Eldest Sister, Why Haven't You Married Yet

136

Chapter 136: Spring in Houjiawan

The barren hills in Houjiawan back then had been planned in an orderly manner. Most of them had been included in Su Family’s forest land. There were also those with an intelligent mind and also some with spare money. They copied the way Su Family planted some flowers and trees. Therefore, the barren hills of Houjiawan were already colorful. From a distance, it looked as beautiful as the red glow in the sky.

"The lotus in the lotus pond is growing very well this year. Now some small buds have emerged. It’s estimated to bloom before the Dragon Boat Festival." The supervisor of Houjiawan followed Eldest Miss to the lotus pond at the foot of the mountain. On the one hand as he introduced with great care: "Not long after the ice melted, a new batch of fish larva was thrown in. They are growing very well now. The day before yesterday, I got someone to catch two fish. Just two months in the water, it’s now two fingers wide."

Su Family’s lotus pond was excavated in the spring of last year. It was previously over ten mu of tidal wasteland located at the foot of Su Family’s mountain forest. After Su Family bought it, they dug out four one mu square ponds and a small lake of about ten mu in size. It was used to raise fish and shrimp and grow lotus root.

After a year of muddling through last year, it had been all set up as soon as this spring began. In order to manage this lotus pond, You Jin had specially entrusted Manager Wu to find a few people who can grow lotus root and raise fish when she entered the capital last time. Now there were four families totalling to thirteen people who were responsible for taking care of the lotus pond.

In spring, the warm wind blew over the ponds that were shimmering silver under the sun . The ponds were lined up in two rows along the river in Houjiawan in an orderly manner. The largest pond was used for planting lotus roots, as well as raising grass carp and crucian carp, and carp. The other two ponds were dedicated to raising river prawns.

The remaining two were located at the water inlet of the pond. The water quality was the best and was used to raise the high-priced mandarin fish. Spring was the time to catch mandarin fish. You Jin and others were far away on the hillside when they watched a group of people busying away in the mandarin fish pond.

"Eldest Miss!" When You Jin arrived, the lotus pond’s side was pulling out mandarin fish. A group of six or seven men were half submerged in the water and pulling big fishing nets. The women on the shore were busy loading the fishes into the big wooden barrel. Everyone was so occupied that their feet couldn’t get any rest. Still, they were organized and efficient.

One of the men surnamed Zhao who was in charge of taking care of the lotus pond noticed Eldest Miss’s arrival. He cheerfully greeted her. The rest of the people also put down their work to say hello to Eldest Miss.

"Everyone has worked hard. Supervisor Hou, remember to tell Auntie He to kill a few more chickens in the next two days for everyone to enjoy. After the busy days are over and the workload becomes idle, arrange everyone to have two days off in rotation." You Jin had always been a generous boss. After all, it was heavy work. If one wanted the horse to run fast, one had to feed the horse well.

Houjiawan now had two rows of green brick and tile houses built at the foot of the mountain and by the lotus pond. They were for the servants who sold their body to Su Family and long-term workers to live in.

Auntie He was originally a widow with three children in Houjiawan Village. Since Su Family established their roots here, she had been cooking three meals a day for Su Family’s workers in Houjiawan. Not only was her three meals a day were provided, she can get three silver coin a month. It was easier and earned more than farming.

The food for Su Family’s workers was much better than that of ordinary people in the countryside. Every second day, they can taste meat. When everyone heard that the boss was empathetic to the subordinates and gave them holidays and added food, their mouths almost grinned all the way to the back of their heads: "Thank you, Eldest Miss!"