The sun is very strong.
The fierce sunlight was shining directly, and big beads of sweat rolled down from the forehead and dripped into the rice fields.
It was the second day of the autumn harvest, and Cheng Wanwan was so tired that he almost fell apart.
Their family has a total of five acres of paddy fields and four main laborers. She and Zhao Dashan are in a group, Zhao Ergou and Zhao Sanniu are in a group. The two groups take turns harvesting, and the other group is responsible for tying the cut rice with straw ropes, and then Pick them home and pile them in the yard. There will be omissions in the field harvest, and there will be ears of rice falling on the ground. Zhao Sidan is responsible for picking up the fallen rice and taking it back.
The people who stayed at home were Wu Huiniang and Cheng Zhao. Wu Huiniang sat beside the rice and threshed it. She lifted the rice handful by handful and smashed it against the edge of the wooden basin. Some grains would fall into the basin, but because the rice was still Containing moisture, some grains would not fall off no matter what, so they threw these ears of rice on the ground in the yard to dry in the sun for a long time.
Next came Cheng Zhao's work. He threshed the rice with a flail, over and over again, until all the grains fell off.
Wu Huiniang was a pregnant woman and Cheng Zhao was a scholar. The two of them worked extremely slowly. It took them most of a day to produce a pot of threshed rice. The grains were placed outside the door to be exposed to the sun, and the moisture could be completely dried before they could be threshed. shell process.
Cheng Wanwan cut rice for most of the day, and three blood blisters appeared on her palms. The pain was severe when touched, so she quickly changed shifts with Zhao Sanniu.
She gathered the cut rice together, tied it with straw rope, and carried it home on a pole.
The rice fields are not far from home, but carrying such a heavy thing all the way back under the bright sun makes me tired and out of breath.
When he arrived at the gate of the yard and put down the rice, Cheng Wanwan felt that there seemed to be blood blisters on his shoulders.
She walked into the back room and pulled open her collar. Her left shoulder was red, and the skin on her right shoulder was broken. She grimaced in pain.
She quickly bought some ointment from the mall and applied it on her left and right shoulders, as well as on her palms. It felt cool and cool and she finally felt a lot more comfortable.
She sat on a chair to rest and couldn't help but sigh. No matter what age, the most miserable and tired people are always farmers, and the poorest are also farmers. Farmers are always at the bottom of society.
"Zhao'er, come here."
Cheng Wanwan waved.
Cheng Zhao, who was threshing rice in the yard, walked in and took a sip of water.
Cheng Wanwan took his hand over. The skin on the palm of the child's palm was also broken. Ploughing rice was just less tiring than harvesting rice. In fact, it was also physical work. If Cheng Zhao returned to Cheng's house, he would definitely not need to do this. Kind of work.
"If you're tired, just sit down and take a rest. You can take your time with the threshing."
Cheng Zhao shook his head: "I think it's quite interesting."
Cheng Wanwan smiled and applied the ointment on him. The ointment had a very simple outer packaging, and there was nothing unusual about it.
She walked into the kitchen, took out a few bowls, bought anti-heat medicine from the mall, poured it into the bowls, and then took it out and handed it to Cheng Zhao and Wu Huiniang.
"I brewed this with heatstroke-preventing herbs and drank them all."
Neither Cheng Zhao nor Wu Huiniang had any doubts.
After all, she could find herbs to kill locusts, so it was normal for her to know herbs to prevent heatstroke.
Cheng Wanwan put on a straw hat, took a pole and went back to the field to call a few boys to come back and drink anti-heat medicine. If they fainted from the heat in the field, it would be a big trouble.
The whole village is busy, whether it is the elderly or children, they are all doing what they can. The rice must be taken home as soon as possible, and after it is taken back, it must be threshed as soon as possible. After threshing, it must be peeled... After this series of things, it is eight days. moon.
Before reaching the field, Cheng Wanwan saw a carriage parked at the entrance of Dahe Village.
She recognized this carriage as it was the exclusive vehicle of Magistrate Shen.
Usually when a carriage comes to the village, the villagers will definitely flock to watch.
But now, the villagers were so busy that they could only see rice. They were a little dizzy when they got up and looked up, and they didn't notice the approach of the carriage at all.
The carriage continued to move forward and stopped in front of Cheng Wanwan's house.
She didn't care about looking for a few children in the fields and turned back to the door of her house.
The carriage stopped and Magistrate Shen stepped out of the carriage, followed immediately by Shen Zheng.
