The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 129 Reducing Rations

Chapter 129: Chapter 129 Reducing Rations

Still, it was Old Granny Zhang who brought it up, "Didn’t you go out to discuss the matter of the Li Family using land to settle their debt? How did it go?"

Wang Laozhu waved his hand, "I mentioned it to the Clan Leader, and he too thinks it’s a good solution, saves us the trouble of complications in between. But, we need the Li Family’s agreement to proceed, and their situation is a mess. I heard their girl ran away in the night, both Li Dagui and Li Jinlong are bedridden, leaving only Li Dagui’s wife alone in the courtyard, crying and cursing. It seems even the Li Family Patriarch is implicated by her. Offending people this way, I fear we might not even need to lift a finger, and this matter will be seventy percent certain."

Then Old Granny Zhang felt relieved at least halfway and discussed with Wang Laozhu about going to town early the next morning to check on Wang Yongfu’s situation.

Wang Laozhu had intended to go as well, but Old Granny Zhang persuaded him to stay, telling him to keep an eye on the Li Family and saying she would take their daughter to town to settle the medical bills and then come back.

Wang Laozhu didn’t suspect anything else and nodded in agreement.

At dinner time, Old Granny Zhang announced she’d be going to town with their elder daughter tomorrow. Everyone else was okay with it, but Jinguan was the first to jump out, "I want to go to town too."

Having just returned home that day, Jinguan instinctively felt something about the family was different from before, although he couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly had changed.

He was still nursing a grudge because his two brothers had forgotten about him eating meat at noon, and after a lot of thought, he decided to go to town to find his mother.

Lady Lin always protected her children, and at this moment, Jinguan felt only seeing his mother could settle his heart.

Old Granny Zhang shot him a glare, "When adults are speaking, what business does a child have interrupting? I’m going to town with your aunt for a serious matter. You’re just a child. Why aren’t you helping out at home instead of thinking of gallivanting about? Don’t you see what time it is! Aren’t there pigweeds to collect? Cows that need herding? Isn’t there a courtyard to sweep? We raise you to be too self-entitled, do you all think you’re young lords? Stay at home and do your work properly. If anyone shirks their duty, don’t expect to eat!"

The ultimatum of no meals silenced everyone, and Jinguan stopped talking when Jindou and Jinhu pulled him behind them.

It was then Old Granny Zhang turned to Lady Jiang, "The past few days, being generous with food and drink, has made people too comfortable. You all know the family situation now. Eldest Brother’s need for money is still looming, our foundation is weak, and we can’t keep squandering like this. From now on, when it’s not busy, just cook up two pots of thin porridge in the morning and evening. It’s enough as long as we’re not hungry. Where do we have the luxury of bread and rice every day now? Starting tomorrow, it’s porridge for everyone!"

Lady Jiang stiffened and answered in a low voice.

The rest, especially the children, all showed bitter expressions upon hearing this.

Just drinking thin porridge, a few trips to urinate and the stomach is empty again, where is there bread to stave off hunger?

But no one dared to speak up, only looking towards Wang Laozhu.

Wang Laozhu nodded, as the head of the family fell, the crisis in the family became evident. The second eldest was unreliable, the third, out of the question, leaving only the fourth, but he could not support it all alone.

They indeed had to budget carefully to make it through!

Eat thin in leisure, dry in busyness.

Isn’t that how all peasant families live? It’s only because these past years have been good that everyone could fill their stomachs.

Now that trouble has struck the household, naturally, they could no longer be as extravagant as before.

So he nodded, signaling his agreement with Old Granny Zhang’s plan.

Jindou and Jinhu dared not say anything more and even covered Jinguan’s mouth tightly, afraid he would speak out of turn.

Regarding Old Granny Zhang’s decision, Wang Yongzhu, in the presence of everyone, felt it wasn’t right to object, planning to persuade her thoroughly on the road tomorrow. After all, the family had both old and young, and grown-ups couldn’t go hungry either; their situation wasn’t so dire yet.

She had come here to farm the land, to enrich and advance her family, surely she couldn’t just let the task at hand undo all that, leaving a once well-fed family hungry?

Because they had to reduce their food intake, everyone’s mood was low, silently finishing their meals before each going back to their own huts.

Many likely lay awake throughout the night, unable to sleep.

Weighted by worries, Wang Yongzhu slept restlessly, awakening to the sounds of activity from Old Granny Zhang’s quarters, she quickly rolled over and got up, washing up a bit.

She also checked the basket in the corner that held the Yellow Pine Mushrooms, relieved to see that they were still lush and moist.

With the basket on her back, she stepped outside where Old Granny Zhang was already waiting.

Seeing her old daughter leave the house, she waved a bowl at her from the doorway of the kitchen.

Approaching, she saw a large bowl of brown sugar water with eggs, brimming with four whole eggs.

Old Granny Zhang hurriedly handed her the bowl and chopsticks as Wang Yongzhu approached, "Eat quickly! Your mother woke up early just to make this for you. You need to eat to have the strength for the journey."

Taking the bowl, Wang Yongzhu felt it was as heavy as gold: "Mother, what will you eat?"

Old Granny Zhang waved her hand dismissively, pulling out two cold flatbreads she had saved from the night before, "I’m good with these."

Wang Yongzhu was not content to let it be, insisting on sharing the eggs with Old Granny Zhang. They each took an egg and a flatbread, eating it with the warm brown sugar water. With food in her belly, she felt a warm and newfound energy.

Lady Jiang, having spent a sleepless night tossing and turning over Old Granny Zhang’s announcement about cutting back on food and worried about her frail children, finally dozed off only to wake as dawn was breaking.

She heard her mother-in-law and younger sister-in-law talking outside, and immediately felt a pang of worry, hastily dressing and rushing out.

By the time she made it outside, the courtyard door had already shut with a creak; her mother-in-law and sister-in-law had departed.

Arriving at the kitchen, the sweet scent of eggs and brown sugar lingered in the air, and half a basin of sorghum grist sat on the stove – the family’s ration for the day.

With a sigh, Lady Jiang placed the sorghum grist into the cupboard and began to boil water for breakfast.

Busy in the kitchen, she didn’t notice the door of the main room quietly opening, a small shadow slipping out, gliding along the wall until it reached the door. With great care, it nudged the door open just a crack and darted out...

As it wasn’t a market day, and most wouldn’t be heading into town, they encountered no one on the road.

Having no one before or behind them, Wang Yongzhu took the opportunity to speak, "Mother, why must we reduce everyone’s food? Not to mention others, but you and father are of age, how can you get by on just porridge? Your bodies won’t be able to take it. Once I sell these mushrooms, we’ll have money. Isn’t my money also yours? There’s no reason to starve with silver in hand. And what about Jindou and the others at home? They are growing; how can they grow if they don’t eat enough?"

After a thought, concerned she might not hold as much sway in Old Granny Zhang’s heart, she added, "Besides, I can’t survive on just two meals of porridge a day either."

Old Granny Zhang chuckled and mockingly spitted, "Silly girl, even if I have to starve, I won’t let you go hungry! This has nothing to do with you; just don’t worry about going hungry, that’s all."

Wang Yongzhu inwardly cried out to her dear mother, "Mother, our family hasn’t reached such dire straits, why must it come to this?"

Old Granny Zhang gave a bitter laugh, "Don’t you worry, I have my reasons for doing this. Just wait and see; in a few days, there will be quite a scene to witness."

It seemed she had planned all along, deliberately so.