Whistling
So the second stage of spring busyness began - weeding.
This type of work is suitable for individuals of all ages, including men, women, and children. Even Manbao followed to weed the nearest fields.
There are basically two methods of weeding: one is extensive, and the other is meticulous.
The process involves gently hoeing the weeds, pulling them out by the roots, and then covering the weed in the seedling trench with soil.
This process not only removes some weeds but also provides more soil nutrients for the wheat or bean seedlings.
The latter involves using a small hoe to meticulously remove all the weeds from the ridges and furrows, and then discarding them.
Despite the large number of people in the Zhou family, they were unable to thoroughly weed all the fields.
They would choose based on the condition of the seedlings breaking through the soil and the fertility of the land.
The best fields with the highest seedling emergence rate and most fertile soil were meticulously tended, while the others were tended as required. If there was extra energy, they would meticulously tend to it; if not, they would use the extensive planting method.
Text: ### Of course, Lao Zhou didn't understand the terms "extensive" and "meticulous." These were terms that Manbao had heard while discussing with Keke. ### Lao Zhou had decades of farming experience, while the villagers in the village had been following this method for decades or even hundreds of years.
Unlike the farmers who lost their land and became tenants or refugees elsewhere, very few farmers in Qili Village, and even in the broader area of villages like Baimaguan Town, completely lost their land.
So, there were not many families who could meticulously tend to their land. Essentially, the local farmers had to make choices to ensure that the fertile land would gradually become even more productive, while the barren land would remain difficult to improve for decades.
Human energy is always limited.
As the spring planting season came to an end, the family was still busy, but not as much as before.
Manbao was not as busy as before and couldn't even see her older brothers when she opened her eyes.
Often, when she opened her eyes, her family members had already gone to the fields. Even after dinner, when she went to bed, they might still be busy transplanting rice seedlings in the fields.
Manbao's money box was almost empty, and the five beautiful copper coins that used to be on top of a pile of coins were now quietly resting at the bottom of the box.
Manbao was unwilling to spend money on buying meat anymore.
As May approached, Qian Shi started to be frugal and naturally hesitated to spend money on meat.
Unable to resist, Xiao Qian Shi felt sorry for her husband. She remembered the comparison Manbao had made between tofu and meat. Even though she knew it might be inaccurate, she still soaked some beans to make tofu.
In the spring, there were many wild vegetables to eat, but there were very few vegetables in the vegetable garden.
While there was no shortage of vegetables in the countryside, there was a scarcity in the city. It was said that a bunch of bitter vegetables could be sold for a high price of five cents.
The Zhou family, of course, couldn't go sell vegetables. They had a large family, and the vegetables in the garden were only enough for their own consumption.
But they could sell tofu.
Believing they had recently accumulated a lot of beans, Xiao Qian Shi and her two sisters-in-law soaked more beans and made tofu. In addition to eating at home, they also had Zhou Erlang take it to the county town to sell.
In the market, most people were unable to resist bartering, with only a few opting to purchase tofu with money. This stuff could only be taken to the county town.
Xiao Qian Shi cut the tofu into large pieces and had Zhou Erlang sell them for one cent each. If they couldn't sell the items, they would consider exchanging them for beans.
Essentially, a family could eat for two cents.
Due to Xiao Qian Shi's busy morning making tofu and preparing meals for the school, she didn't have time to tend to the work in the fields.
After hearing Lao Da's complaints about the excessive growth of weeds in the fields and discussing how to manage the wheat and beans for this year, Manbao volunteered to weed the fields after school.
Of course, she didn't go alone; she took Baishanbao with her.
Baishanbao, who had been living in the countryside for more than a year, could naturally distinguish between wheat, beans, and weeds. He enthusiastically competed with Manbao for a while, but the next day he was unwilling to participate.
He felt that it was too difficult, and he also questioned why he should weed on Manbao's land. His family's land also needed to be weeded.
Manbao: ...
The two little friends went their separate ways, and Manbao could no longer trick anyone into providing free labor.
After weeding the initial batch of weeds, the crops grew rapidly, signaling that it was time to fertilize. After the fertilization was completed, May was just around the corner.
The two families had already chosen a date before the New Year. Qian Shi specifically went to the Taoist temple on the mountain in Dali Village to inquire. The two people's horoscopes were very compatible, so May 1st was a good day for them.
After May 1st, the next favorable day would be May 23rd.
Qian Shi naturally preferred May 1st, and the Fang family was aware of this preference. Therefore, when they suggested a date, the Fang family also selected May 1st.
The dowry had already been given to the Fang family. Before the wedding, they needed to inform the bride's family about the good news. Additionally, there were gifts such as wedding cakes, candies, and meat.
Qian Shi and Zhou Xi used the remaining two taels of silver they had borrowed.
The Zhou family displayed numerous large red "happiness" characters, which made Manbao so joyful that she spent her afternoons running around with Dada and Daya, neglecting her studies.
This also made Baishanbao run after them.
Qian Shi looked at the two chubby children, especially noticing the contrast of Dada and Daya's dark hair. They increasingly resembled the children under the seat of Guanyin, and she couldn't help but be moved.
Qian Shi pulled Manbao in front of her and asked with a smile, "Manbao, your fourth brother is getting married." "Would you like to help prepare the bridal bed for him?"
Manbao's eyes lit up, "What is rolling the bed?"
"It's a tradition to roll the bed for the newlyweds, to bless your fourth brother and sister-in-law with a daughter as clever and smart as you by rolling on the new bed."
"Okay, okay!"
Qian Shi then looked at Baishanbao and asked with a smile, "Little master, would you like to be the bed-rolling boy?"
Baishanbao nodded vigorously.
Qian Shi smiled as she took a gift to the Bai family that day.
When Mrs. Liu heard the report from the servant, she was slightly surprised and quickly got up to greet them with her daughter-in-law.
Despite being from different generations, the two children were actually about the same age. Qian Shi appeared older than Mrs. Liu on the outside.
Mrs. Liu and Qian Shi had met several times, not to mention the frequent exchanges between the two families.
If it weren't for Manbao doing homework and studying with Baishanbao at the Bai family, it was Baishanbao following Manbao to play. The exchange of messages between them could be seen as indicative of a close relationship.
But it was Qian Shi's first visit, so Mrs. Liu was very serious.
When she learned that Qian Shi wanted to invite her grandson to be the bed-rolling boy, Mrs. Liu hesitated for a moment. It was not because she was unwilling, but because, "Manbao's mother, I won't hide it from you." In my opinion, Baishanbao is a good person, but he lost his father at a young age. If he goes to be the bed-rolling boy…"