Chapter 20: Farming

Chapter 20: Farming

Under Chen Youyan's quick knife, the fresh pork gradually turns into minced meat. The iron knife scoops it up, gives a light shake, and it drops into the ceramic basin placed nearby.

Wang Xiuxiu follows right after, pouring the chopped shepherd's purse and purslane into the same ceramic basin.

With so many people to feed, making enough meat buns for everyone—let alone anything else—the wild vegetables alone wouldn't be sufficient.

So while Wang Xiuxiu prepares the filling, Chen Youyan scoops out fresh flour at the other table, planning to knead more dough to make some flatbreads.

The sun gradually rises, and the once-chilly small courtyard quickly warms up.

Yin Hongxue looks up, feeling the comfort of sunlight falling on his clothes, but can't help but think of Gu Chaoning and the others.

They find the sunlight comfortable at home, but he wonders if Brother Chaoning and his father and grandfather might feel hot while working.

Should he go deliver water again a bit later?

Yin Hongxue breaks into a smile and slowly lifts his hand toward the sun.

Sunlight filters through the gaps between his fingers, landing on his face. Gu Chaoning frowns slightly in discomfort.

The sun's really beating down now.

Gu Daniu, seeing Gu Chaoning's movements and expression, his heart aches for his eldest grandson.

"Chaoning, tired? Why don't you take a break on the ridge? There's still water in the clay jar—go get a drink."

Originally, Gu Daniu hadn't wanted Gu Chaoning to come out to the fields.

The child studied well, and the village schoolteacher said he could sit for the Tongsheng exam this year. The village school had a spring plowing holiday, but Gu Daniu had wanted the child to stay home and study.

However, when he raised this idea, it was shot down by Gu Wen and Chen Youyan.

In Xiaohe Village, no family would make a child taking the exam this year follow them into the fields.

But the son and his husband's reasoning was the same as when they'd first let Gu Chaoning join the family farm work.

A farm family's child must understand the hardship of farming and the value of studying, must know how hard the family labors to earn the paper and ink he uses.

Farm children, whether they study well or not, must know how to farm.

If they study well and gain some influence, or even become officials, knowing the hardship of farming will make them truly care for the people.

If they don't study well, after picking up some book learning and returning home, the fields are still their foundation—having the ability to farm means they won't starve.

So what if he has an exam this year? A few days of plowing won't make him forget what he's learned.

If he gets so worked up over a mere Tongsheng exam, what about the future?

Gu Daniu lost the argument and was persuaded by his son and his husband, so this year Gu Chaoning came again.

But Gu Daniu, as a doting grandfather, still worried about his grandson.

Gu Chaoning didn't know that his elders had debated whether he should come help with the plowing. He shook his head at Gu Daniu and wiped his sweat with a cloth, calmly.

"I'm not tired, Grandfather, don't worry."

He had gone through this in his past life too, but as he climbed the ranks higher and higher, he walked further and further away, leaving Xiaohe Village's fields behind him.

Later, he navigated the ups and downs of court life, scheming and striving.

The fields that had carried him step by step into the court were gradually forgotten by him.

Thinking about it now, without solid ground under his feet, falling was inevitable.

Now, working alongside his elders in the fields, though tired, he felt a sense of grounding.

Refocusing, Gu Chaoning continued following behind the adults, using an iron rake to gather weeds, roots, and stones from the plowed soil into a basket.

Gu Wen had been working all along, but he had been keeping an eye on Gu Chaoning.

Seeing him like this, Gu Wen felt a mix of satisfaction and pride.

That's my boy.

The basket gradually filled, and fresh sweat trickled down his neck again, finally soaking into the cloth draped over his shoulders.

The sun grew stronger, and Gu Wen and the others had already peeled off their outer layers, leaving only thin shirts.

The sunlight beating on his back made Gu Chaoning uncomfortable. Seeing how comfortable his father and the others looked, he wanted to do the same.

But the moment his hand touched his collar, he remembered Chen Youyan's warning.

Gu Chaoning let out a long sigh, and instead of taking off his shirt, he just unbuttoned his collar and rolled up his sleeves.

Once the bamboo basket was full, one of them carried it to the edge of the field to dump it out, then carried it back to continue the same work.

He'd lost count of how many baskets he'd carried when he heard Gu Wen call out: "Alright! Done!"

Gu Chaoning, who had been raking with his head down, looked up dazedly. Gu Wen and the others stood at the field's edge—this last two-mu plot of average land had finally been completely plowed.

Gu Chaoning had been following right behind the others. With the plowing done, there wasn't much left to rake.

Especially since Hao Youfu and the other day laborers jumped in to help right after.

With the last basket of weeds and stones dumped, the Gu family's eleven and a half days of spring plowing finally came to an end.

"Dad! Grandma! Dad and the others are back!"

Gu Muan, lured by the meat buns, had been waiting at the door on his own. After waiting so long, when he suddenly spotted the people he was waiting for, he could hardly believe it.

But then, once he was sure that the people walking toward him on the road were his family, he immediately turned and ran back into the courtyard to tell his father and grandmother.

"Hey, that little boy runs pretty fast! Couldn't even wait a few more seconds!"

Gu Wen's smile, which had just begun to spread at the sight of the little boy, hadn't fully formed before the boy turned and ran back inside. He couldn't help but laugh and scold.

Gu Chaoning also saw his younger brother's actions, and knowing his brother's love of good food, he couldn't help but laugh.

