CHAPTER 199: CHAPTER 189: THERE REALLY IS WATER! (3)

The village chief also wore a contemplative expression, but didn’t ponder for long: "Little Jiang, what do you think of this?"

"Anyway, this pond will be dug regardless, Master Liu said this place is most likely to uncover a water source, we trust Master Liu."

"Even if water is excavated from this pond, it will still belong to your Jiang family, no matter what you do in the future, the villagers must not have any objections."

The crowd began to murmur, very quietly, indistinct.

The village chief continued, "Just one thing, if it’s normal times it wouldn’t matter, but in conditions like now, if our village wants to use the water, you cannot stop it."

If there is a private pond, the benefits are still many, getting someone to dig one really costs quite a bit.

The village chief said this for the future, in case we encounter a disaster like this again.

Jiang Hu nodded without hesitation: "Although this land belongs to my family, the pond was dug by everyone together, everyone can use the water, that’s only natural."

Anyway, digging the lotus pond didn’t spend much money, now gaining a water pond for free, really, the Jiang family actually got a good deal.

Of course, others are not losing out either, no matter what, it’s all digging anyway; if the water source isn’t found, so be it, if it is found, it will surely relieve some urgent problems.

With the village chief’s command, dozens of people immediately mobilized, with hoes and baskets, the excavated soil was carried to a nearby wasteland.

As the saying goes, fewer people are good for eating buns, but more people are good for working; in just one hour, the lotus pond deepened by another layer.

After only one day, the lotus pond was higher than half a person.

By now, the bottom had already become mixed with stones and soil, making it slower to dig.

Now isn’t a harvest rush, everyone doesn’t need to work so hard, when tired, they take a break, once rested, they continue digging.

The village also organized several women in good physical condition to specially go to the mountain to guard and fetch water.

The requirement wasn’t high, just fetching the water everyone drinks from the pond each day, that’s enough; at least, this would reduce household water consumption.

As the pond was dug little by little, the underground soil finally stopped being dry and hard, and gradually became more moist.

Everyone was full of fervor.

The number of people fetching water from Lai Fu’an Village’s back mountain pond grew fewer, sometimes when they came, they asked the village women to help fetch water, they would also help carry some soil and dig some mud.

Everyone was eagerly anticipating the possibility of finding water, and even people from other villages specifically invited Master Liu to inspect their land, hoping to try digging a pond.

Old Liu didn’t refuse, but he also said, whether water can be found depends on fate, it’s not that if he says it can be dug, then water will certainly be found.

Old Liu didn’t take those people’s silver, he just helped out as a friendly gesture, people happy to listen would listen, those unwilling to listen, he didn’t mind.

Half a month passed quickly, it was now late January.

If it were past years, everyone would be busy pulling weeds from the rapeseed and wheat fields, but now, even the sorghum started to wilt.

Still, no rain had fallen.

Even the people digging the pond had long passed their initial excitement, now turning dispirited, with even less chatter among them.

The pond wasn’t straight up and down; it was wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, shaped like a funnel.

And the people were divided into three shifts, twenty people per group, one group per day.

Today happened to be Jiang Hu and his group’s turn, including Liu Yang, Li Sheng, who were the closest to the Jiang family.

The three were digging below, encountering stones, which needed to be carried out, shoveling the dirt into baskets, someone would carry it out and dump it away.

"Brother Jiang, it’s been so long and deep, but still no sight of water, is there really any water here?"

Liu Yang placed the spade on the ground, leaned against it with a sigh, spending half a month every day digging soil, yet hadn’t washed face or bath, completely covered in dirt.

Jiang Hu shoveled mud into the bamboo basket beside him and paused: "These days, the soil is becoming moist, maybe we really will find water."

He spoke these words with little conviction himself.

The soil indeed was moist, but it had been so several days ago, yet several days passed without any change.

Beside him, Li Sheng struck another blow: "Or... Oh my gosh! Water! There’s water!"

Without finishing his sentence, a small stream of water trickled from where the hoe hit, tiny, not even the size of urination!

But it’s water nonetheless!

"What? Really found it?"

"It’s really water! We found it, found it!"

People around all gathered.

"Quick, dig quickly, right where Li Sheng dug, make it bigger!"

"Found water! Found water!"

"Water’s coming out! We have water!"

Joyous cheers instantly spread throughout Fu’an Village!

Instantly, almost everyone, young and old, ran out of their houses, even the sixty-year-old elder, ran as if his legs were in full stride!