CHAPTER 24: CHAPTER 24: I TEACH FARMING IN THE GREAT TANG

EDITOR: ENDLESSFANTASY TRANSLATION

Little Qingyu, who was playing, quickly noticed Lin Wanwan’s gaze, tossed aside the toy building blocks in her hand, and rushed towards Lin Wanwan: "Mommy! Hug hug!"

Lin Wanwan picked up the little one and asked her, "Which one do you like most to accompany you, little Yu’er?"

Little Yu’er hugged Lin Wanwan’s neck and whispered to her, "Mommy, I like you the most."

Lin Wanwan smiled and said, "Mommy knows that, but Mommy wants to find someone to be with you when she’s busy. You pick one."

Little Yu’er’s big eyes glanced back and forth between Yun Shang and Hua Nong. The two New Luo Maids, knowing the little mistress was choosing a companion, stood at attention, their faces slightly tense with nerves.

Little Yu’er pointed to Yun Shang, who looked more graceful: "Mommy, I want her to play with me."

Beauty sure is an advantage.

Lin Wanwan immediately agreed and said to both of them, "From now on, Yun Shang, you will exclusively take care of little Yu’er and handle her daily affairs. Hua Nong, you will be responsible for cleaning the house and accompanying me on outings."

The two New Luo Maids answered in unison, "Yes!"

One was assigned to do detailed indoor tasks, while the other became a maid for rough work.

After arranging the New Luo Maids, Lin Wanwan left little Qingyu and Yun Shang at home, while she took Kun Lun and Hua Nong to rent a carriage and headed straight to Xiaoxi Town.

It’s not that Lin Wanwan was being careless letting the newly arrived maid take care of the child. It’s just that the little one had been sick with a fever for two consecutive nights, and taking her back and forth was really too exhausting. She didn’t want to tire her out.

Fortunately, the servants had indentured contracts in her hands, and compared to modern nannies, they were much more restrained. The crime of escaping as a slave was no small matter.

Lin Wanwan went to Xiaoxi Town to retrieve the carriage and horses she had ordered. Now, with Kun Lun as the driver, the carriage could be brought back home.

Without her own carriage, in this era where transport was slow, going anywhere would be inconvenient.

The next day, leaving Hua Nong and Yun Shang at home to watch over things, Lin Wanwan took the now healthy little Qingyu along with Wang Dulei, and set off back to the countryside Lin Family Manor for a field survey in the carriage.

The carriage, though not convertible, had the curtains lifted, and the gentle breeze made it quite refreshing.

The tires of the carriage had secretly been installed with rubber by Lin Wanwan from modern times, and the vehicle was equipped with shock-absorbing springs. It’s likely this carriage was more comfortable than the Emperor Tang’s.

With so much pepper, Lin Wanwan had no reason to skimp on herself. You see, it’s hard to go from extravagance to frugality, but quite easy to go from frugality to extravagance.

Wang Dulei and his young apprentice sat in another carriage of Lin Wanwan’s, following behind, harboring complicated feelings all the way.

This little lady in front of him was indeed extraordinary. Living conveniently in the town but wanting to build a house in the countryside.

The carriage, however, was stopped at a rough and narrow mountain path some distance from the village entrance. After getting off the carriage with little Qingyu, Lin Wanwan said, "To get rich, first build roads. Wang Dulei, I want to extend the main road right up to the courtyard gate. Can it be done?"

Wang Dulei stroked his beard and replied, "As long as you are willing to spend the copper coins, I can build the road to the city, my lady."

Lin Wanwan chuckled, "Then I’ll trouble you."

Kun Lun was left to watch over the horses and the carriage while Lin Wanwan, carrying little Qingyu, led Wang Dulei and his apprentice towards the village.

The clansmen of Lin Family Manor saw them from afar and waved to greet them.

Bored children, holding sticks, pretended to ride horses and followed the group.

Little Qingyu got down from Lin Wanwan’s arms, holding a glass jar filled with dissolvable beans, and became the leader of the children. The children’s mouths were filled with "little Yu’er," "little Yu’er," shouting non-stop. The snack provider, she became their king!

While Wang Dulei and the apprentice measured the land, many curious villagers, who had heard the news, came to watch.

The Clan Leader also came over, repeatedly saying, "Why hire someone? It’s a waste of copper coins. Wait until we’re free, and the men of the clan can help out, and it’ll be done."

Lin Wanwan just smiled without replying. Some things require specialized skills, and money that should be spent must be spent.

After the field measurement was done, Wang Dulei and his apprentice took their leave.

Lin Wanwan went as usual to rest at Lin Mengbo’s house. But today, besides resting, she planned to persuade Lin Mengbo to plant the seeds she had brought.

The box containing the seeds had been left at Lin Mengbo’s house since she brought it two days ago.

The houses of Lin Family Manor were surrounded by fields. Though the fields were not large, there were quite a few plots. However, most were barren with little yield.

Many villagers had also developed quite a bit of farmland on the hills, with allocations all settled among families.

Lin Wanwan also received a plot, right next to the sloped field of Lin Mengbo’s household, so she wanted to persuade Lin Mengbo to plant the same crops with her.

On the mountain slopes, rice couldn’t be grown, but sweet potatoes could be! Lin Wanwan bought quite a few seedlings. At the end of July, there was still time to plant a batch of autumn sweet potatoes.

The Clan Leader did not trust her opinion on farming matters, so she had no choice but to find Lin Mengbo.

Actually, Lin Mengbo wasn’t entirely convinced either, but he always felt grateful to Lin Wanwan for saving Da Ya, so he gritted his teeth and agreed to join her endeavor.

If worse comes to worst, and they yield nothing, their family would just eat more seafood by the sea then. As long as he could go to the sea, the family wouldn’t starve.

The seeds Lin Wanwan bought were all semi-finished products, very easy to cultivate. She left little Qingyu at Lin Mengbo’s house to play with a group of children while Lin Qin was weaving and could keep an eye on them.

Lin Wanwan used a few pieces of milk candy wrapped in oil paper to exchange for the older children to guard the horses and carriage at the village entrance and let the tall and strong Kun Lun return.

To work on the farm, she couldn’t waste a big guy like Kun Lun.

Lin Wanwan herself didn’t know how to farm. Though she read quite a few books on agriculture this month, they were all theoretical. However, she had great confidence in her improved varieties from a thousand years in the future, so she directed the work efficiently and clearly.

Lin Mengbo shook his head at her performance. Who relies on books to farm? Listen to all this jargon she told them, all incomprehensible book language.

He had been farming since he was 12 years old and had never heard of anyone directing farm laborers from book-reading; it was like the sun rising from the west.

Yet, since the fields were ready, he had no choice but to dive in now.

As for Kun Lun, he had no other thoughts. The master fed him meat and gave him plenty of rice, so it was only right to do whatever work he was given. Originally, Kunlun slaves were mostly engaged in heavy labor; farming was naturally doable. Anyway, if the master said go east, he would never go west. The big guy, simple-minded, just followed whatever the master said.

After busying around until evening, Lin Wanwan finally directed everyone, herself included, to plant all the sweet potatoes despite some clumsiness.

Lin Wanwan wiped the sweat off her forehead, thankful she had applied thick sunscreen and was wearing a sun hat, otherwise, she probably would have gotten sunburnt.