He saw the people threshing rice in the yard at a glance, and was shocked: "Cheng Zhao, why are you here?"
Cheng Zhao put down the flail, and Wu Huiniang hurried over. The two of them knelt down and bowed: "The common people have seen the county magistrate."
Magistrate Shen waved his hand: "There is no need to give such a big gift in the future. I am here today to give you a letter of guarantee."
He took a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it over.
Generally speaking, there will be a guarantee document next year, but County Magistrate Shen got one in advance. Next year, he only needs to find someone to sign it.
Cheng Zhao took it with both hands: "Cheng Zhao will bear in mind the kindness of the county magistrate..."
"This is what you deserve." County Magistrate Shen patted him on the shoulder, "Next year's college examination, whether our town can produce talents depends entirely on you."
An average county or town can produce about seven or eight scholars every year, but Ping'an Town is really too poor. The number of children being admitted every year is less than 100. A scholar will be produced only every few years, but there has never been one. On the other hand, In Hekou Town, because of the presence of Nanfu Academy, the number of scholars every year could reach twenty or thirty, and from time to time there would be a master of the exam, which he could not envy.
I just hope that Cheng Zhao can take the lead and suppress Hekou Town's arrogance.
Shen Zheng was a little dissatisfied: "Dad, what do you think of me? I'm pretty good at what I learn and do. I may not be able to pass the exam as a scholar."
Magistrate Shen sneered and was too lazy to say anything more.
The county magistrate's only biological son was naturally held in high esteem by the people around him. After holding him for so long, the boy didn't even know how much he weighed.
Cheng Zhao was not afraid of power and was full of ink. He asked his son to learn more from Cheng Zhao, and maybe he could lead this boy to the right path.
Another one, his son has had no mother since he was a child, and his old mother loves him. He has always been pampered and has never suffered. He doesn't know the sufferings of the world, and he doesn't know how luxurious it is to study. Let this boy stay in Dahe Village for a while to calm down his impatience. A good character will only bring benefits and no harm to your future life.
Magistrate Shen said, "Where's the second bitch mother Zhao Cheng?"
Shen Zheng was surprised and said: "Er Gou, is this Er Gou's home?"
The last time he opened the canal, he and Ergou got along for a few days. They were the same age. He quite liked Ergou and wanted to let Ergou be his playmate. However, his father mentioned this matter last time and Ergou My mother didn’t agree.
Just as she was talking, Cheng Wanwan walked into the courtyard. She was about to salute when she was stopped by Magistrate Shen.
"Ms. Zhao Cheng, I came today to ask you a favor." Magistrate Shen did not pretend to be an official, but said in a low tone, "One-third of Huzhou's territory is in vain. We will face a situation where refugees are running around and bandits are prevalent, so I’m afraid I’ll be busy for a while.”
Cheng Wanwan raised her eyebrows slightly.
Refugees are running around and bandits are prevalent. She, a woman, is unable to solve these messes. The county magistrate must be crazy. He actually comes to ask a peasant woman about political matters like this. She doesn't know what to do...
"I want Quanzi to live in Dahe Village for a while."
"What?"
Cheng Wanwan's eyes widened.
She asked why the county magistrate would ask her about political affairs... No, why did the county magistrate's son live in Dahe Village? He just lived there, so why did he come to tell her all the way?
"Dad, what did you say?"
Shen Zheng was also shocked.
"There is no room for you to speak here." Magistrate Shen bowed his hand to Cheng Wanwan, "Zhao Cheng's skill in teaching his son impressed Shen, but the dog is so stubborn that he is not as good as two dogs with one finger..."
Shen Zheng was dissatisfied: "Dad, I am much better than that Zhao Ergou, I..."
"Shut up!" Magistrate Shen glanced over with a cold look and continued to walk towards Cheng Wan, "Shen knows that this request is too abrupt, but Shen really has no choice. The dog is naughty. Zhao Cheng just educates him and doesn't have to worry about it. As the son of a county magistrate, he can be scolded when he needs to be scolded and beaten when he needs to be beaten. If he dares to resist, Mrs. Zhao Cheng can come to me."
Cheng Wanwan: "..."
She had never given birth to a child and did not know how to educate her children. How did the county magistrate see that she was good at raising children?
The magistrate's son seemed to deserve a beating at first glance. He was the kind of rebellious and trouble-making boy. She really didn't want to leave any trouble at home.
