Chapter Thirty Spring

  "The water is coming, the water is coming!" The uncles were shouting loudly in the distance. It was already the third month after the New Year, and the river had thawed out, but the water was still quite chilly. In this cold water, Yang Heng and his mother set up the waterwheel together.

  You should ask Old Man, but he has gone to the county town to participate in the spring training of the prefectural army. All the household chores were left to Old Mother and Yang Heng. It's no wonder that families with few people won't be recruited by the prefectural army. The lack of labor force is a big problem. Even if the land tax is reduced, without labor force, there will be no income. But this kind of thing would never happen in Yang Heng's family. Both Old Mother and Yang Heng are good at labor, and one person can do the work of several people.

  The old man left with a sense of security, as both his daughter-in-law and son were capable of taking care of the family. He no longer had any worries, especially after learning a set of fist techniques from his son recently. Where this fist technique came from was not important to him; whether it was stolen or robbed, now that his son knew it, it became their own family's legacy.

  Although this military body fist is just a simple sixteen moves, it is the boxing method used in the army after the world, and it has some effect. Although these are all close combat techniques, for Lao Die, this is no less than getting a secret book, at least it will make his prestige in the army somewhat improved. This is enough for Yang Heng.

  The uncles were still helping out at Yang Heng's house at this time, as there was no work to be done in the fields yet. The children were also following Yang Heng to learn from him.

  That's why Yang Hengcai set up the waterwheel frame earlier, so that his uncles would have some hope and could also go apply for the remaining wasteland. As for Ah Weng, Yang Heng was speechless. During the New Year, Xiao Shu followed him over, but soon Ah Weng came to take Xiao Shu back, not allowing Xiao Shu to have any contact with his father, as if his father would be detrimental to this half-brother of his. If he were to suggest that Ah Weng also open up wasteland for cultivation, naturally he would definitely disagree, so Yang Heng extinguished the thought of helping Xiao Shu in his heart.

  To test the size of the water volume, Yang Heng specially opened up a few acres of land to be used as paddy fields. When the water flowed into the paddy fields, the initial water volume was quite small, but as the canal seeped through, the flow of water flowing towards the paddy fields gradually increased.

  "Uncle, how do you feel about this water? Can it be enough for all the fields?" All the fields are only over 300 mu, and Yang Heng's family occupies more than 100 mu. The remaining four uncles' families can divide 50 mu each. "Hmm, not bad, this really works. Especially these wastelands, once they're reclaimed, they won't need fertilizer for the first few years. Just look at your family's reclaimed fields, they're all good land. In the past, there was no water and even wild beasts disturbed us, it wasn't a good place. But now that you kids are here, those wild beasts are in trouble, and with this waterwheel of yours, this is top-grade land!" Second Uncle nodded and said.

  "What are you hesitating about, go find your uncle and ask for the land now, otherwise it will be too late. Judging from your uncle's attitude, if he discovers the benefits of this place, there won't be any good deals left for you." Yang Heng thought that now was the time to take advantage of the situation before the waterwheel is put into use and no one can discover the truth, so he should let his uncles go occupy the wasteland first. If Uncle finds out, with his attitude, he will definitely sell this place at a good price.

  "Okay, nephew, let's go find uncle now. But what about the water cart and in case uncle comes to take a look?" "Don't worry, I'll immediately turn over the water cart and fill up this ditch so that Uncle won't suspect anything."

  Second Uncle's worry was indeed reasonable. When the uncles went to find their uncle together, their uncle was a bit puzzled. Was there something good about this place? So he came to check it out.

  "Ah, Dàláng's wife, I've come to take a look. How's the reclamation going? If you can't finish it this year, you'll be in trouble with the authorities." As he spoke, Shūyé started wandering around, "This won't do, how can you have only reclaimed so little land? If it takes a whole year, it'll never be finished. Dàláng's wife, you're putting me in a difficult spot. What am I supposed to report back to the higher-ups?"

  Uncle looked around and didn't let the old mother speak, then turned his head and left. He really couldn't see what was different here, but why did those four nephews want this place? Uncle was a bit puzzled, he hadn't seen the waterwheel in Yang Heng's courtyard, if he had seen it, he wouldn't have guessed its purpose either.

  Finally, Uncle decided that these wastelands could be given to the four nephews, but not for free. Instead, they had to pay some money to get them. Conveniently, Yang Heng brought back those poor-quality silks from his father and added some copper coins, and this matter was settled.

  Similarly, Uncle Yang played a small trick, and the four uncles were also given a year's time. If they couldn't reclaim the land within a year, they would be punished as well. However, there was a loophole in this rule - the land had a fallow period. This meant that out of the 100 mu of land owned by Yang Heng's family, only 50 mu needed to be planted each year, and the remaining 50 mu could be planted the following year. This was also reasonable. Perhaps Uncle Yang hadn't thought this through, or he wouldn't have made such a mistake, always thinking that all the wasteland had to be reclaimed within a year.

  Yang Heng's plan was to do so, next, it was to join forces with the four uncles to cut down the trees on this land first, and opening up new land only required each family to be able to open up half of their fields when planting winter wheat, which would be considered a success. Next year, these fields will definitely all be opened up, if Old Dad can get promoted, maybe there will even be official fields, at that time, the fields here can be handed over to the uncles, and even Ah Weng will do, this place is just a transit station for Yang Heng, not a place to stay long-term, and it's possible that Yang Heng even hopes the uncles will follow him together.

  It is said that a good man has three helpers, and these uncles are the helpers of Old Yang. And the younger brothers and sisters of these uncles' families will be the future helpers of Yang Heng. Therefore, what Yang Heng needs to do now is to train these younger brothers and sisters well, so that when he needs help in the future, there will be people to help him.