After the rice harvest, the sun is blazing again, and every household is making the most of the time to dry their grain. This is probably the last bit of the "autumn tiger" heat.
Rice grains are laid out outside the drying shed and need to be turned over every now and then.
Under the drying shed, Jiang Zhi was looking at the account books with Xia Xiucai and Xu Gensheng.
The autumn harvest is over, and it's time for everyone to return the grain they borrowed.
Xiang Dejin sent a message: the amount of grain that had been dried and converted into cash.
If all taxes are deducted, Jiang Zhi will not have to pay any taxes for the next eight years.
Of course, the grain could also be sold to the government... Magistrate Zhang's idea was to lend grain to the government, and the government would later repay the debt with other goods.
For example, bricks, stones, and timber!
Hehe, it's Zhang Zheng's signature move of shifting the universe again. I wonder what that brick seller will get from the government this time.
However, to be fair, this method of issuing IOUs and getting something for nothing may seem like walking a tightrope, but if planned properly, it can be incredibly effective.
Jiang Zhi, however, was determined to fall for this tactic. She believed that exchanging grain for connections and supplies would be a win-win situation for her.
With the grain supplies exhausted, the only thing left to do is to reclaim the grain that Xujia Village borrowed last year.
Exchanging old grain for new grain—that's Jiangzhi's harvest this year.
Xia Xiucai handed the list of grain borrowed from the village to Jiang Zhi: "Village Chief Jiang, the one who borrowed the most here is Xu Changming, a total of 340 jin, and the one who borrowed the least is Xu Genyou, only 50 jin."
Xu Gensheng clicked his tongue and said, "Grandpa's family really knows how to spend money."
This is normal, though. Xu Changming initially thought that he could borrow money and not have to pay it back, so he borrowed more.
After recovering from an illness, I came to a realization: since I had to pay it back anyway, I might as well borrow more.
Jiang Zhi said to Xu Gensheng, "You two help Li Laoshi expedite the grain payment; return it now."
She wasn't afraid of being called petty or narrow-minded, urging for grain harvesting right after the autumn harvest.
Having experienced famine upon arrival, Jiang Zhi developed a psychological trauma.
Now, besides having money in your pocket to feel at ease, you also need to have food at home to feel at ease.
She wanted to transport all the grain back to the mountain to store it.
Xu Gensheng nodded repeatedly: "I'll collect them from each household tomorrow."
Just then, Li Laoshi, who had gone out to let the old mule graze, rushed back: "Sister Jiang, Tian Gui's wife is about to give birth!"
Xia Xiucai and Xu Gensheng didn't move, but Jiang Zhi suddenly stood up: "Did Tian Gui call the midwife over?"
Li Laoshi said, "Sister Liu and the scholar's mother have gone over there, and Granny Qin is also there causing trouble, as are Gensheng's wife and Genqing's wife."
He implements real-time monitoring of the village's dynamics.
"Oh, I'll go take a look too! Honest, you watch the rice. I'll go to town to buy some brown sugar and eggs when I get back! I'll bring you the money when I get back." Jiang Zhi instructed Li Laoshi as she walked towards the Tian family's house.
Although all the experienced midwives and young women in the village who knew how to give birth were there, she, as the village head, still had to go and check on them.
As soon as Jiang Zhi left, Li Laoshi, who was originally supposed to guard the rice, led the old mule over, mounted it, and headed towards the town.
For the past two months, the old mule has been taken care of by Grandpa Xiaoman on the mountain and by Xu Genyou in the village. It does light work, eats grass, and is well-fed and cared for. It has gained weight and can now carry a person without difficulty.
"Hey, Li Laoshi, you have to see... this guy is really something. Aunt Jiang told him to stay here and keep watch, but before she could even finish saying a word, he disappeared!" Xu Gensheng complained.
Xia Xiucai shook his head and sighed softly: "Li Laoshi is an honest man. He does whatever Village Chief Jiang says, but... he did it in the wrong order!"
If Li Laoshi heard someone praise him for being an honest person, he would definitely be moved to tears, finally finding someone who understands him!
