Chapter 88 Farming is Hard Work
When I returned to the village at four o'clock in the afternoon, people came running to greet me from afar.
Seeing that there were three plows, oxen and carts in addition to the twelve large water tanks, the villagers were excited and gathered around to watch the fun.
"Please make way and don't squeeze the county magistrate!" Yang Dalang shouted loudly.
The villagers were so busy looking at the cows and carts that they didn't notice that there were a few strangers in the team.
When they heard that it was the county magistrate, they stood up straight and looked at County Magistrate Hu and his men nervously.
"Mr. Hu? Why are you here? I'm sorry for not welcoming you in person. I'm sorry for not welcoming you in person!" Old Man Yang and the village elders hurried forward to greet him.
"I have never been to Huanggou Village. I came here with Mr. Su to take a look. He said that fern roots and kudzu roots can be made into powder." County Magistrate Hu said amiably.
"Sir, please look, this is fern root powder and kudzu root powder!" Old man Yang pointed to seven large water vats covered with flour sieves.
After opening the lid, the color of the residual water on the surface was much lighter, light tea color, and there was a thick sediment underneath, which was half a jar full.
"So many?" County Magistrate Hu was excited. One tank could produce half a tank of sediment, so the output was not low!
"It's not much! This is fern root powder. Only half of the three jars is left. These two jars are kudzu root powder. Four and a half jars are left." Old man Yang's eyes were full of smiles.
Hu Erlang, the legal advisor, and the household clerk also came over to take a look. Yang Dalang and several strong men began to pour out the residue water, revealing the true color of the starch.
Fern root powder is off-white, while kudzu root powder is whiter, and the two are easy to distinguish.
"Is this slag?" Hu Erlang saw a pile of brown root-like slag outside the yard.
"Yes! That's the kudzu root residue. It can be used as soil fertilizer after fermentation. Ah Ying said that." said Old Man Yang.
After pouring out the slag water, the women scooped out the starch and dried it in winnowing baskets. They dried ten full winnowing baskets in total.
"I never thought there would be such a treasure in the mountains!" County Magistrate Hu was very happy.
With this thing, people don’t have to worry about having nothing to eat during the lean period.
Old Man Yang and Su Bucheng accompanied County Magistrate Hu and others into the house to sit down.
"Uncle Yang, I want to discuss something with you!" Su Ying called out to Yang Dalang.
"What's the matter?" Yang Dalang asked.
"These two will be dropped off at your house to entertain the county magistrate and his entourage. Please also arrange accommodation for them tonight." Su Ying said with a smile.
"Okay, it's my family's responsibility to arrange it, but the offal is stored here, and you don't want to eat it?" Yang Dalang knew how delicious the meat braised in that marinade was.
"I'll get the marinade ingredients later and use your stove. I was planning to cut some meat, but it's gone. Let's braise the rabbit tonight." Su Ying put the things down.
Su Ying ran after her second and third uncles, carrying an empty backpack. As soon as she ran out of the yard, Hu Erlang also chased out, "Girl!"
"What's the matter, my dear?" Su Ying stopped.
"Take me to see it!" Hu Erlang took a few quick steps to catch up with Su Ying.
"Let's go!" Su Ying didn't refuse and took Hu Erlang with her while introducing him to them.
When passing by the fields, he specifically introduced the causes and solutions of soil compaction.
Su Ying knew that this problem existed not only in Huanggou Village, but also in other places.
"You know so much! I have also read many books on agriculture and sericulture. Now that you mentioned it, I have a lot of impressions, but they are not all in one book. You are really good at applying what you have learned!" Hu Erlang said admiringly.
"My dear, thank you for your praise. I am still at the exploratory stage. Whether it can be successful or not remains to be verified." Su Ying said modestly, "If it is effective, you can promote it in various villages."
In front, Su Lao Er and Su Lao San were driving a ox cart home, followed by a group of children who were watching the fun.
This was the third oxen and the first ox cart in the village. Several distinguished guests from various counties had suddenly arrived in the mountain village, where no outsiders had visited for many years. The children shouted excitedly.
"Aye, aye!" Xiaotao, Zhaoyan and Bingyan shouted as they ran.
Behind them was a group of young men including Su Boyan, who walked hurriedly, trying their best to suppress their excitement and act steady and mature.
Hu Zi ran to tell Su Boyan the news, and Amu and Asang also followed.
When they learned that they had brought back not only oxen and plows, but also ox carts, everyone dropped their work and came out to greet them.
"Father, is this our family's ox cart?" Zhao Yan and Bing Yan pulled their father, wanting to reach out and touch the ox.
There were so many people gathered and they were so enthusiastic that the cows mooed uneasily.
"Yes, this is our ox cart! Come, sit on it!" Su Laoer put the children on the cart.
Seeing Hu Zi and the others looking at him eagerly, they hugged him together.
"Wow..." the children screamed with joy.
Especially Hu Zi, A Mu and Asang, they were born here and rarely go out of the mountains, let alone ride in a ox cart.
Oh my God, how happy, ox cart, they are sitting on the ox cart!
"Second uncle, third uncle!" Su Boyan and several young men came over.
"Your father is at the village chief's house, and the county magistrate is here." Su Lao Er said with a smile, "This is our ox cart and Jiangdong plow! They were given to us by Hu Erlangjun."
Everyone surrounded the ox cart and walked back, like they were surrounding a triumphant general.
Old Mrs. Su, Mrs. Du, Mrs. Wei, and Su Lu were looking outside the yard. They were all very happy when they saw a group of people coming with a ox cart.
With the oxen, everyone feels much more relaxed, and it also means that the busy farming season has officially begun.
"Go get some water and some grass!" Old Mrs. Su was so happy when she saw that it was a young and strong cow that she quickly instructed her two daughters-in-law.
Seeing a bunch of children sitting in the car, he felt so distressed, "Oh, little ancestors, please get off quickly. The oxen have walked so far and must be exhausted! Get off quickly, get off quickly!"
Su Laoer carried the children down.
"Erlang, you are really something. You spoil your child like this! You don't even know how to feel sorry for the working oxen!" Old Mrs. Su scolded with a smile and patted Er'er.
Du and Wei brought over a full bucket of water, and the oxen mooed and drank the water.
After drinking for a long while, he looked up and mooed slowly.
"Look, how thirsty this cow is!" The old lady snatched the grass from her daughter-in-law's hand, handed it to the ox's mouth, and said in a gentle voice like coaxing a child, "You must be hungry. Eat quickly!"
The ox sniffed the fresh grass with a fragrant smell, rubbed the old lady's hand gently, and rolled up the grass with its tongue.
"Thank you for your hard work!" The old lady stroked the plowing ox.
After unloading the Jiangdong plow and the ox cart, Su Laoer took the ox out for a walk, and the children followed and refused to leave.
Su Boyan and several other young men held the Jiangdong plow and pondered its ingenuity. Su Laosan held the plow and demonstrated its operation to everyone, talking about the lively scene when it was demonstrated in the town.
"Uncle San, I'll try plowing the land tomorrow!" Su Boyan rubbed his hands eagerly.
"We want to try it too!" Su Shiyan and the others were unwilling to be outdone.
"Okay, okay, everyone has a share! Boys, ploughing the land is not an easy job! Don't think that you won't be tired just because you have the Jiangdong plow!" Su Lao San smiled as he looked at his energetic nephews and nephews.
"Of course! Uncle San, farming is hard work, isn't it?" Su Boyan said.
"With so many laborers at home, it can't always be you and Uncle who do the heaviest work. We have to learn too! We will shoulder the heavy responsibilities in the future."
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