A Good Country Wife

In the past days, the work on the land was completed, and even the canals had been dug. All that was left was to connect the final section with the valley, and irrigation would be possible. However, because the secret of the valley must not be disclosed, Zhao Erhu was the only one who could dig through this last part.

Everyone worked for twenty-three days, earning thirty coins a day, amounting to six hundred and ninety coins per person. Lin Yue saw that everyone had worked hard during these days and decided to round up the wages, giving each person seven hundred coins. Everyone was overjoyed, repeatedly praising Dongjia for being generous.

Working here was not only well-paid but also included lunch. Although initially, it was just plain rice, which these sturdy men could easily consume in large quantities, an expense no household could sustain, later on they were provided with mixed grain buns to their satisfaction, along with porridge enriched with meat and eggs. They were also given snacks in the afternoon. No other employer offered such treatment. The workers were filled with gratitude for Zhao Erhu’s family and considered Dongjia to be a benevolent and righteous employer. Those who had once envied Zhao Erhu’s sudden prosperity now had no more resentment or ill-will. Everyone spoke well of Zhao Erhu’s family, and when leaving, they made sure to remind him not to forget them if he needed workers again, even if the wages were less.

After the day laborers left, Zhao Erhu spent a few days opening up the water source. It wasn’t a long stretch, but it took quite an effort to maintain secrecy. On the day the water was connected, Zhao Dahuo and his wife were amazed, but they carefully avoided asking where the water came from.

Out of the over one hundred acres, ten acres were allocated to grow sweet potatoes, leaving more than one hundred and twenty acres for other crops. Farming was a major undertaking, and neither Zhao Erhu nor Lin Yue planned to lease out the land. Since the season for planting rice had passed, other families did not have extra silver to buy seeds for vegetables, which could not serve as staple food and might not even bring a return when sold in the market. Hence, they were not inclined to rent, and it wouldn’t be profitable for Lin Yue and his family either if the rent was too low. Thus, they decided to hire several long-term workers for their household.

Zhao Erhu already had some candidates in mind for the long-term positions. Among the day laborers who had worked at his home, there were a few decent, hardworking, and reserved individuals who would be ideal. Zhao Erhu visited each to discuss the offer, and out of seven, five were willing to come. The other two had a few acres of their own and did not want to work as long-term laborers for someone else.

Zhao Erhu thus made agreements with these five individuals. They would receive a Tiao of silver as monthly wages with board included, and an additional two hundred coins for food allowance each month. The terms were quite generous. As long as the workers were suitable, neither Zhao Erhu nor Lin Yue minded paying a little extra.

In fact, Lin Genfa had also performed exceptionally well during the work period. If it wasn’t for his complicated relationship with their family, Zhao Erhu would have considered him too. But Lin Genfa’s sister, Sister Zhao Yunxiang, was not someone easy to get along with, especially with the younger daughter-in-law, as they never saw eye to eye. If Lin Genfa were hired and Zhao Yunxiang followed, it would upset the young daughter-in-law, which Zhao Erhu felt was inappropriate, so he never mentioned the possibility to Lin Genfa.

Lin Genfa was staying in the vegetable field’s shed with Zhao Dahuo and was somewhat aware of Zhao Erhu’s plans. Lin Genfa had worked hard labor outside for years, selling his physical strength for meager earnings in arduous conditions. His tenure with Zhao Erhu had been the best in terms of treatment.

Zhao Erhu’s offer to become a long-term worker tempted Lin Genfa, but he also knew his family’s situation. A short-term stint was manageable, but if it became long-term, it would be surprising if Yunxiang could resist moving over as well. And Yunxiang harbored a mentality, believing that since she had treated Zhao Erhu well in the past, anything he did for her was expected and anything less would be ungrateful. With such an attitude, how could she get along well with others?

Lin Genfa did not want Zhao Erhu and his wife to have conflicts over his wife’s behavior. Besides, Zhao Erhu had given him fifteen taels of silver, which Yunxiang ultimately used to buy four acres of land in the village, securing some property for the family. If they cultivated their land well, the family would have enough to eat without needing to work outside. He didn’t see the necessity to work elsewhere. Considering this, Lin Genfa felt grateful to Zhao Erhu yet again and couldn’t comprehend his wife’s relentless dissatisfaction. If only she could understand some reason and get along with her sister-in-law, it would be so much better for the relatives to live in harmony, instead of the current discord.