Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 11940

She was truly shocked by what Luo the blacksmith said and couldn't believe it, so she turned to Yang Ruoqing for confirmation.

Yang Ruoqing nodded calmly: "That's right, what Uncle said is true!"

Luo Fengtang chimed in, his voice low: "Those villagers who were freezing had no choice but to take down their doors and windows to burn for warmth. In the end, when the family was starving and freezing, they sold the girls in their family."

"From what I've heard, there was a family that sold a five-year-old girl to a local wealthy man in exchange for 50 jin of rice and flour and 100 jin of timber, which was barely enough to get the family through the winter..."

"My God!" Wang Cuilian was completely shocked this time. She covered her mouth tightly, and her eyes, which were exposed, were filled with terror.

She suddenly remembered that the man before her had died, and she and her son, Amao, were struggling to make ends meet in the village.

Although they often went hungry and cold, their family could hardly save any money.

However, the mother and daughter wouldn't freeze to death in winter. As long as they were diligent, she could go to the woods behind the village to collect lots and lots of pine needles and gather lots and lots of dead branches and wood, storing them in the small courtyard and woodshed at home. No matter what, at least they could have firewood to cook a hot soup and some hot porridge every day, and soak their feet in hot water to get rid of the cold.

They could even get a brazier so the mother and daughter could warm themselves by the fire, instead of having to take down doors and windows to burn firewood in winter.

Often, because she made shoes for Luo Fengtang, the blacksmith Luo took good care of her, frequently bringing firewood to her house. When Luo Fengtang grew older, he would also often bring her the wild game he hunted in the mountains. So, although life was hard, they managed to get by by helping each other.

How did things turn out like this once we got outside? Wang Cuilian really couldn't understand it.

Yang Ruoqing seemed to have guessed Wang Cuilian's doubts, so she spoke up again: "Many places outside are like this. The reason why our Changping Village was not so bad back then, and the villagers were able to make a living from the mountains and rivers, was mainly because there were no powerful landlords or gentry in our vicinity."

There are two in Wanghai County, but their sphere of influence is near the county seat. In their eyes, although Mianniu Mountain is good, it is too big. The area outside the mountain is small. Going in, there are either deep forests where wild beasts and strange things are hiding, or villages like Sunjiagou where the whole village has lived in the mountains for generations and farms terraced fields.

So the local gentry and landlords in Wanghai County who had reached that level considered the cost-effectiveness of developing and conquering Mianniu Mountain... but in the end they found it wasn't worth it, so they gave up on this area.

However, the hills and ponds of all sizes near Wanghai County are all owned, and the local people cannot touch them casually, or they will run into trouble.

After Yang Ruoqing told Wang Cuilian all this, Wang Cuilian finally understood a little.

"Oh right, I remember that Mr. Li from Lijia Village was very domineering. He occupied a lot of land and wouldn't allow villagers from the surrounding villages to gather firewood in the woods behind Lijia Village," Wang Cuilian suddenly recalled and said indignantly.

Luo the blacksmith also remembered that part, saying, "That Master Li, luckily he died early and quickly. If he hadn't died, I can say that the people in our Mianniu Mountain area wouldn't be living like this now. I'm afraid four or five out of ten families would have been forced to sell their children!"

Luo Fengtang frowned slightly and said, "Back then, when I was hunting, if I went a little towards Lijia Village, a group of people would immediately come out and surround me. Those people were vicious and cruel; they were capable of beating people to death in the mountains and throwing them off cliffs."

"Heavens, Tang Yazi, I never heard you mention this back then!" This time, it was Luo the blacksmith who was frightened. The old man's face turned pale, and his voice trembled slightly. "No wonder you always went hunting in the deep mountains after that, and you would be gone for several days at a time. The longest you went was almost half a month. It turns out that you were forced to do it by the Li family!"

Luo Fengtang remained calm and shook his head: "We can't blame it all on Master Li. His family is half the reason, and the other half is because I was a bit too ambitious. I wanted to go deep into the mountains to hunt bigger wild animals so I could sell them for more money!"

Yang Ruoqing listened in silence. To this day, like Luo the blacksmith, this was the first time she had heard all of this from Luo Fengtang.

