The Return of the General to the Field

Chapter 22 Spring Ploughing

The east wind transforms rain into the west wind, and the earth is sunny and warm.

All things are revived, and the mountains and rivers wake up, and the farmers are looking for farming again at the beginning of the year.

After the beginning of spring, people finally broke free from the idle atmosphere of the Chinese New Year. The new year began, and the farmers fell into the busy farming again.

Mengjia Village is located in the south of the Yangtze River. It grows double-cropping rice. Early rice is planted in March and harvested in July, and late rice is planted in late July or early August and harvested in October or November.Therefore, July and August in the farm are very busy.

The existing land of Meng Wu's family is about forty acres, ten acres of dry land, and twenty acres of paddy fields. After discussing with Meng Wu and Xia He, they felt that it was not practical or necessary for the husband and wife to plant so much land, so Just rent out about [-] acres.There are eight acres of dry land and twelve acres of paddy fields.The two decided to grow corn, peanuts and various vegetables on dry land, and rice on paddy fields.

Farming is a science, but Meng Wu is only half-baked. He doesn't know how to do it or the steps. Fortunately, Xia He is there.

Regardless of whether it is a dry land or a paddy field, before formally planting things, the land must be plowed and leveled before sowing and seedlings can be planted.

Plowing the land is a laborious job, and Meng Wu would not let Xia He touch his hands, but Xia He resolutely refused to become a lazy guy who did nothing, so he became the current kind of Meng Wu holding the plow in front of the plow, Xia He The scene where He used a hoe to break up the large clods of mud.

The land of Meng Wu's family is close to the land of Mr. Meng Fuchang's family, but Mr. Meng Fuchang is usually busy with teaching and learning, so he doesn't go to the land very much.Now working in the field is Xu Wei and a few day laborers he hired.

It was still quite cold in February, but after being busy for a while, both Meng Wu and Xia He broke out in sweat. Seeing that it was time for lunch, Xia He put the hoe on the side of the field and said to Meng Wu : "Husband, I'm going back to cook first, you wait in the field for a while."

"Okay, you go! Bring more water when you come." Meng Wu said to Xia He while driving the cattle.

Just at this time, Xu Damo was also preparing to go back to cook. It is the custom for the host to provide meals for hired workers. Xia He went back with him, and the two talked while walking.

"Brother He, do you know that your younger brother's wedding date is set on No. 12 of this month?" Xu Wei asked gossipingly, and lowered his voice, as if he was talking about something important.

Xia He didn't know how long it had been since she cared about the affairs of this family, but Mengjia Village was only a small village, and any incident could be spread from the village head to the village tail within a quarter of an hour. Knowing that his elder brother is going to be promoted to serve as a servant to the county magistrate, it is difficult for him to know.

"I know, you will get what you ask for, Brother Xing is so lucky."

"Hey! I didn't expect Brother He to be so good at making fun of people. What a blessing to be a servant! Even the county magistrate's servant is still a servant, and only your father thinks he has a good face."

"Isn't he my father? I'm afraid Xu Da has forgotten it." Xia He denied it unhappily.

"That's right, it's a big slip of the tongue, I don't recognize you! Maybe Meng Tao will cry in the future! Meng Xing doesn't seem like a good person." Xu Wei paused, and changed the subject: "Hey! But, you all He's married, and Yaoyao in my family is also old, and I don't know which man would like him, a brother who chatters all day long."

"Yaoyao is beautiful and literate. There are many people waiting to marry him, so don't worry about it, Mrs. Xu."

"Hahaha, what's the matter, what's the matter, it's just you old brothers who always praise him, making him look so stinky!"

*******

The two chatted about other things. Xu Wei was the most tongue-twisting in the village, and he couldn't shut up the chatterbox once he opened it. Xia He learned a lot of interesting things from him.After a while, they arrived at the door of Xia He's house. Xia He greeted Xu Wei and opened the door to cook.

There are not many vegetables in the field at this time of year, but the farmers have their own way of survival. Xia He washes the rice and cooks the rice first, then takes out the sauerkraut brewed years ago, the dried melon slices, and cuts a piece of bacon, ready to use Cook melon slices and sauerkraut together, then cut the bacon into slices and steam it.After a while, the meal is ready.Fill a big bowl full of rice with the biggest pottery bowl at home, then put two bowls of vegetables into the basket, take an empty bowl and two pairs of chopsticks, cover the basket with a piece of white cloth, and Xia He used a ladle again Scooping up water to fill the water bag, everything was ready, Xia He wiped off the water in his hands with satisfaction, holding the basket in one hand and the water bag in the other, locked the door, and walked into the field.

*******

Xia He carried the food and walked quickly. This early in the morning, my husband was probably starving.

"Brother He is going to deliver food to Brother Wu!" Xu Ran, who happened to meet on the road, greeted Xia He.

"Well, Brother Ran brought the cow back, and the land has been plowed?" Xia He asked while looking at the cow Xu Ran was leading.

"Brother Kui has been working so hard on the plowing. It has already been finished. I'm afraid your family will be finished too." Xu Ran replied with a smile.

"The past few days have been plowing dry land, and the paddy fields haven't been plowed yet! Hey, Brother Ran, no one can borrow your cattle! Can you take it to my family?"

"Didn't Meng Wu borrow the cattle from the village chief's family?" Xu Ran asked suspiciously.

"Grandpa Lichang said, lend it to us to plow first, and when we run out, his family will use it again, but this is not very good. Since Brother Ran's land has already been plowed, it is better to borrow your cattle."

"Then what's the problem? Tomorrow you ask Brother Wu to come to my house."

After the two chatted, they went in different directions and went their separate ways.

"Husband, come to eat!"

Hearing Xia He's cry, Meng Wu put down the plow in his hand, threw a handful of grass to the cow, patted the mud on his hand, and walked towards his husband.

The two sat down on a flat ground, Xia He lifted the white cloth covering the basket, and a smell of food wafted into his face.Meng Wu was so hungry that his chest was pressed against his back. He first took the water bag Xia He handed him and took a big sip of water, then swallowed to watch Xia He share the meal.

Xia He used chopsticks to divide some of the rice from the big pottery bowl into his own bowl, and then handed the whole big pottery bowl to his husband. Meng Wu didn't mind taking over the big pottery bowl with a deep mouth that was a bit bigger than his own face. Ugly, gulping down to soothe his internal organs.

When Meng Wu was full, Xia He put away the bowl and told her husband what happened to Xu Ran just now.

"That's good! It's still Fulang's thoughtful thinking. After today's work is done, the dry land will be plowed. Then I will take the cow back to Grandpa's house tonight."

After resting for a while and eating, Meng Wu and Xia He continued to work.Because Meng Wu has no experience in farm work, and because the cow is not familiar with him, he felt that it was useless two days ago, but his husband was watching from behind, so he naturally pretended to be in control. in the appearance.However, after a day or two of practice, Meng Wu has become very proficient, so his efficiency is much higher now.

From time to time, a cow could be heard yelling in the field. Meng Wu and Xia He didn't speak, but they felt extremely close.