Spring scenery in the fields

Chapter 145: Officials Enter the Village

When we arrived at the creek, we saw two men, one old and one young, standing at the edge of the field, with their trouser legs rolled up and shovels in their hands, pouring water into the field.

The older man has a mole on his left eyebrow and is slightly shorter than the younger man next to him. The two men have similar eyebrows, so they must be father and son.

The young man should be about 1.75 meters tall and have a kind face.

The three of them looked at each other and remained silent.

……

Ji Wenhe smiled and said to the older man: "Uncle, I am Shen Rongshan's daughter-in-law. There are many uncles in the village who don't know me. I don't know how to address you."

He smiled back, "I'm from your Aunt Wang's family, you can call me Uncle Daguo."

Pointing to the young man beside him, he said, "He is my son, Shen Liao. You can just call him by his name."

Then he said to him, "This is your elder brother Rongshan's wife, you can call her sister-in-law."

Shen Liao smiled and called out, "Sister-in-law."

"Hey."

Wang Erfeng's husband is called Shen Daguo. He is said to be afraid of his wife and doesn't talk much. His son and daughter are both very sensible.

They called each other and then fell silent.

Ji Wenhe looked at his family's land and said, "Uncle Daguo, I see your land is quite large, how many acres is it?"

"Less than four acres."

"With dry land?"

“Without adding dry land.”

"Then your land is really big."

Shen Daguo sat on the ridge of the field: "It was left by our ancestors."

He couldn't even afford an acre of land.

Both the father and the son were taciturn and only answered one question at a time.

Ji Wenhe greeted him and walked towards his home.

After the people walked away, Shen Liao looked at her from behind: "Sister-in-law is much whiter than when she entered the village, and she has gained weight."

Shen Daguo nodded: "It seems that the family business is good and the food is good."

"Who are you talking about?" Wang Erfeng came over from behind and walked onto the wooden bridge.

"Mom, we were talking about Brother Rongshan's wife. We just said a few words."

She looked over and said, "They only have 70% paddy fields. Planting rice will be quick. It won't take an hour."

"When they have finished planting the rice seedlings, ask them to come and help."

"Mom, you should stop thinking about it." Shen Liao said.

"What's wrong?"

"They have to go sell goods after planting the rice seedlings. How can they have time to help our family? Besides, my father and I are back."

"Can your father walk with his back hurt? Don't let the injury get worse. Then the family will have to spend money."

Wang Erfeng stood at the edge of the field, holding her waist and looking at her own land.

"Wouldn't it be faster if there were more people? I'll go over and ask later."

She is the head of their family, and no one dares to object to her decision.

Especially Shen Daguo, he could be said to obey unconditionally, firstly because he was afraid of his wife, and secondly because he didn't want to argue.

Ji Wenhe walked carefully on the ridge of the field and came to the easternmost side. Shen Rongshan was holding a shovel and repairing the eastern ridge.

"Brother Shen, are the two plots of land next to it owned by the head of the village?"

She pointed to two plots of land at the foot of the mountain to the north.

"Yes, the land to the south also belongs to the head of the village."

"He has a lot of land."

Shen Rongshan patted the ridge with his shovel and walked up from the field: "The head of the village has a lot of land, and there are still several plots over there."

His own family owns several acres of land, plus that of other families in the village.

"Brother Shen." Ji Wenhe walked up to him. "After we sell all the goods at home, we can get more than seven taels of silver. When the rice is harvested, we can buy a piece of land."

It’s too late to buy now. The seedlings have already been planted and they won’t sell the land to you.

"Okay, I have a lot of money, so I'll buy two more."

Land is the foundation of farmers, and they will feel uneasy without land.

"Okay, we'll see then."

Shen Rongshan saw that she was sweating in the sun, and said distressedly: "Don't come to the fields in such a hot day, go home."

Ji Wenhe took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat. Because he tilted his head back, the sun was too bright, and he squinted his eyes: "Let me take a look."

He stretched out his palm and covered her eyebrows to block the sunlight: "There is a straw hat at home, wear it when you go out."

She always wanted to go back to Bai.

"The sun is so scorching, don't get tanned again. You've finally gotten your white skin back."

"Oh, the young couple is flirting."

Wang Erfeng walked over from their field with a smile on her face.

"Rongshan, Auntie wants to ask for your help. When you have finished planting the rice seedlings, come and help our family."

Shen Rongshan nodded: "Okay."

Ji Wenhe took over the conversation: "Aunt Wang, but we have to help Aunt Lan's family plant the rice seedlings first. We have already promised them."

"Then you go help their family first. By the way, are Yuanshan and Wenshan planning to sell their products after they finish planting the rice seedlings?"

She thought of inviting the two younger ones to their home to help.

"Yes, the two of them went to sell the goods, and Brother Shen and I stayed at home."

Shen Rongshan said, "Aunt Wang, don't worry. After I help Aunt Lan's family, I will go to your house to help."

Wang Erfeng turned her head and looked at the fields: "I'm not in a hurry. Your great uncle hurt his back while working in town."

"The doctor specifically told me not to bend over while planting rice in the fields, otherwise I wouldn't have come to ask for your help."

"What you said is true. Why did you hurt your back at such a busy farming season?"

At this time, Ji Wenhe saw two people at the western end of the field. Shen Liao was supporting Shen Daguo, and Shen Daguo was supporting his waist, and they walked carefully onto the wooden bridge.

"This troublesome guy, he would rather stay at home and lie down, and insisted on coming to the field to release water, Rongshan, Wenhe, I'm leaving."

Wang Erfeng left cursing.

"Aunt Wang's family owns nearly four mu of paddy fields. Uncle Daguo has injured his waist and cannot move. This is very worrying."

She has to pull up seedlings, put up ropes, and plant rice in the fields, and then go home to cook and take care of the sick.

"Wen He, go home quickly. I'll come back after you water the fields." Shen Rongshan urged.

"Then I'm leaving."

"Well, don't walk along the ridge, walk at the foot of the mountain, and walk slowly."

"Know it."

Ji Wenhe carried the basket, walked around, and left the foot of the mountain.

When they reached the river, they saw Li Tianba, the grandson-in-law of the village head, with three runners, holding sabers in their hands and the words "Keep away from strangers" written on their faces.

The place they were going to was not the village head's house. Following the route they were taking, it should be Shen Dadong's house.

After questioning them that day, the officers left and never came to the village again. She thought Shen Hubiao had run away.

Because Shen Dadong didn't show anything unusual, he went to the fields and then returned home as usual.

He trotted to Lan Qiuhua's house and stood at the door, shouting to the people inside: "Aunt Lan, Aunt Lan, please come out quickly. The officials have gone to Uncle Dong's house."

Shen Suya ran out first: "Sister-in-law, let's go take a look."

Before he finished speaking, he pulled her over.

Curious people in the village also gathered around their house.

Shen Dadong looked at the newcomers and pretended to be calm: "Several officers, are you here at my house?"

Li Tianba said coldly: "Shen Dadong, your son Shen Hubiao privately sold 500 kilograms of salt. He should be executed according to the law."

After hearing this, he could no longer pretend to remain calm. He fell to his knees on the ground, tears streaming down his face.