The Farm Girl’s Charismatic Fortune
Chapter 109 - 106 Reclaiming Wasteland

Chapter 109: Chapter 106 Reclaiming Wasteland

The Ruo Family hosted a feast, and nearly the entire village came.

The tables ordered from town were filled with fish and meat, twelve dishes in all, with ten of them being meat dishes.

The wine and meat were excellent, and even after everyone had their fill, they stayed together, happily conversing.

The village head said happily, "Xuanbao! You truly are our little blessing, saving the entire county’s people. No wonder The Emperor rewarded you! This old man has never even dreamt of what an imperial edict looks like, and yet, I saw one in reality. Xuanbao! From now on, your grandpa, the village head, will follow you! You plant an extra season of rice, I’ll plant an extra season too, you grow fruit trees, I’ll grow fruit trees. Don’t forget to include your grandpa, the village head, okay?"

Ruo Xuan, munching on a rabbit leg beside her mother, responded, "Alright, I’ll prepare an extra portion of saplings and seeds for the village head grandpa when the time comes."

"Haha, good, good!"

The other villagers, upon hearing this, felt a bit envious, but they didn’t have the silver to buy wasteland!

Recently, the villagers had harvested all the rice that had been submerged in water, much of which had already sprouted and was inedible, yielding only a third of the usual harvest.

A villager couldn’t help but ask, "Xuanbao, are you planning to plant an extra season of rice after fixing up your fields?"

Xuanbao nodded her little head, "Yes! Our family has too little grain! We want to plant an extra season of rice to harvest more grain."

Upon hearing this, Daniu’s mother eagerly asked, "Xuanbao, can you guarantee that it will definitely be successful? It won’t delay the summer planting, will it?"

A few hesitant villagers also pursued the question, "Right, Xuanbao, is there enough time to plant an extra season of rice? It won’t result in no harvest and also delay the summer planting, will it? If the summer planting is delayed and we have no summer harvest, we’ll be left eating the north wind. Give us a definite answer, if you say planting three seasons will surely yield a harvest, auntie will follow and plant with you!"

"Xuanbao, you are a blessing, we all want to plant with you, but we are afraid of getting no harvest. Give us a clear answer, can you guarantee a bountiful harvest without delaying the summer harvest? Your aunt believes in you! You are a blessing, having saved the entire county’s people, we believe your words."

Wasn’t this clearly trying to take advantage of Xuanbao, who was only three years old, setting up a trap for her?

When it comes to planting grains, it all depends on Mother Nature’s mood, who could guarantee such a thing?

Granny Lei and Lady Xuanyuan, afraid that young Xuanbao might not understand the trap in the words, were just about to speak when Ruo Xuan already began, "I can’t guarantee it! My family is merely trying it out and can’t guarantee a harvest. Planting grain involves risks, you all decide for yourselves, whether you plant or not, it’s none of my business, nor my family’s business!"

Ruo Xuan might not understand worldly ways, but she wasn’t foolish!

The inquirers had an attitude of holding her accountable if there was no harvest, despite assurances, and she wasn’t about to guarantee anything to them.

Whether they planted or not, what did it have to do with her?

In the world of plants, it was always survival of the fittest.

If they had asked properly, Ruo Xuan would have given them a definite answer, but to those harboring ill intentions, Ruo Xuan didn’t care at all!

Interfering in others’ affairs was simply inviting trouble.

Granny Lei and Lady Xuanyuan were finally assured.

Lady Xuanyuan thought to herself: Smart Xuanbao, she understood the traps in these people’s words, and she spoke without giving them anything to hold onto.

Granny Lei reminded the villagers again, "Planting an extra season of rice is our own family’s affair; we don’t guarantee success, we’re just trying it out! We won’t call on everyone to plant together. Whether you plant or not is up to you, and you will bear the consequences. Our Ruo Family certainly won’t be involved!"

