The oxcart traveled for about half an hour before finally stopping in front of a mud-brick house. Qing Yang jumped off the cart and happily ran into the yard.
"Father, Mother, I'm home."
The woman weaving straw sandals in the courtyard suddenly looked up upon hearing this, her face first lighting up with joy, then she began to scold her sternly.
"Why did you come back again? What if the master finds out?"
"Mother, I came with Master."
Only then did Qing Yang's mother notice that there were two girls, one older and one younger, standing behind Qing Yang.
One of them was tall, dressed in an apricot-yellow outfit, with a wooden hairpin in his hair, and was grinning at her.
Qing Yang's mother panicked. "Miss... why are you here?" Her eyes darted around the courtyard, trying to find her a stool.
After searching around twice, all that was left was the small stool at her feet. Qing Yang's mother glanced at the stool, then at the tall man Jin Shanyao, and her face turned bright red with embarrassment.
He offered a small stool to Meng Anzhi, saying, "Please sit, Miss."
After saying that, she seemed to remember something and hurriedly ran to the second room. When she came out again, there were two men and a woman behind her. The woman looked about 80% like Qing He.
Qing Yang smiled and introduced, "Master, these are my parents, and these are my second uncle and second aunt, who are also Qing He's parents."
Qing He's parents stood awkwardly in place, not moving. Seeing their sister-in-law's nervous appearance, they thought Qing He had done something wrong and the master of the house had come to question her.
Seeing Qing Yang's smile now, my heart finally settled down.
Jin Shanyao was thrilled when she saw the master Qing Yang had mentioned.
She hurried forward, mimicking Meng Anci's etiquette, clasping her hands in a fist and bowing deeply.
Their abrupt and unhurried stance startled Qing Yang's father and Qing He's father, causing them to take a half-step back.
Jin Shanyao, with humility and politeness, said, "I have heard that you can cure plant diseases and are proficient in agriculture, so I would like to request that you come out of seclusion to assist me."
Qing Yang's father and Qing He's father exchanged a glance, stiffened, and secretly observed their surroundings. Not seeing any teacher, they swallowed hard and tentatively asked in a low voice.
"Miss, are you talking to us?"
Jin Shanyao bowed again and said solemnly, "Sir, please don't be so formal. I've come to ask you about farming."
She considered her manners to be impeccable, unaware that the Qing Household felt a chill run down their spines and were filled with dread.
Qing He's mother secretly tugged at her sister-in-law, Qing Yang's mother, mustering her courage, looked at her daughter with questioning eyes, asking what she was doing.
Qing Yang hadn't expected her master to bow so readily, so she quickly leaned over and whispered a reminder.
"Master, this is a ritual for worshipping the dead."
Offering sacrifices to the dead?
Jin Shanyao her head, completely dumbfounded...
No... She saw Meng Anci to Master Zhao every day, so to show her sincerity, she deliberately increased the degree of her bow.
How did this become a ritual for the dead?
Jin Shanyao hurriedly straightened up, awkwardly buttoning her clothes with her hands behind her back.
She wanted to salvage her image in the master's eyes.
He cleared his throat. "Um... I wish you all a long and healthy life, good health, and smooth sailing..."
What's wrong with the wind? I forgot all the Jixiang phrases I memorized for the New Year when I got nervous.
Damn it... I actually embarrassed myself in front of the master.
The Qing Household members stared at Jin Shanyao, noticing the strange and ever-changing expression on her face. An unease inexplicably rose in their hearts; they had never heard that their master was mentally unstable.
They looked at each other, none of them daring to speak.
Qing Yang quickly explained her purpose, and after a few words, she got straight to the point.
"Dad, Second Uncle, that manure pile has been there for seven or eight days at the Lush Mountain. Flies and mosquitoes are buzzing around it, and everyone who passes by has to cover their nose and curse."
We're desperate, that's why we're asking for your help.
Originally, it was about composting fertilizer, Qing Household secretly breathed a sigh of relief. But this girl, without distinguishing right from wrong, came up and started worshipping his entire family, which was terrifying.
Qing Yang's father said nervously, "Miss, Qing Yang Qing He could have just relayed a message. Why bother coming all the way here yourself?"
Jin Shanyao was overjoyed to see that the master was willing to speak to her. "You are all very capable, so of course I had to come and invite you in person."
