has been good, so we charge a small interest."
"One cent of interest isn't much."
Shopkeeper Wang sighed, "It's not high, but the land is fertile and barren, and the yields vary. If you get the fertile land, it's fine, but if you get the barren land, you won't get much grain in a year. Forget about exchanging grain for money, even feeding the family will be a problem. By then, this share of profit will be like a beam, and if it falls, it will crush everyone."
That's true. A penny is hard for a hero to earn, let alone the poor people.
Xu Jiang asked again, "Brother, do you not charge interest when you lend us grain?"
Shopkeeper Wang shook his head. "No, I won't take it. After the autumn harvest, I'll pay you back according to the original amount. If there's any surplus grain, keep it for me and don't sell it to anyone else."
"This way, both sides get a good deal." It's also a good deed.
Shopkeeper Wang looked at the sky and urged, "It's getting late. Hurry up and leave. If you're late, you might not be able to get back."
"Okay!" He said and left.
Both of them harnessed their carts, instructed the helpers in their respective shops to guard the doors and serve customers, and then drove out of the city through the Jinguan Gate.
The three rural schools that Xu Jiang was going to were all located in the western suburbs, namely Weiyin Township, Lingtai Township and Qinghuai Township.
After hearing this, Manager Wang quickly figured out the route and decided that the two of them would first go to the farthest Weiyin Township, then follow the Fengshui River to Lingtai Township, and finally return to the city from Qinghuai Township. This would save time and effort.
The morning light is dim and the sun is just beginning to appear.
Shopkeeper Wang led the way, followed closely by Xu Jiang.
Two donkey carts, one carrying food for hunger and the other carrying spiritual food, marched in the spring breeze towards the countryside where hope grows.
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