After fleeing the famine, my older sister and I married the brother next door.

Chen Dashan's heart tightened; he knew his father had farmed all his life and was experienced in interpreting celestial phenomena. He nodded, "Okay, Dad, after I deliver the things to Steward Liu, I'll go buy two more sickles. The sickles at home are worn out and need replacing."

Chen's mother had to go to the county town to set up a stall, so she set off with her mule before dawn. Chen Xiaohe stayed home to polish the furniture that Master He had ordered—Chen Dashan had worked overtime to finish two pieces, and the rest would have to wait until after the autumn harvest. Chen Xiaohe was polishing the rough edges of the pieces that had been made first, smoothing out the burrs and rounding the corners.

Chen Dashan drove the oxcart out the door and headed towards the county town.

---

In the east wing, Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing were working on the painting "Guanyin Sending a Child".

The two of them have been embroidering for long hours every day during this period, and the progress is faster than expected. They should be able to finish more than half of it before the autumn harvest, but they will definitely have to stop during the harvest season and catch up on the work after that.

As Su Xiaoqing continued her embroidery, she asked, "Sister, what do we do next after we finish this piece?"

Su Xiaoyin thought for a moment: "I'll go to the county town and buy some Xuan paper and charcoal pencils for drawing embroidery patterns. I'll also look for places that sell picture books or secondhand bookstores to see if I can find a suitable book for making embroidery patterns."

Su Xiaoqing's eyes lit up: "Okay, then let's take a good look around when we go to buy Xuan paper later." She paused, then remembered something, "Sister, I've drawn a few small embroidery patterns these past two days. They're all adorable little animals, perfect for making cushions or bibs."

Su Xiaoyin took the drawing from her younger sister and looked at it, nodding in satisfaction: "This rabbit is so cute, and the little squirrel is interesting too. Before the large embroidery pattern is finished, we can make more of these little things and keep them for Mother to sell at the county town. The ladies and young women in the county town love these exquisite trinkets."

Su Xiaoqing smiled, embroidered a few more stitches, and then suddenly sighed.

Su Xiaoyin looked up at her: "What's wrong?"

Su Xiaoqing lowered her voice: "Sister, do you think we'll have to do forced labor again this winter?"

Su Xiaoyin paused in her needlework, and after a moment of silence, said, "Judging from last year's situation, we might have to take it twice more this year. We need to prepare the money accordingly."

"Sister, are you worried about...?"

Su Xiaoyin nodded gently, lowering her voice even further: "I'm on tenterhooks every day. What if one day the government won't let us take the money and we have to send people? What do you suggest we do then?"

Su Xiaoqing fell silent.

Su Xiaoyin continued, "Father-in-law is too old, how can he do that kind of hard labor? Dashan's legs are fine for housework, but that forced labor is deadly. Carrying stones and digging river mud all day long, how can his legs take it? Xiaohe is too impulsive, what if she gets into trouble outside..."

Su Xiaoqing grasped her sister's hand: "Sister, don't think so much. Why would the government refuse money? They definitely won't."

Su Xiaoyin forced a smile: "I hope so. I'm just looking forward to the four children growing up quickly. Then we'll see if they have the talent for studying. If they can pass the imperial examinations, even if they only become scholars, our family can be exempted from corvée labor."

Su Xiaoqing nodded: "Yes, Shitou is smart, and Aji is quick-witted too. Qingqing is a girl, and although Afu is thin, they don't seem unintelligent. If they are properly nurtured, they might really achieve something great."

The two sisters looked at each other and saw hope for the future in each other's eyes.

---

In the county town, Chen Dashan first went to Steward Liu's house.

Liu Yilong was off work today and was in the yard sunbathing with his wife. His wife's belly was already showing, and her face had a soft, radiant glow as she prepared to become a mother. Seeing Chen Dashan arrive, Liu Yilong quickly went to greet him.

"Brother Dashan, come in and have a seat!"

Chen Dashan handed over the bundle in his hand: "Manager Liu, these are some small items that my two wives made for our unborn child. Please don't mind them, they're just a small token of our appreciation."

Liu Yilong took it and opened it, his eyes lighting up. The embroidered bib was exquisite, the tiger-head shoes and hat were adorably cute, and the hundred-blessing quilt was folded neatly, every stitch showing care. His wife also came over to look, touching the hundred-blessing quilt, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Brother Dashan, this...this is too precious!" Liu Yilong was at a loss.

Chen Dashan smiled and said, "Manager Liu, please don't be so polite. We've always remembered your care and support over the past year. This is nothing, just a token of our appreciation."

Liu Yilong's wife whispered beside him, "This 'Hundred Blessings' quilt is so well made. One hundred 'blessings' characters, how much effort must have taken to make it..."

Liu Yilong patted his wife's hand and said to Chen Dashan, "Brother Dashan, I'll remember this favor. If you ever need anything, just come to me."

Chen Dashan sat for a while longer before taking his leave. He drove his oxcart to the blacksmith's shop, picked out two good sickles, and bought some small items such as whetstones before heading home.

---

Back home, Chen Dashan showed the sickle to his father. His father tested the blade and nodded in satisfaction: "Good steel. This year's autumn harvest depends on it."

Chen Xiaohe leaned closer and asked, "Brother, how's Steward Liu's family?"

Chen Dashan explained the situation, and Chen Xiaohe was also happy for Liu Yilong: "That's great. Manager Liu is a good person, and he deserves good fortune."

Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing came out of the house, asked a few questions about Steward Liu's family, and were relieved.

After lunch, Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe continued with their work. Su Xiaoyin and Su Xiaoqing returned to the east wing to continue working on the "Guanyin Sending a Child" painting. The four children played in the courtyard; Shitou was taking care of his younger siblings and was behaving well.

Days passed by peacefully and steadily. In the last few days before the autumn harvest, everyone was busy and hopeful—hoping for a good harvest this year and for things to get better and better in the days to come.

Only Chen's father would occasionally look up at the sky, his eyes filled with a worry that only an old farmer could understand.

----

Before dawn, the Chen family courtyard was already bustling with activity.

Su Xiaoqing got out of bed in the dark, quietly dressed, careful not to wake her four sleeping children. She pushed open the door, and a cool morning breeze rushed in, making her shiver. The light in the kitchen was already on; her older sister, Su Xiaoyin, had gotten up first and was adding firewood to the stove.

"Sis, you're here so early?" Su Xiaoqing walked in and rubbed her hands together.

Su Xiaoyin looked up: "I can't sleep. I'm thinking that today is the first day of the autumn harvest, so I need to make sure the food is substantial. Dad and the others do heavy physical labor, they can't go hungry."

A large pot of mixed grain porridge was simmering on the stove, and dough that had been left to rise overnight lay on the cutting board beside it. Su Xiaoyin kneaded the dough quickly and efficiently, preparing to make flatbread. Su Xiao washed her hands and began chopping pickled vegetables.

The two worked together seamlessly, and breakfast was ready in less than an hour. Steaming hot multigrain porridge, golden cornbread, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a few boiled eggs—this was specially prepared for those who went to the fields.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen also got up. Mrs. Chen had to go to the county town to set up her stall today, so she quickly ate a few mouthfuls of food and drove off on her mule. Mr. Chen, after finishing his meal with Chen Dashan and Chen Xiaohe, shouldered his sickle, carried his water jug, and headed to the fields.