A boy of about ten years old, still a child, was being chased and threatened by a group of burly men armed with weapons in the mountains. He escaped death several times, and the men were just as dangerous as the wild animals in the mountains.

Wild beasts might not harm people once they've eaten their fill, but those people were the lackeys and henchmen of Master Li, vicious and ruthless.

Yang Ruoqing also recalled how her family's land bordered that of the Li family, and how, over some trivial matter, the Li family's servants had actually laid a hand on the honest and simple-minded Yang Huazhong...

Therefore, Yang Ruoqing has no regrets about taking down the entire Li family later!

"What happened to Master Li's family? I remember it was on the night he took a concubine that officials suddenly came and said they were from the Black Lotus Sect, and they arrested everyone." Wang Cuilian asked again.

At that time, she was not married to Luo the blacksmith; she was just an ordinary village woman. Therefore, she heard many things from others and had no idea about the inside story.

The blacksmith Luo didn't know either, but Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang knew perfectly well.

Because the whole thing of taking down the Li family was orchestrated by the two of them.

Their eyes met, and they saw the same attitude in each other's eyes: time had passed, and some things from the past were better left unmentioned, as they were not good or unlucky things, and bringing them up would not do any good for the present.

So neither of them said a word. Wang Cuilian chatted with Luo the blacksmith for a while, sighing and reflecting, and realized that happiness is relative.

Compared to our past selves, and compared to those outside suffering from cold and hunger right now, they are already living in a honey pot. What more could they ask for?

Even though Luo Da'e's matter is a thorn in Luo the blacksmith's side, if you think about it carefully, everyone has their own destiny and will die sooner or later. Even the emperor cannot escape it. So, let nature take its course, and everyone has their own fate!

The atmosphere in the carriage gradually improved. By the end, Luo the blacksmith was already discussing with Wang Cuilian what to do for the New Year. They were planning what to do on which day and what to do on which day. The two of them were very engrossed in arranging their 'work schedule' for the whole year. Only a fulfilling life could bring them a fulfilling soul.

Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang watched and listened to everything silently. They smiled knowingly at each other, both relieved.

Changping Village.

Today is the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, and the pond at the entrance of the village is full of village women washing clothes.

"The snow is about to fall, why are you all still working so hard? Aren't you afraid your clothes won't dry and will freeze into ice?"

With sunflower seeds and peanuts tucked into his pocket, Liu leisurely made his way from the village to visit the third house at the village entrance.

As they passed the pond, they saw a group of people washing clothes at the bottom of the pond. Liu shouted a question.

She didn't name anyone when she asked the question; she asked everyone, and let whoever wanted to answer, answer.

Sure enough, several women looked up and responded to Liu: "If the snow hasn't fallen for an hour, we have to do laundry. Before the 20th of the year, we're doing a lot of laundry, aren't we? After the 20th, even on a sunny day, we won't have time to do laundry!"

Someone asked Liu, "Fourth Aunt, why are you so leisurely? Don't you have any work to do in the dead of winter?" Actually, they asked that on purpose. Who doesn't have work? The work is right there, right under your nose, right at your fingertips.

It all depends on whether the lady of the house sees the work and is willing to do it.

As for Liu, she was notoriously lazy.

Along with her laziness, she was also known for her gluttony and love of food.

The person asking the question did so intentionally, just to see how Liu would answer.

Standing on the high embankment with her legs turned outwards, Liu heard what the speaker said, slowly spat the sunflower seed shells into the water, chuckled, and then spoke with a strong voice.

"Oh my, what kind of question is that? Every family that's making a living has work to do!"

"If there's work to do, why don't you do it?"

"Hey, I have a good man in my family, my fourth son takes care of everything, and I also have a good daughter-in-law. How could I possibly do any of these chores?"

The person asking the question rolled their eyes. "Lazy, and making excuses for yourself. Because you don't do it, all the work is piling up there. Your husband and your daughter-in-law can't stand it anymore, so they have to do it. What else can they do?"
“Your fourth son works at the Taoist temple, and the temple is busy this year, so your daughter-in-law has even more to do.”

