Chapter 315: Teaching Her Daughter
Editor: Atlas Studios
Mu Yangling didn’t know why her mother was worried about this. Could it be that she had already become a despicable person in their eyes?
Shu Wanniang patted her daughter’s head and said, “I’m afraid that you’ll take the wrong path. There are many people in this world who change when they have money. You’ve already earned a lot this year.”
Mu Yangling sat up straight and said seriously, “Mother, although I don’t know how far I can go in the future, I hope to help everyone. Since 90% of the people farm in this world, it’s a good thing to strive for higher yields per acre of farmland.”
Shu Wanniang had always known that her daughter was conducting experiments on the fields to increase the production of grains, but she didn’t know that she wanted to bless the world. She had thought that she was doing it for her own family’s yields.
Shu Wanniang was silent for a long time before she shook her head and said, “Ah Ling, it’s not that I want to discourage you. When it comes to hunting, no one can compare to you. But in terms of farming, if you want to achieve results, you should find someone to help you.”
“Listen to me first.” Shu Wanniang held her daughter’s hand. “I know you have many ideas, but not all ideas will become fruitful. After all, you don’t know enough about land and crops. You have to know that there are specializations in various fields. Why don’t you tell your ideas to those who know how to farm and let them study them? That way, you can still take time out to do what you’re good at.”
At this point, Shu Wanniang smiled. “Moreover, I don’t think you’ve put much effort into the experimental fields. You just use a different planting method on different fields. However, even if I don’t know how to farm, I know that farming isn’t just about planting. From the moment you level the land to the end of the harvest, this entire process spanning four to five months requires knowledge every step of the way.”
Mu Yangling blushed and hugged her mother’s waist. She wheedled, “Mother, I know I was wrong. I should have let others do it.”
Shu Wanniang stroked her daughter’s head and said, “I know that firstly, you haven’t found a suitable person. Secondly, you don’t want to spend money on that. Thirdly, you don’t want to listen to your great-aunt’s nagging. However, one is bound to encounter many setbacks if they want to achieve something great. If you don’t take it step by step, how can you carve out a path eventually? Based on what I’ve observed this year, you’ve been too impatient. However, you’ve had your own opinions since you could speak and walk, making your own decisions after the age of six. Thus, I really don’t want to restrain you.”
Mu Yangling looked up at her mother with sparkling eyes. “Mother, if I did something wrong, just tell me. Don’t hold it in. I can take it.”
Shu Wanniang smiled slightly. “I’m not afraid of hurting you, but I’m afraid that if I don’t have the right understanding, I’ll harm you instead. The world changes every day. Who knows when the world will descend into chaos? Should that happen, ruthless people will survive, and kind-hearted people might be buried in the mountains. Ah Ling, although I hope that you can be a good person, all the more so I hope that you can survive.”
Shu Wanniang’s eyes turned red as she spoke. Over the past year, with her husband away from home for more than half a year, she had not been able to sleep peacefully. He was either lying in ambush in the Jin Kingdom to hide or fighting at the front line. Other than returning to farm, her daughter also ran back and forth between Hanzhong Prefecture and Xingzhou Prefecture. Even though she knew that her daughter was highly skilled in martial arts, she could not help but feel worried.
Mu Yangling leaned into her mother’s arms, not knowing how to comfort her. No matter what she did in the past two years, her mother would support her and even help her persuade her great-aunt. It was only now that Mu Yangling knew that her mother was not unafraid.
Shu Wanniang patted her daughter’s head and said, “Alright, that’s enough wheedling. Sharpening the knife won’t delay the chopping of firewood. Since you’re delving into so many areas, you definitely won’t be able to take care of everything by yourself. It’s better to hire more people. If you can’t make up your mind, bring the potential candidates back. I’ll help you vet them.”
“Mother, don’t worry. I’ll put up a notice tomorrow to recruit young men who know how to farm and have ideas of their own.”
Shu Wanniang frowned. “Why young men?”
“At the very least, they can’t be old men.” Mu Yangling slumped her shoulders and said, “Great-aunt, Great-uncle and the others don’t approve of me going through so much trouble. They think that it’s good to follow the rules when farming. Many old people think that way, but I think that’s not right. In the beginning, no one knew how to farm and had to figure it out step by step. This requires ideas, so we have to find someone who has ideas and knows how to farm. Generally speaking, those who dare to boldly carry out their ideas are mostly people in their twenties or thirties.”
Shu Wanniang burst out laughing. She tapped her daughter’s forehead and said, “Are those in their twenties or thirties considered young men still? They’re old enough to be your uncles.”
Mu Yangling blushed slightly as she said, “I’m just saying. You have to know that in front of Great-aunt and the others, those in their twenties and thirties are considered young men.”
“If you don’t have enough money, I still have some here. Your father sent a lot of money back this year…”
“Mother, I haven’t used the money in the small box I gave you yet. Why would I need to use the money Father gave you?” Mu Yangling leaned close to Shu Wanniang’s ear and whispered, “Mother, only when there’s food at home can we not panic. It’s the same for our family. We need to have money around at all times, so keep the money Father gave you and set it aside. Even if I spend all the money at home, I can’t use that sum of money. It’s for emergencies. Do you understand?”
Shu Wanniang responded and said, “Your younger brother’s teacher at the academy fell sick, so school has stopped for the time being. When he recovers from his illness, it’ll be about time for winter solstice and winter break again. When you leave, bring him along and let him gain some life experiences by your side.” Shu Wanniang thought for a moment and said, “Bring Xiulan along too. This child is getting more and more shy. Although she’s talented in embroidery, she can’t not learn other skills. Let her be Xiuhong’s assistant and train her character.”
Mu Yangling asked with a smile, “Should I also bring Bosi and Kejia along? Mother, there’s a one-year-old child laborer in my cattle farm. Bosi and Kejia are already three years old and can work.”
Shu Wanniang was dumbfounded. “W—why are you so black-hearted? You even recruited a one-year-old child?” Shu Wanniang couldn’t help but smack her daughter and say, “Even if you want to help them, you can find another way. Why torture the child? It’s torturous for a kid that young to wake up that early in the morning.”
Mu Yangling smiled bitterly and said, “Mother, how could I not know? But those elders saw that I was young and were all putting on airs like old foxes. When I carried the children into the house, they started lying on the ground and complaining that their chest hurt. They complained that they were old and couldn’t walk anymore.”
Shu Wanniang frowned. She had never seen such people in her life.
“Therefore, I can only make those children suffer for the time being. Since there are so many people, they’ll be done after ten days of work. No matter how many cows I raise, I won’t be able to use up so much hay. When the time comes, I’ll dismiss them. No matter what I do to the children, they won’t be able to make trouble for me.”
Shu Wanniang hesitated for a moment before saying, “Ah Ling, aside from loving the young, you should first and foremost respect the old…”
“Mother, I know that respecting an elder is a virtue and even a basic morality, but your daughter isn’t capable enough now. In the cattle farm, there are more than 1,900 children under the age of eight and more than 700 of them are orphans. I know that we should help the elderly, but they have knowledge, life experience, greater strength than children, and various ways to survive. However, children are different. Some have never left their villages prior to this and don’t even have the most basic understanding of this world. Some don’t even know their own surnames…” Mu Yangling thought of the panic in the children’s eyes and felt even more bitter. “Mother, they’re about the same age as Bowen and Bosi. This world is too chaotic. Even I can’t guarantee that I can protect you guys 100%. I only hope that someone can help them if they’re in trouble one day, and that they can persevere until I find them.”
Shu Wanniang sighed and did not say anything else.