Qing Yang's father said embarrassedly, "Miss is joking. What skill could farming possibly be?"
Jin Shanyao disagreed, saying, "The book says that every inch has its advantages and every foot its disadvantages. We're both farming, but if you farm better than me, you can become my teacher."
Master, please accept my bow.
Good heavens! Qing Yang's mother reacted quickly and caught her. This girl was determined to send her whole family away.
Qing Yang's father grinned from ear to ear at the praise. It was the first time he had ever heard of someone being able to teach others about farming. As the atmosphere gradually relaxed, Qing Yang's father asked what the problem was with the farmyard manure.
Jin Shanyao and finished speaking in detail.
Qing Yang's father slapped his thigh and said urgently, "Miss, unfermented fertilizer is called raw manure, and fermented fertilizer is called cooked manure. They cannot be mixed together."
Qing Yang's father leaned forward, counting on his fingers as he told her, "Raw fertilizer will burn the roots. It may seem insignificant, but just that one shovelful, once it gets on, will burn all the vegetation."
Jin Shanyao greatly surprised, "I did everything exactly as the book says!"
Qing Yang's father laughed heartily, "What are you reading, Oufei? How about we go with you to Lush Mountain?" With that, he stood up and walked out.
Jin Shanyao her head and hurriedly told Qing Yang to bring everyone along. She was very excited, as she could treat the plants and also make compost for them.
She's really stirred up a hornet's nest.
The Qing Household is small, unlike other families with eight or ten members, who can all ride in an oxcart and still have plenty of space left.
Because Jin Shanyao easygoing, Qing He's mother quickly revealed her true nature after only a few words.
She leaned against the Jin Shanyao, smiling broadly and revealing her pearly white teeth; she couldn't be happier.
"Miss, tell me, how come my Qing He is so lucky? Since she came with you, she's never worn a patched piece of clothing. And her waist..." Qing He's mother gestured with her hand, "Has gotten two sizes bigger."
Hearing her sister-in-law's words, Qing Yang's mother felt a pang of sadness in her heart, and the words that had been weighing on her mind seemed to have found an outlet, gushing out uncontrollably.
She leaned close to Jin Shanyao and whispered, "Two years ago there was a flood, the fields, the houses... everything was gone in the blink of an eye," Qing Yang's mother's voice choked with sobs.
"The crops are all submerged in the fields. We only have four or five bags of corn stored up at home, which isn't enough to feed all these people."
Meng Anzhi thought of her own mother, who had also passed away that year, and silently lowered her head.
Qing He's mother chimed in, "The year before last, I fought my way through the entire village just to steal a single wild vegetable." As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves and Jin Shanyao.
"This scar is from when Li Dachuizi bit me."
Jin Shanyao down and saw a teeth mark on her arm. Judging from the extent of the scab, the person had indeed bitten her hard.
Qing Yang's mother nudged her, "How would Miss know who Li Dachuizi is?"
Then, continuing from Qing He's mother's words, "Unfortunately, Qing Yang's father fell ill, and the second son's wife went to the county town to carry heavy loads."
They exchanged it for two cornbread buns, which the whole family crushed and cooked into porridge, giving each person a little bit. As Qing Yang's mother spoke, tears streamed down her face. Jin Shanyao pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her.
He comforted her, " Qing He and Qing Yang can now eat two bowls of rice in one meal."
Pfft... Qing Yang's mother burst into laughter through her tears. She took a deep breath and said, "Miss, please don't blame us for being heartless. Back then, the two children were starving and skin and bones."
Lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), he was taking in more air than exhaling, and it looked like he was about to... about to starve to death right before our eyes.
At that moment, I thought, as long as I could eat, I would do anything.
As luck would have it, someone in the village was selling children, and the matchmaker said... that if the two children went with her, at least they would have some thin porridge to keep them alive, so we...
Qing Yang's mother wiped away her tears, took Jin Shanyao's hand, and said gratefully, "The two children are so lucky to have you as their mistress. Every time they come back, they bring bags and bags of things."
I've told them so many times, but they just won't listen. I just think, as long as they're doing well, that's more important than anything else."
Qing Yang's mother's words silenced the oxcart, and the two honest men's eyes reddened. They lowered their heads and wiped their faces with their rough hands.