"My dear fourth aunt, I advise you to stay home and do some chores instead of wandering around too much, so you can help out a bit!"

"I've said it a hundred times already, it's not that I don't want to share the burden, it's just that I have too many hands in my family, so I don't get to do any work!" As Liu was speaking, she glanced over and saw a familiar figure coming from the south of the village.

"Oh my, He'er? What brings you here?"

Liu slapped her thigh and shouted at the top of her lungs.

He'er, who was rushing along with her head down, looked up and saw Liu standing on the pond embankment. He'er raised her hand and waved to Liu with a smile on her face.

Liu glanced at the group of women washing clothes by the edge of the pond out of the corner of her eye, then raised her voice and said, "You said you would come over to help me wash the bedding the other day, and I thought you were just saying it casually. I didn't expect you to actually come!"

When Liu said this, all the women by the pond looked at her with envy.

Her husband dotes on her, her daughter-in-law respects her, and now even her daughter, who lives nearby, comes to help her with laundry. This Liu woman is truly a lazy person with a good life.

As they were talking, He'er had already reached the vicinity of the pond. Liu immediately put the melon seeds in her hand back into her pocket and ran to meet her.

"You silly child, you have so much to do at home, why do you still insist on coming to help me wash the bedding!"

Liu grabbed He'er's arm and said loudly.

He'er froze, staring wide-eyed at Liu Shi, her eyes clearly saying: Mother, what are you saying? When did I say I was coming to help you wash the bedding? I came specifically to find Jin Chuan'er...

"Hey, you're so stubborn, you won't listen to me. Come on, let's go to the old house first!"

With her back to the pond, Liu winked at He'er, who then looked away from Liu and towards the group of aunts, grandmothers, and sisters-in-law squatting or standing by the pond behind her.

People were all looking this way, and many older women and aunties were looking at her with approval in their eyes.

He'er immediately realized that her mother was just bragging, trying to create a persona of herself as a hardworking and filial daughter...

Hey!
He'er could only sigh inwardly. And so, with Liu Shi holding her arm, she was half-pushed and half-forced to head towards the old house.

After walking for a while, passing the old maple tree, and turning a corner, He'er turned her head several times to look behind her, making sure that she had completely escaped the gaze from the pond and that there was no one else around. Finally, He'er couldn't help but pull her hand out of Liu's grasp.

She stepped back a few paces and began gesturing towards Liu.

"Mother, I'm here to see Jin Chuan about something. I don't have time to wash your bedding!"
Liu glared at He'er with annoyance and said, "You brat, I was just making you act, I didn't expect you to help me wash the bedding!"

He'er paused for a moment, then said, "I don't have time to act with you. I need to go find Jin Chuan'er to get the children's shoe patterns. The baby is asleep at home, so I'll ask my second brother's aunt to watch him for a bit. I have to rush back!"
Liu said, "You can't rush back now. Go inside and sit down. I'll go to the village entrance to find Jin Chuan'er to get you some shoe patterns."

After saying that, Liu pushed He'er into the house, not letting He'er gesturing there, and quickly walked towards the village entrance.

As she passed by the pond, many people greeted her, saying, "Auntie, you're so lucky! Your eldest daughter came all the way here to help you wash your bedding."

Liu waved her hand and stopped to speak: "It's her business if she's filial, but I can't help but feel sorry for my daughter."

"It's so cold outside, I can't bear to let her take it apart and wash it, especially since she has little kids waiting for her at home!"

"So, He'er has already returned to Li Family Village?"

"No, I urged her to go back, but she wouldn't listen. She said since she's already here, she should at least help me find some work to do. So, she's helping me tidy up the house and hang out the laundry at the old house!"

"Oh my, He'er has really become sensible and filial now. By the way, where are you going?"

"Fourth Aunt, you wouldn't leave He'er in the house to do chores while you ran out for a stroll, would you?"

"No way, I have some business to attend to at Jin Chuan'er's. I'm busy now, running between my daughter and wife, sigh!"

After Liu walked away, the envious voices that had been heard by the pond earlier changed their tune.

"This Liu woman is really lucky. She's lazy and loves to eat, and the whole family indulges her, but it's made her family suffer."