Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 4 Clearing Wasteland and Planting Trees

At the foot of the mountain, on a gentle slope, jagged rocks lay scattered about.

The grass grows unruly, consisting of thorns and wild vines, which most people would avoid at first glance.

Jiang Yi, however, had his eye on this piece of land.

Even though the hillside is barren, we can turn it over and plant some fruit trees and herbs. As long as it bears fruit, that's something to look forward to.

Clearing land is not as easy as turning over the soil at the edge of the village to plant vegetables.

With each stroke of the hoe, the mud was mixed with sand, and beneath the sand lay stones, old, stubborn stones buried year after year, none of them willing to budge.

Jiang Yi was shirtless, sweat pouring down his spine, his waistband so wet it could be wrung out.

The hoe rose and fell with a dull thud, occasionally striking a hard stubble, sparks flying and the hand between the thumb and forefinger going numb.

He remained silent and simply focused on his work.

They carefully broke up the clods of mud that had been turned over, then picked out the stones mixed in with the soil one by one and threw them to the edge of the field.

The small ones were as big as fists, and the big ones were as big as half a body. They piled up and eventually built a low wall on the slope.

The soil must be turned over deeply, the stones must be removed, and then the soil must be turned over inch by inch until it is loose.

Just hearing about this kind of work makes my back ache.

If it weren't for Jiang Yi's good foundation and the breathing technique that secretly supported him, he probably would have collapsed in three days.

The eldest son went to the private school early in the morning and began to read the classics with his head swaying back and forth.

The little boy initially followed behind, imitating him by picking up a few stones, loudly calling out, "Daddy, let me help you."

In no time, the initial excitement wore off, and their patience vanished completely; they had long since run off somewhere, running wild.

Only a few crooked "spoils" remained on the field, as a memento.

Liu Xiulian watched from afar, her heart aching, and she couldn't help but want to come over and lend a hand.

As soon as he squatted down to pick up a stone or to hold the handle of a hoe, Jiang Yi glared at him and stopped him.

His tone wasn't harsh, but it brooked no argument: "Go, go, go, sit down and rest properly."

She knew her husband's temperament and couldn't go against him, so she had no choice but to find a slightly flatter place to sit down.

Whenever Jiang Yi paused to catch his breath, they would hand him a bowl of cool water or wipe his sweat with their sleeves.

Jiang Yi took the water, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, then wiped the water from the corner of his mouth and grinned at her.

Without saying much, he simply handed the empty bowl back.

He picked up the hoe and continued hacking away at the unreasonable slope, one stroke after another.

At the end of that winding path, two figures emerged unsteadily.

He was a bit older, carrying a faded satchel on his back, and walked with a steady gait, looking more like a young scholar.

The other one was smaller, hopping around like a little rabbit whose fur hadn't fully grown in; its front paws touched the ground while its hind paws were already on the ground.

It was Jiang Ming returning from school, dragging his little mud-covered monkey, Jiang Liang, behind him.

Jiang Ming walked to the edge of the field in three quick steps, put his schoolbag on the ground, nodded to his father, and then turned to look at his younger brother, whom he couldn't shake off.

This little devil only recognizes his mother, and even his father has to coax him. Don't even mention anyone else; not even ten oxen could pull him away.

But he always listened to his brother. If he was told to go east, he would never go west. If he was told to sit down, he would sit down as if he were rooted to the spot.

Jiang Ming didn't say much, he just raised his hand and pointed.

There are piles of stones over there, and weeds sprouting from the ground over here.

Jiang Liang immediately suppressed his monkey-like nature and obediently went to pick up stones and pull weeds.

The two brothers, one carrying a stone, their steps less steady than the stone itself;
Another one, with his butt sticking out and grimacing, went to pull up the vines and weeds in the ground.

To be honest, this little bit of work won't really help much; it'll just keep the field a bit cleaner and save Jiang Yi from having to bend over a couple of times.

But watching his two sons, one leading the way and the other following closely behind, they busied themselves in this wasteland, going around in circles.

The heavy, dull fatigue in Jiang Yi's heart was indeed somewhat alleviated by the noise and commotion.

This busy period lasted for about half a month.