He thought to himself in answer to Gu Wen's words.

He's not waiting for us—he's waiting for his meat buns!

He's waiting for everyone to come back so they can eat the meat buns together, and now that he sees people are back, of course he'd hurry inside to tell his father.

But Gu Wen didn't need him to say it. After laughing and scolding, he realized it himself. However, with outsiders around, he could only just laugh again.

This laugh came from finding his own little brother adorable.

When the group walked into the Gu family's small courtyard, the round table was already set.

The staples—golden flatbreads and snow-white meat buns—were piled high in a big basin right in the center.

Around the staples sat cold mixed bitter greens, dried wild mushrooms stewed with chicken, braised pork belly with cabbage and tofu, pan-fried tofu, meatball and radish soup, and scrambled eggs with scallions.

With so many mouths to feed, all of them strong laborers, Chen Youyan and Wang Xiuxiu hadn't bothered with anything fancy—just hearty, filling dishes to go with the rice.

The aroma of the food wafted around Gu Chaoning. Usually, he'd have dug in by now.

But sometimes, when you're really worn out, you just lose your appetite.

Gu Chaoning stared at the meat bun in his bowl, hesitated, then suddenly picked up his bowl and got up from the table.

"Not eating? Where are you going?" Gu Wen asked.

Gu Chaoning held up his bowl and pointed at the main hall. "I'm going to eat with Grandpa and Grandma."

With so many people around lately, plus two little boys in the house, the Gu family had been splitting into two tables for meals.

Gu Wen, Gu Chaoning, and the rest ate in the courtyard, while Chen Youyan, Wang Xiuxiu, and the two little boys ate in the main hall.

Gu Wen nodded and let him go.

"Chaoning Ge?"

Yin Hongxue had been thinking that since the farm work was done today, Chaoning Ge wouldn't be so exhausted—but that also meant he'd have time to check on his and An Geer's studies.

He was just lowering his head to grab a piece of egg, feeling a mix of relief and dread, when he looked up and saw Gu Chaoning standing in the doorway with his bowl.

At Yin Hongxue's voice, everyone in the room looked up.

Gu Muan blurted out, "Brother, why'd you come in?"

Gu Chaoning greeted his grandparents first, then walked into the main hall and sat down at an empty spot.

The spot happened to be right next to Yin Hongxue.

The Gu family didn't have assigned seats, but unless something came up, this was how they usually sat—Yin Hongxue and Gu Muan flanking Chen Youyan.

He said offhandedly, "It's a bit cold out there."

It was indeed chilly for early spring, even with the sun high in the sky.

Chen Youyan and Wang Xiuxiu nodded and quickly piled food onto his plate.

Yin Hongxue noticed Gu Chaoning's face looked a bit thinner and reached over to add a piece of chicken to his bowl.

Whatever the difference between inside and out, Gu Chaoning felt his appetite coming back and took a bite of his meat bun.

Early spring shepherd's purse was so tender you could almost eat it raw, let alone in a meat bun with pork and seasonings.

One bite, and it was no exaggeration to say his mouth was bursting with savory goodness—his appetite was fully back after that.

After the meal, Gu Wen paid Hao Youfu and the other two their wages, and the three of them left together.

As for Gu Chaoning, he'd planned to take a quick nap and then check Yin Hongxue and Gu Muan's homework.

But then Gu Rong showed up.

"Gu Rong Gege!"

Gu Muan was thrilled to see Gu Rong. He scurried over to grab a stool.

Gu Rong greeted the elders first, then quickly stopped Gu Muan from fetching the stool.

He held out the basket he was carrying. "We got some late-season tangerines at home, thought I'd bring some for An Geer and Xue Geer to try."

"Oh, you, you shouldn't have brought anything."

Over the years, Gu Rong and Gu Chaoning had become good friends through their back-and-forth visits. Whenever Gu Rong came by to see Gu Chaoning, he'd usually bring something.

The gifts weren't valuable, so it wasn't awkward for them to accept.

Likewise, when Gu Chaoning visited Gu Rong, he'd bring something as well.

After a bit more small talk with the elders, Gu Chaoning and Gu Rong headed to Gu Chaoning's room.

Gu Muan, who'd been about to fetch a stool for Gu Rong, stopped dead the second he saw the tangerines, forgetting all about stools.

After Chen Youyan brought in some snacks and hot tea and left, he saw Gu Muan already digging in. Even as he ate, he didn't forget to press one into Yin Hongxue's hand and tell him to eat up.

Back in the room, the moment Chen Youyan left, Gu Rong's rigid posture loosened a bit.

"Chaoning, I still don't feel too sure about this Tongsheng exam."

He'd figured it was about this.

Gu Rong was decently learned, upright and kind in character, and handsome yet proper in appearance—except for one thing:

He just didn't have enough confidence in himself.

Gu Chaoning calmly poured a cup of tea and slid it over, then poured one for himself before speaking slowly. "What do you think of the teacher's learning?"

"He's brilliant, of course!"

"And how does the teacher carry himself when he speaks?"

"He never goes back on his word!"

Gu Chaoning smiled and patted his shoulder.

"If the teacher's prized student sits for the exam, how could he possibly fail a mere Tongsheng exam?"

Gu Rong was taken aback, then slowly laughed.

"Chaoning, oh Chaoning—a mere Tongsheng exam, you say. Only you would put it like that."

But after hearing that, Gu Rong's heart, oddly enough, actually settled.