The village head said irately, "That’s not how you conduct yourselves—laying traps for a child! I’m telling you, if you’re afraid, then don’t plant. If you plant and end up with no harvest, don’t try to blame the Ruo Family! Planting or not is your own affair! You won’t be sharing your harvest with the Ruo Family either! If anyone dares to be dishonest, I’ll drive you out of the village!"

Daniu’s mother snickered upon hearing this, "I didn’t think like that, I just wanted to be sure! Since it’s uncertain, I won’t plant."

"Right! We didn’t think that way, we were just unsure how to proceed and wanted confirmation."

....

The village head waved his hand, "Who can be certain about such things? Do what you think is best! Just like me, I’ll follow the Ruo Family’s lead in planting. If I lose or gain, I’ll take responsibility for it myself, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the Ruo Family! If there’s anyone like me who can bear the consequences on their own, then give it a try! Otherwise, don’t try at all; better not to harm others or yourself!"

Several households on good terms with the Ruo Family decided to go ahead and plant, and they all spoke up.

Yong Fu nodded, "The village head is right! I am the same! I also followed the Ruo Family to plant an extra season of rice, and the seedlings have already been raised! Whether it can succeed or not has nothing to do with the Ruo Family."

Guang Cai said, "I also planted with the Ruo Family. It doesn’t matter whether it succeeds or not! Even if there’s no harvest at all, isn’t it just a waste of a bit of labour and a few pounds of grain."

...

The village head nodded, "That’s the logic! If you’re afraid, then don’t plant, but if we succeed, it’s not too late for you all to plant next year!"

When the other villagers heard this, they also felt it made sense. First, they would see if they could grow crops this year, and if successful, it wouldn’t be too late to start the next year.

Xuanyuan’s Granny, watching these villagers, thought to herself, "Fortune favors the bold, and timid die of hunger—that must be the principle!"

But life is full of different circumstances.

Daring to strive has its benefits.

There’s also good in being cautious and proceeding step by step.

It’s just that everyone must take responsibility for their choices.

Thinking of the ample silver she now had, and that she could quickly cultivate the fruit saplings inside the Qiankun Bag, Xuanbao said, "My family has a hundred acres of land that need to be plowed, as well as mountain and wasteland that needs to be reclaimed. If everyone is not too busy, you can come help with the plowing and land reclamation starting tomorrow."

The one hundred acres of land granted by the Emperor were also in Shaxi County, just in the neighboring village and not far from Xishui Village. Ruo Xuan also planned to plant an extra season of rice to harvest more grain.

Since she decided to plant, the land had to be plowed first!

Ruo Shui nodded, "Right, the wages for clearing wasteland are one hundred wen a day for men and fifty wen a day for women. You can also get paid by the acre, two hundred wen per acre. Plowing land is one hundred wen per acre. You can call relatives and friends from other villages to help. The wages are the same for everyone, and meals are not included."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately signed up to participate.

The pay wasn’t low, just perfect for earning some silver to spend for the New Year.

"My family will go to plow the land!"

"I’ll also go to plow the land!"

"We’ll clear the land, all seven of our family members!"

"Our whole family will go to clear the land!"

...

Ruo Shui spoke out loud, "Everyone, please head to the fields to start working at dawn tomorrow. The wages will be settled daily. You can settle with my elder brother and the village head."

"Alright, we’ll be there on time tomorrow!"

...

Since they were going to clear the land tomorrow, everyone quickly dispersed to go to bed earlier, saving up their energy for tomorrow’s work.

The next day

As soon as it was light, many villagers were already carrying water, with whole families, young and old, heading out to clear the land.

Because they could be paid by the acre, the diligent families all wanted to do as much as they could.

While the rest of the Ruo Family attended to printing books, Granny Lei took several children to supervise, patrolling the barren mountains and fields and also helping with the reclamation.

For the hundred acres of land given by the Emperor, Ruo Hai led people over to identify the boundaries of the fields. There was no need to supervise them—once the plowing was completed, they just had to check the work and pay with silver.

Just as Xuanbao was weeding, and had gotten her head full of weeds, one carriage after another came off the official road and headed in the direction of the Ruo Family’s home.