The fierce peasant woman is busy farming

When I walked into the village chief's yard, I saw the village chief's eldest son Ning Yuanshan had returned. He was sitting on a stone bench in the yard drinking tea and talking with the village chief.

Seeing Zhou Yue and his mother coming in, Ning Yuanshan quickly stood up and said, "Sister-in-law Yuancai, Brother Yuan is here."

The village chief's family knew that Zhou and Ning Yuancai had divorced, and when they heard their son still calling Zhou Yue sister-in-law, they coughed lightly to remind him.

Ning Yuanshan was stunned for a moment, then realized what was going on, and quickly changed the subject: "Sister Zhou, you're here just in time. I was just discussing your matter with Dad."

Seeing the pork and large intestines tied up by Zhou Yue and his men with straw ropes, the village chief hurriedly called his wife out, saying politely:

"You guys just come, why are you bringing things?"

"Uncle Qi, I didn't buy it. My family caught a wild boar by chance, and my father asked me to bring you the pig's legs and intestines. Please try them."

"Wild boars? They came down from the mountains? Where were they hunted?"

"It's on that small road leading to town. We came here to tell you and see if the village can inform everyone not to go there anymore."

Yuan Mo said quickly.

"You're right. I'll tell everyone. Thank goodness you guys for reminding me."

“Yes, luckily there were many of us going this time, and we had the dog to help.

By the way, the village chief has one more thing to tell you.

Mr. Song, who came last time, sent me a kidnapped child and asked me to raise him for a few days..."

"I know. The official told me about it the last time he came to my house. You took the trouble to take care of the child. The child is really pitiful."

"Don't worry. I will do my best to fulfill the trust placed by the government.

Also, tell other people in the village that it's a relative's child who's staying here for a few days.

Don't talk about his background, the child is pitiful enough, don't let others point fingers at him anymore."

"Well, you've thought it through very carefully. Don't worry, we are the only ones who know the details."

Ning Yuanshan seized the opportunity and interrupted, "Let's sit down and talk. Brother Yuan, you sit down too."

Several people sat down at the stone table. The village chief's wife brought out a few teacups and a pot of tea and poured tea for everyone.

"It's like this, last time you said you wanted to buy land, I checked and asked.

As you all know, there is little land and many people now, and there is no water land left in the village.

I don’t have anything to sell recently, but I will keep an eye out for you and tell you first if anyone is selling land.

You guys also want some from other villages. I’ll let someone inform the village chiefs.

There is no water land, but there is dry land.

There are some mountainous lands in the village that you can buy.

I looked around and found that the mountain area adjacent to your West Col is the most suitable for your home."

The village chief finished speaking in one breath and then looked at Zhou Yue.

Zhou Yue was confused by what she said. She went to the fields a few times, mostly to work in the irrigated fields. She really didn't know where the dry land was.

Yuan Mo saw that his mother didn't say anything and knew that she couldn't remember it again.

He reminded her, "Mom, that's the bean field where we weeded the day before yesterday. That large piece of mountain land belongs to us.

It was given to our family when the family was divided.

The place that Qi Ye was talking about is where you fainted last time. It is about five miles in radius, and it is the place that the village chief was talking about.

It’s not far from the west valley of our home, and the two pieces of land can be connected into one.

I think it's a good place, not far from home. It's just that there are more trees than land, but I can open up the wasteland."

Yuan Mo is a natural farmer and likes farming.

When Zhou Yue heard him say that this piece of land was close to his home, he was tempted.

"Uncle Qi, how much is this piece of dry land?"

“A few people in the village met and discussed it, and the price was about the same as the price that Lao Shi’s family bought last time.

His land is farther away from home, with fewer trees but more land.

He spent ten strings of cash to buy it, and your land is smaller, so I'll give you nine strings of cash. What do you think?"

"Village chief, buying land is a big deal. I don't know much about it. I've had a head injury before, so I can't remember a lot of things.

Let's go back and discuss it. I'll also ask my children to take me to the mountains to see how big the land is."

"Okay, this land belongs to the village, there's no rush, take your time to look at it and discuss it."

After a pause, the village chief continued:

"There is one more thing. I asked Yuanshan to ask about Xuanmo's study. Now that he is back, I will tell you about it."

Ning Yuanshan said: "It's not cheap to go to the county to study.

Many families spent all their money to support a scholar, but in the end they couldn't even pass the exam to become a scholar.

Your family is so far away, they are one in a hundred. You have to be smart, but you also have some luck.

There has to be smoke coming out of your ancestral graves.

Also, studying in the county is only the first step. After passing the examination to become a scholar, you have to go to the provincial capital to study.

If you are lucky enough to pass the imperial examination, you can either donate money to become an official or continue to take the exam. That would be one in a million.

Your family has wasted so many years because they have no money and no one. I heard that..."

"Just keep talking about the matter, don't always mention that bastard."

Zhou Yue was listening with great interest. The village chief heard his son always mentioning Zhou Yue's ex-husband, which was really annoying.

Quickly stop your son.

"Oh, I said too much. What I meant was, are you sure you want to support another scholar?"

“Well, what Brother Yuanshan said makes sense.

But I have so many children in my family, and the first few have grown up, so they were delayed.

The fourth child has some talent, so he has to give it a try.

If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, forget it. Just accept your fate.

Let's tighten our belts for a few more years. We are used to the hard life anyway.

My family’s current burden is not too heavy. Later on, we will have Qingmo’s dowry. Yang Mo is fourteen years old, so there is no need to rush.

Xuanmo is ten years old, I will support him until he is thirteen, if he fails, I will stop him from studying and save money for his marriage."

"Does Yuange'er agree too?" asked the village chief.

"I agree. My brother is successful, so I should benefit from it, right?"

Yuan Mo said honestly.

The village chief looked at Yuan Mo with complicated eyes and swallowed back the words "You haven't even benefited from your father's help, and yet you want to benefit from your brother's help."

The village chief sighed and motioned for his son to continue.

Ning Yuanshan said: "I have inquired about it. The tuition fee for the county school is fifty taels of silver for three years. If you pay it in full at one time, it is fifty taels, and if you pay it annually, it is twenty taels.

In addition, there are three festivals and four gifts, and the three teachers must be given five catties of pork, seven catties of millet, and some fresh seafood.

All in all, it costs a lot.”

It’s indeed not cheap.

Every year, the family had to pay a fine of five taels of silver for Qing Mo, and also had to bear a salary of more than twenty taels of silver, which was thirty taels.

It is really difficult for ordinary farmers to save money by relying on that little piece of land, except for paying taxes and living expenses.

However, Zhou Yue was confident that with Yuan Mo helping him farm, Yang Mo and his grandfather could also do some handicrafts to make some money.

Qing Mo also needs to cheer up and do some small business.

There is always a way.

Besides, the family has some money now to cushion the situation, so we have some confidence.

Although it will be spent soon, money makes money and only when it flows can you make money.

"Uncle Qi, Brother Yuanshan, I know you have good intentions and understand how difficult it is for my family.

But I am confident that I can earn enough money.”

Yuan Mo also nodded.

Seeing that the mother and son had made up their minds, the village chief and his son stopped trying to persuade them.

After explaining in detail the precautions for visiting the master at the county school, Ning Yuanshan continued:

"My father also said that Qingmo wanted to do some business?"