Chapter 54: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 54 Going Up the Mountain
Liuyang Village had more than 110 households, with over 80 benefiting from the Mo family's favor. Upon learning that the Mo family needed people to cultivate the land, any households with surplus labor were willing to come and help. Even if some adults were too busy, they instructed their older children to assist, doing tasks like weeding and picking stones that were within their capability.
As a result, there were over thirty adults and seven or eight semi-grown children who came to work.
Naturally, the wages for adults and children couldn't be the same. Following the common wage calculation in the city, Mo Qingze paid adults twenty wen per day and semi-grown children eight wen per day. Of course, these wages were offset with cotton and grains as agreed upon beforehand.
However, Mo Yan suggested providing a meal for the workers. Given their strenuous work, their own meager food supplies wouldn't suffice, and without enough to eat, how could they have the energy to work? Two middle-aged women from the Lin family were tasked with cooking, and they were paid ten wen per day, also offset with cotton and grains.
Mo Yan didn't want to make a big deal out of it, so the lunch she prepared was just enough to fill their stomachs. The staple food was dried sweet potato rice, and the side dishes included potatoes, Chinese cabbage, and boiled eggs. For the Mo family, who usually had fish with every meal, this wasn't much, but for families who often couldn't eat their fill and had to trade eggs for salt and oil, it was already quite good.
Seeing Mo Qingze bring two baskets of rice and vegetables and over seventy eggs, the two women responsible for cooking widened their eyes. Recommended by Lin Yong, they had no problem with their integrity, and though surprised, they didn't gossip or think about secretly keeping some of the food for themselves.
As for the workers, they were even more grateful. Originally, having lunch provided was already much appreciated, but they didn't expect the food to be so plentiful. As a result, they worked even harder after eating, but they couldn't bear to eat the two boiled eggs they were given and secretly kept them to take home to supplement their elderly and children's diet.
Mo Qingze observed this but didn't say anything. The fact that they thought of their families after having a good meal showed their good character. When the greenhouses were built and vegetables were grown, he would need people to guard them daily, so having good character was essential. He would have to observe them closely in their daily lives.
In less than two days, the news of the Mo family's good meals spread throughout the village. Many people wanted to come and work, but their houses weren't built yet, and their own land wasn't cleared, so they could only secretly envy those families with more labor.
When this news reached Hong Shi's ears, she thought of their own meager meals every day and became extremely jealous, venting her anger on others at the door, scolding them for the entire afternoon.
Someone informed Mo Qingze about this incident, but he just smiled faintly and said nothing.
Twenty mu of land wasn't much, and the workers were very diligent. In just five or six days, the land was cleared completely, not a single weed or root remained.
With the land prepared, the next step was to dig channels and set up greenhouses. Mo Qingze divided the thirty adults into two groups: one to go up the mountain to cut bamboo for the frames, and the other to stay and continue digging irrigation ditches. They would take turns, ensuring that no one group was overburdened.
The Mo family's twenty mu of land was quite far from the river, so the irrigation ditches had to pass through other people's land. Fortunately, the owners of these lands had fled here during the disaster and had benefited from the Mo family's kindness. Upon learning about the situation, they readily agreed and even said that in the future, they wouldn't need to dig water channels themselves, saving them a lot of trouble.
Mo Yan didn't intervene in the land reclamation work. After entering the winter month (lunar November), as it got colder, she had nothing to do but sit by the fire and make clothes for her family. Occasionally, she would throw some potatoes and sweet potatoes into the fire pot and eat them with the children. Although life was monotonous, it wasn't boring.
One evening, when Mo Qingze returned, he unexpectedly brought back a plump wild rabbit. Upon inquiry, Mo Yan learned that Lin Yong had discovered a rabbit hole while cutting wood and had left two holes open while using smoke to drive the rabbits out. He brought back the fattest one for Mo Qingze to bring home.
"Brother Lin's days aren't easy. He declined when I tried to refuse, so tomorrow, I'll bring him some eggs!" Mo Qingze said as he skillfully skinned the rabbit, seeking Mo Yan's opinion.
Mo Yan thought for a moment and felt it was inappropriate. "Father, it's too deliberate. Brother Lin might think we're keeping him at arm's length. Let's return the favor when we have the chance next time."
Mo Qingze thought it made sense and couldn't help but feel regretful. "I've been foolish. In terms of these social niceties, I'm no match for you, daughter!"
Mo Yan chuckled. Her father's intelligence was definitely not a problem, but he wasn't good at socializing. However, he was straightforward and kind-hearted, so he wouldn't offend anyone easily.
The rabbit was quickly cleaned up, estimated to weigh about five catties. Thinking about spicy rabbit head, fried rabbit patties, and crispy rabbit meat strips, Mo Yan couldn't help but salivate.
On such a cold day, the rabbit was still so fat. It seemed that the natural environment on Yuhua Mountain was quite good. Otherwise, there wouldn't be tigers, wolves, and other predators. There should be quite a few large herbivores as well. If she could catch some rare herbivores to raise in her space...
No, no, in her past life, she didn't even wear fur. She couldn't commit such sins in this life. However, it would be nice to go up the mountain and find fruit trees and medicinal herbs. After all, more than half of the land in her space hadn't been utilized yet.
Thinking of this, Mo Yan couldn't resist anymore. She couldn't wait to go to Yuhua Mountain. She found an excuse to leave and secretly slipped to the mountainside, finding a relatively easy path to walk along towards the mountain...
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