My shoulders ached as if they were filled with lead, and the calluses on my palms rose and fell repeatedly. But in the end, I managed to transform that gentle slope full of jagged rocks into what looked like two or three acres of land.

The soil wasn't very good; there were more stones than soil when we dug it up, but at least it was relatively dry and loose.

It can't compare to the cultivated fields down the mountain, but it's still possible to grow some hardy crops, so the effort won't be in vain.

Beside the slope, there is a large area of ​​rocky wasteland.

This time, however, Jiang Yi wasn't in a hurry. He put the hoe aside and instead sat down leisurely to catch his breath.

Actually, I had already made up my mind.

Since that breathing method really worked, my body has become stronger and stronger every day.

Jiang Yi then thought about planting some fruit trees on this barren slope.

The family eats some, and the rest is taken to the market to exchange for some money. Xiao Bao can also take some with him to send to that person in the mountains.

Planting fruit trees is a delicate task; seedling cultivation and transplanting require the right timing and location.

It is now late autumn, and the weather is neither too cold nor too hot. The tree roots are firmly planted in the soil, and there is time for the seedlings to recover and survive.

Later, when the cold wind arrives, frost covers three-tenths of the land, and the ground freezes as solid as an iron plate. Even if you plant a peach tree there, it might not survive the first snow.

While we're still riding high, we need to get this done quickly and efficiently.

Jiang Yi patted his legs, stood up, and carried his hoe into his yard.

Before long, they pulled a glossy old hen out of the coop.

The chicken was quite mature; even when it was held by its feet and dangling from my hand, it didn't flap its wings, but just clucked twice, as if it had resigned itself to its fate.

Jiang Yi carried the chicken and strolled at a leisurely pace to the west end of the village.

At the west end of the village lives an old man named Yu, who is a master at growing fruit trees, a skill passed down from his ancestors.

The chubby man was leaning against the wall in his own yard, sitting in a wicker chair, dozing off with his eyes half-closed and a slight smile on his lips.

Jiang Yi carried the old hen and swayed into the yard.

The chickens weren't crowing, and the people weren't flustered. As soon as they stepped across the threshold, Grandpa Yu opened his eyes, which had been squinting into slits.

Upon seeing the chicken, he was taken aback at first, then his eyes crinkled into a wide grin:

"Hey, Jiang boy, what brings this egg-laying rascal here today?"

Jiang Yi chuckled, and without beating around the bush, put the chicken down on the ground:
"I heard that your fruit trees bear fruit as big as a baby's fist every year. I was thinking of asking you to say a few words of prayer for this chicken, as a way of paying my respects."

The village is small; the sound of a hoe being struck can be heard from one end of the village to the other.

The commotion Jiang Yi had been making at the foot of the mountain for the past two weeks had become common knowledge in the village.

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Yu laughed even harder, stood up abruptly, and exclaimed repeatedly:

“Great thing, great thing! Growing fruit is the right way to go. If more families in our village grow it, it will be lively and bustling in the fall.”

As she spoke, she grabbed Jiang Yi's arm and led him to the backyard, chattering on and on:
“Growing fruit trees is not as simple as digging holes and burying seedlings. You have to look at the soil, the sunlight, and even ask which way the wind is blowing.”

"Look at my land, the soil is loose, it's sheltered from the wind, and it faces the sun. It's perfect for planting peaches and pears, and the fruit grows so sweet and juicy."

As he spoke, he pointed to a few peaches and pears on the tree that hadn't been picked clean, his expression showing a hint of pride.

But then, the tone shifted, and Grandpa Yu's smile took on a more meaningful quality:

“I’ve heard about your place; the slopes are steep, the soil is hard, and there are lots of rocks. Growing peaches and pears there would probably require a lot of effort. How about… planting something else?”

"Persimmons and walnuts don't have to be picky about where they grow. Or hawthorns and pomegranates, they're lively and festive too."

Jiang Yi listened with a smile on his face, but he understood what was going on.

The old man's words showed genuine kindness.

But the fruit trees that were pushed down were ones that their own families planted in small numbers and sold in small numbers.

This was because he wanted to help out, but he was also worried that if the market were full of peaches and pears later, his own wouldn't be as fragrant.

People have to rely on their skills to make a living.

This level of caution isn't malicious; it's more like a clever way to protect oneself.

(End of this chapter)