Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 120: Start (2)

Ah Jian did not rush to take the food out of the baskets to prevent them from going cold too quickly, so she took the donkey and stood there talking with the others.

After a while, Lian Ze also came over and called, “Sister, Brother Ah Jian!”

Lian Fang Zhou smiled and asked, “Well? How was the work this morning?”

“Good,” Lian Ze nodded and said, “These uncles are good workers, they all work hard! It’s really difficult to clean this area but no one complains!”

Lian Fang Zhou listened as he spoke clearly and methodically, and inevitably smiled and praised him.

After lunch, they finished the rest of the work and washed their hands in twos and threes.
Lian Fang Zhou smiled and said, “Everyone, take a break and come over for dinner! You can finish the work in the evening and when you come again tomorrow!”

The people who built the road felt their spirits rise and all smiled, saying that the owner was kind.

There was more than two miles left but with so many people, they could fix it in about an hour and a half or so.

“The hostess really didn’t lie, this lunch is really real, I am very satisfied!” One person came over and smiled.

“No! It’s rare to see a food like this.
It’s our good luck to come here!” Everyone laughed and agreed.

Lian Fang Zhou smiled and said, “Everyone has worked hard, so this should be done!”

 

Ah Jian called two strong men to come and help take the things out of the bamboo baskets.
Lian Fang Zhou spread the tarp she had bought yesterday on the ground and placed it down very neatly.

After the arrangement was completed, they called them over.
Everyone took turns to take food and each person had a pair of chopsticks, a bowl of soup, and some pancakes and steamed buns.

She thought that they must be acquaintances with each other, as they were all kind and honest people, and there was no one who rushed and pushed.
Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t help but nod secretly.
The people Zhao Liu found were really good.

This, of course, was giving face to Liu Jia, and Lian Fang Zhou thought that she would have to thank Liu Jia next time.

She shouldn’t let her gratitude be unheard.

Eventually the food Lian Fang Zhou had brought disappeared.
She was a little bit embarrassed and said with a smile: “I don’t know if you big men are full.
I will prepare more tomorrow, I can’t let anyone work hungry!”

Everyone laughed and said, “I’m full! If you bring the same amount as this tomorrow, it will be just right, the lady boss doesn’t need to be busy!”

Lian Fang Zhou smiled and said a few words to everyone, but when she saw that they were being honest, she stopped insisting.

After resting for a while, Ah Jian called a man named Li Qing to come over and asked him to take everyone down to finish the road.
He then left two people behind to help burn the weeds together.

The man named Li Qing agreed and gathered the workers to leave.

Lian Fang Zhou saw that Li Qing was in his 40s, with a sturdy body, a little tan face, thick eyebrows, and big energetic eyes.
He looked very stable and capable.
As soon as he called out, everyone obediently followed without any reluctant or unconvinced looks.
It was clear that he was a leader for this group of people.

 

It was hard for Ah Jian to pay attention to every detail so he had casually picked this person out.
Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t help but secretly praised him as she glanced at Ah Jian.

Ah Jian happened to be looking at her, he seemed to understand the meaning in Lian Fang Zhou’s eyes.
He smiled slightly at her, making Lian Fang Zhou feel a little embarrassed.
She hid behind her sleeve and smiled, saying: “Let’s light the fire!”

Ah Jian nodded.
“Good,” he said and pointed in a direction: “Go up there and start the fire, it’s just downwind.
Let’s do what we can tonight and finish the rest tomorrow!”

The pair of workers went over together as Ah Jian arranged which places to fire the lights.
The two split up, each taking their own spot, leaving the other areas to Lian Fang Zhou, Lian Ze, and Ah Jian.

Lian Ze thought this work was particularly interesting, so he was eager to try and couldn’t wait, rubbing his hands from time to time.
His eyes were bright as he looked at Lian Fang Zhou excitedly.

How could Lian Fang Zhou not know his thoughts? Laughing, she smiled and said: “Come on, follow Brother Ah Jian, I will let you light the fires!”

“Hey! Sister, don’t worry, I will do whatever Brother Ah Jian asks!” Lian Ze was overjoyed and promised to behave with a wide smile.

Ah Jian and Lian Fang Zhou laughed.

Ah Jian turned his head and said to Lian Fang Zhou, “It will be fine if we stay and watch.
You can take your things back first, you don’t have to come back in the evening!”

Lian Fang Zhou was a little hungry, so she smiled and agreed, quickly packing up her things to go back.

Between the four of them, the fires were lit in eight places.
Thanks to the dry weather and the mountain breeze, the fire quickly spread across the grass, becoming a prairie fire.

Soon, the raging fire combined into one large fire.
The orange-red color was warm, crackling wherever it went, and countless pieces of ash and burning pieces of grass flew up into the air.

Looking at the fire, Lian Ze was flushed with excitement.
He stood there with Ah Jian, smiling and watching.

Ah Jian waited for all of the acres to finish burning before he carefully surveyed the boundary.
When he was sure the fire was out and would not cause a mountain fire, he and Lian Ze left together.

The sun gradually drifted westward and the road construction was nearing completion.

Ah Jian asked Lian Ze to wait, as he planned to go up to help, but everyone laughed: “This is a good job, just wait a moment and you won’t need to help, Brother Ah Jian!”

Ah Jian looked around and did not step forward, smiling as he waited with Lian Ze.

After everyone was done, Ah Jian said: “Let’s stop for today! Tomorrow will be a hard day!” He gave the wages to Lian Ze to pass out, one by one.
Everyone happily took their share with a smile and thanked both of them.

Back home, Ah Jian briefly reported to Lian Fang Zhou, saying that if everything was done, he could open up wasteland tomorrow.
Lian Fang Zhou was relieved.

 

After dinner, she went to Aunt Zhang’s house again.

Tomorrow, Uncle Li was going to help build the cowshed, so she definitely needed to talk with her.

Seeing her coming, Uncle Li smiled and said, “Fang Zhou, you are here! I was just talking about going to your house with your Aunt Zhang!”

“How could I make you take this trip, Uncle Li!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled.

Aunt Zhang invited her to sit down and said with a smile: “We are neighbors, why do we need to pay attention to such small details? No matter who go, you are here, so Uncle Li can explain everything.”

Uncle Li smiled and told Lian Fang Zhou his plan.

“I asked four people to help.
They are all kind and diligent.
In addition, there are only six of us, fathers and sons.
We can do the work within two days if we work hard! I bought everything, and they will be delivered to the door tomorrow morning.
If possible, it would be best if you could be at home tomorrow! It took almost two taels of silver to buy the wood, planks, nails, and cedar bark for the roof!”

Uncle Li talked to Lian Fang Zhou one by one about the specific expenditures and asked her if she had any questions.

He was illiterate but his memory was good.