Xu Gensheng ignored Xia Xiucai's words and only glanced at the rice drying outside: "It won't work if everyone runs away. Xia Xiucai is useless. I should stay and help Aunt Jiang guard the rice."
It's dried here after being exposed to the sun today, so please don't let it get rained on.
When Jiang Zhi arrived at Tian Gui's house, she indeed saw a group of people surrounding the shack, with several women peeking out and looking around. Inside the shack, there were low moans.
Tian Gui had already been chased out by the women and was squatting in the shade outside the shack, waiting. Beside him were Tian Tao, Xiao Quan, and Xiao Xi, who were watching the shack with tense expressions.
Tian Gui already had three children and was more experienced than other fathers, so he didn't panic.
In the previous few times, Tao'er's mother worked in the fields before giving birth. When she couldn't take it anymore, she would go to the shed to give birth.
I personally delivered all the babies myself. I just burned the scissors and cut the umbilical cord, then casually stuck some cotton on it.
Upon seeing Jiang Zhi arrive, several wives gathered around, chattering about Tao'er's mother's childbirth.
The reason so many people gathered here is because Tao'er's mother had just fallen and had a miscarriage, and she didn't expect to be in so much pain right away.
"Fall? What happened?" Jiang Zhi lifted the curtain and went inside.
Tao'er's mother was lying on the bed, and Liu and Xia's mother were talking to her by the bedside.
Seeing Jiang Zhi enter, Tao'er's mother struggled to sit up, but Liu pressed her down and made her lie back down: "Tao'er's mother, you can't move anymore! Just lie there like that."
Jiang Zhi also said, "Lie down properly, why be so fussy at a time like this!"
Tao'er's mother could only lie down again, forcing a smile through the pain: "I didn't know the ground was slippery... I just carried a load of corn cobs to dry in the sun. They weren't heavy, but I slipped and fell. It wasn't a big deal at the time, but now that the pain is starting, I'm about to give birth."
That means it has already fallen for a while.
Now that the baby is full-term and ready to be born, it's a natural progression.
For Tao'er's mother, who has already given birth to three children, it was just another ordinary experience.
Each time, when she was working and her abdominal pain became unbearable, amniotic fluid would come first, then she would give birth, and finally, bloody lochia would come. But this did not prevent her from going to work the next day.
This time was special because there was bleeding.
She was experiencing severe abdominal pain and bleeding from the vagina right after giving birth, which was more than just normal spotting. Several women with extensive childbirth experience immediately realized that something was wrong.
Jiang Zhi looked at Tao'er's mother's pale face and her heart pounded. She was especially afraid that she would have a difficult childbirth.
However, it wasn't appropriate to ask in front of Tao'er's mother, so Jiang Zhi chased away all the onlookers outside, then called out Xia's mother, and only asked in front of Tian Gui, "How is Tao'er's mother doing now?"
Xia's mother was knowledgeable and composed, but she still looked worried. She said directly, "Tao'er's baby is full-term and in the right position. I'm worried that if she falls, she might tear her palace clothes and cause her to bleed profusely after the baby is born."
Mother's bleeding wouldn't stop...
Tian Gui's face turned pale instantly. He bowed deeply to Xia's mother, stammering, "Sister-in-law Xia, please save my child's mother. She has suffered her whole life with me and is only just starting to have a better life... No, nothing can happen to her!"
Although the three children beside her couldn't understand the specific meaning of Xia's mother's words, they knew that their mother was in danger.
Xiao Quan and Xiao Xi, who are usually naughty, burst into tears. Before they could even call out "Mother," Jiang Zhi glared at them and said, "Don't cry. Your mother is fine. Nothing will happen to her."
Tian Tao was already twelve years old and was precocious and sensible. At this moment, she held her younger siblings and didn't cry loudly, but her face was tense: "Aunt Xia, I know how to boil water. What do you need me for?"
Jiang Zhi gave her an approving look: This child is not bad, she even knows to ask what she can do.
In a crisis, most people don't need to do anything; simply avoiding causing trouble is enough to save most people from trouble.
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