The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 21 Teaching Farming

The kitchen is repaired, and we've also rented a plot of sandy land.

The Zhang family in Shatin grows rapeseed, and the rapeseed has already turned yellow. After they harvest it, the Xiao family will plant it.

The paddy field ridges were empty, but with the guidance of Aunt Zuo and Aunt Luo, we could dig them up and plant some vegetable seedlings, and we'd have vegetables to eat in a month or two.

The Xiao family didn't have any farm tools, but the Luo family next door and their landlady, Aunt Zuo, were willing to lend them some.

"When I have money, I'll go to the blacksmith and have a hoe made."

Chun Ning imitated the way the uncles next door dug the soil, and also raised the hoe high. At first, she was a little awkward, but after digging a few times, she was able to swing the hoe around.

Unbeknownst to Chun Ning, his elders, standing at the gate watching him work in the sandy fields, all had tears in their eyes: hands that once held pens had ended up wielding hoes and sickles... This disaster had completely changed their destinies!
"Auntie, please make way."

Chunnuan was preparing Pinellia ternata in the kitchen. She sliced ​​ginger, simmered it in water, and then added alum to boil the Pinellia ternata thoroughly.

There was no firewood in the kitchen, so I went to fetch some from under the eaves, only to find several of my elders standing at the door wiping away tears.

"Warm..."

When Xu turned around and saw Chunnuan, she quickly wiped away her tears and said, "What do you need me to do? I'll do it."

"It's alright, I'll go get some firewood."

Ah, women, they're always so sentimental.

"Aunt, Mother, Aunt, please don't be sad." Chunnuan looked around and saw that her grandmother wasn't there. No wonder they couldn't control their emotions. "No pain, no gain. It's a good thing that our Xiao family's son is both literate and martial. Chunning is growing up quickly, and we should be proud of him."

"It's our fault for being useless, making you younger generation take on this burden."

Just then, the Xiao family heard Aunt Zuo talking by the edge of the field.

“Chuning, you should pick up those weed roots you dug up and throw them on the open ground. Otherwise, before your vegetables grow, the weeds will grow green and compete with the vegetables for fertilizer.” Aunt Zuo is also a kind-hearted person: “I pick up weeds as I dig.”

"Sister, I'll go pick some grass," Chun'an said, running out. "That way, Brother Ning will have an easier time."

"Okay, go ahead, be careful." Chunnuan instructed, "Stay away from your brother Ning. He digs without looking ahead, so be careful not to hit you with the hoe handle."

"An'an, you...you be careful, don't disturb your brother Ning digging the soil."

Ms. Huang wanted to say not to get the clothes dirty, but she swallowed the words back.

Things are different now; the Xiao family's children are no longer young masters and playboys.

If Chun Ning can put down her books and pens to dig in the soil, climb trees, and pick flowers, what can't her son do?

Although washing clothes is indeed tiring, she is not the one who is truly exhausted.

Yes, Huang found that the children's clothes had to be washed every day since they came to Shu, and they were always covered in mud and dust.

Back in the capital, even the servants' children were never this dirty.

A phoenix fallen from its pedestal is no better than a chicken!

"Very good." Just then, the old lady came out with Chunyan's help: "She can grace the hall, work in the sandy fields, wield a pen and a hoe, write articles and farm the land. Very good, my Xiao family will not fall!"

Tears welled up in everyone's eyes again.

Chunnuan felt that these elders were just too idle and causing trouble.

Yes, she remembered there was an embroidery shop at the dock. She would go and ask tomorrow to see if she could find some work.

No one dares to expect them to earn much; they just take on some work to pass the time and prevent them from being sentimental.

Yes, spring has arrived, and once people get busy, they don't have time to think much.

Just like her now, she's busy frying flowers and processing medicinal herbs, so busy she can't even keep her feet moving. One thing after another, she can't finish, she simply can't finish. Chun Ning is also busy. Before dawn, she and Luo Xiaogang go to the mountain to pick flowers. After frying them, they go to the dock to sell flower cakes. After deducting costs, they can earn about ten coins a day.

After returning from the dock, they were busy digging soil and planting vegetables.

The Xiao family lacked labor, and Chun Ning, a child who was only a little over ten years old, had already shouldered the entire burden of the Xiao family.

"Spring is here." Aunt Luo came over as she saw Spring was gathering firewood. "I saw you were digging the paddy field ridges. I've planted some melon seedlings. Do you want to plant some?"

"Sister, how much does it cost to plant?"

"You silly child, do people in Beijing always talk about money?" Aunt Luo laughed: "We country folk don't have so many fuss. These vegetable seeds and melon vines aren't worth much. Whoever grows a lot just pulls a couple of seedlings and plants them. If you have something that I don't, I'll ask you to share some with me. You don't have to take my money."

"Okay, thank you, Aunt Luo."

To be honest, this way of getting along makes Chunnuan feel very comfortable.

As Chun'an said: There are still more good people in this world.

After the Xiao family settled in a village called Shuikou Village, the villagers there were very friendly.

The older women and aunties would greet her when they saw her, and they all knew her name was Chunnuan.

Chunnuan recognized the aunts from the Luo, Zuo, and Deng families, but she didn't even know the names of the other families. However, when she met them on the street, they would smile slightly and greet her cheerfully.

"Spring is here, time to gather firewood?"

"Spring is here, time to dig for wild vegetables?"

"Spring is here, time to do laundry?"

……

In short, she became a household name in the village.

However, the villagers dared not get close to their own elders.

This cannot be blamed on them. Firstly, their families are all daughters of minor officials in the capital, and they have been dealing with similar people since childhood. When they came to Sichuan, they didn't even know how to get along with these neighbors. Secondly, they have developed a habit of staying at home and not going out. Nowadays, apart from washing clothes, the elders still don't go out.

Even if the village's elderly women wanted to gossip, they couldn't find an opportunity to chat with them.

Of course, they also knew one thing: Physician Xiao had offended the Emperor, so it was best to avoid visiting her house.

After all, the Xiao family was a prominent clan that avoided suspicion, so even though they weren't afraid, they were still somewhat wary.

Chunnuan understands all of this very well.

Chunyan and Chunshu also became good friends with Sanya from Aunt Luo's family. They went up the mountain together every day to dig for wild vegetables. Chunnuan no longer worried that her two younger sisters would bring back poison, since she had to check it before cooking anyway.

"Then wait here, I'll go and bring you a few."

Aunt Luo returned to her field.

In no time, Chunnuan, who was tending the fire, heard Aunt Luo calling from outside.

"Auntie, you've arrived."

"Yes, here they come. Let me tell you, this is a winter melon vine, this is a loofah vine, this is a cucumber, this is a bitter melon, and this is a pumpkin vine." Aunt Luo also took out a few other vegetable vines: "These are some chili pepper vines and eggplant vines that I pulled from Aunt Zhong's field."

Seeing Chunnuan standing there in a daze, Aunt Luo was also stunned for a moment.

"Spring warmth, your family has never farmed before, so you don't recognize these vegetables, do you?"

(End of this chapter)