Free Web NovelChapter 34: Chapter 34
Chapter 34
An older man asked with interest. He also feared. He used to hunt while letting his 18-19-year-old son fetch water. But with the harsh cold weather, he did not dare to let his son go fetch water at the stream, he’d rather take the risk himself.
This was how a father would think.
"Indeed, but I’m not sure if others will agree. I’ll have to propose it to the village leader. My wife and I can only offer ideas," said Mu Heng. He involved his wife in the narrative even though Yueqian had told him not to claim the idea as hers.
It was laughable, really. In these times, women weren’t expected to meddle in important affairs. If it were known that Yueqian had suggested the idea, people’s first reaction would likely be skepticism about its effectiveness. And after proving its worth, the men would feel embarrassed to adopt her idea, complicating decision-making.
Yueqian knew this since her time in the capital, where it was rare for women to hold governmental positions. And those who did faced immense pressure. One mistake could tarnish their reputation forever, whereas men’s errors were considered normal. If a woman erred, it was attributed to her gender, suggesting she was inherently thoughtless.
Though the nobility educated their daughters, it was mainly to make them capable of pleasing or listening to their husbands in the future.
Thus, Yueqian knew that men like Mu Heng were rare, and she was incredibly fortunate to have him as her husband.
"Is that so? Then let’s go. I’ll come along to listen. If it’s a good idea, we might use it. But what’s this sled all about?" A’Rui continued to show interest in the sled. Mu Heng did not respond but handed the rope over for him to try pulling it himself.
"Try pulling it." A’Rui was confused upon handling it, but he then did what Mu Heng told him to.
Initially, he felt the weight as he began to pull, but once the sled moved along the path and off the snow, it seemed to move almost by itself. His job was simply to steer it correctly.
"Hmm? I can’t even feel the weight of all three," A’Rui stopped, looking at Mu Heng in amazement.
"Indeed, this sled could significantly help with water collection. Let’s go; I’ll tell the village leader all about it," Mu Heng told A’Rui, and they all set off.
Along the way, many villagers showed interest when A’Rui told them that Mu Heng had a great idea to help with water collection. Many villagers then walked along, some interested in Mu Heng’s sled, and tried pulling the sled themselves and were quite pleased with it.
Unfortunately, the sled only worked well when the ground was covered in snow. If there were dirt or stones, it would be difficult to use, and they would have to revert to using carts for transport.
Soon, they reached the village leader’s house, where he was wrapped in a thick blanket, weaving a basket. Basket weaving was a job his youngest daughter had taken from the city. She would work on it at home during the winter and sell them in town once the snow stopped.
Thus, others who were free helped her out in the meantime.
As the elder saw the crowd approaching his house, he stood up in surprise. But when he spotted Yueqian among them, he quickly flashed a welcoming smile.
"Ah, the Xiao Mu household and wife, you’ve come here with others. Is there something this old man can help with?" he warmly inquired, knowing that Yueqian’s help this time would likely increase the village’s income in the next harvesting season, thus improving everyone’s living conditions significantly.
A better life for the villagers would also mean recognition from the authorities for him as a village leader, so in a way, Yueqian was helping him indirectly.
Not to mention, the elder had also told his son to rent land for cultivation, which meant more income for his household next season. How could he not be happy?
"It’s not really about needing help. A’Heng has an idea to propose. Have you heard about Brother Liang falling into the stream? Fortunately, A’Heng’s wife was able to help in time, but others might not be so lucky. A’Heng has an idea to propose. If it was a good idea, then we could stay safer. A middle aged man spoke.
His tone conveyed great respect for the Mu Heng household. The reason behind that was pretty much the same as the village leader’s.
In fact, the people following them were also influenced by Yueqian. After she allowed them to rent land post-winter, they considered her a worthy ally to listen to. In the future, if they ever obtained anything, certainly, they would share it with her.
"A suggestion?"
"Yes," Mu Heng confirmed, as he entered the house, supporting his wife, with two cheerful young children following behind, jumping up and down.
This allowed the villagers to get a clearer look at their attire. The three siblings had not been well-off before, but things had noticeably improved since Mu Heng married.
Initially unnoticed, but upon looking, Mu Heng’s clothes were of fine fabric that provided warmth, and the shirt he wore underneath were made of fur favored in the city. He might have preferred to keep this hidden under his old clothes, but on closer inspection, it was evident.
The two children were also dressed in fine materials, the clothes they wore underneath were likely lined with fur. The clothes without patches unlike the old clothes they used to wear, those that their older brother and their late parents had them patched-up. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Seeing this, good-hearted people felt relieved for their fortunes, while the envious lamented how Mu Heng had landed such a wealthy wife. Some even discreetly looked at Yueqian multiple times, thinking how wonderful it would have been if she had been their wife, but sadly, she had married Mu Heng. They had mocked him before for accepting 100 silver taels as if he were being paid to marry a wicked woman.
Mu Heng also protectively hugged his wife, aware of the potential ill-intentions of others. As a loving husband, he could not stand that. He would shield her wherever possible, or if he could not shield her, he would hug around her waist, showing them how much they loved each other. If he could, he would pull his wife right into his large shirt.
The young man handed over the design his wife had sketched to the village leader, explaining that they had tried out a new type of water fetching system at their home. He suggested the village leader come and see it, if interested, although he did not agree with the idea of people constantly coming to their house to fetch water, since he had two women at home. Certainly, the village leader would have no intention of disturbing Yueqian.
After hearing Mu Heng’s ideas, they tried using the sleds themselves. As for the pulley system for fetching water from the stream, Mu Heng told them they had made it, using it themselves, and they were welcome to go and see it. If anyone had the necessary equipment, they could follow his model and construct their own systems. For those without the equipment, Mu Heng had another set, and he proposed that the village leader could build a pulley system for fetching water at the village square. When coming to fetch water, villagers could simply pull their own water jars with the sled. Those with multiple jars could make a few trips, a worthwhile trade to mitigate the risk to their lives.
The villagers were very excited and followed the village leader to see the actual setup. The village leader brought another set of equipment from Mu Heng, who explained that he had purchased it in the city previously, custom-made, anticipating the winter. This earned him considerable praise for his thoughtful planning, although, in fact, it was his beautiful wife who had procured these items.
Seeing how convenient things were at Mu Heng’s home made the villagers even more excited. Many wanted to try making them, adapting to their own versions. Mu Heng did not stop them. It was even better that they would find their own ways to implement the ideas.
For the communal parts, the village leader organized people to help cut wood, dig holes, and install the pulley. They were very happy when it was completed. The news about this new water-fetching pulley system brought the villagers together again in joy.
They were delighted to have a way to avoid risking their lives. However, the sleds still posed a problem. Not many could easily find the wood, but ultimately, the village leader told them he would make two sets of sleds. One set for his own use and another for people to borrow. This resolved the issue.
While everyone was busy with the sleds, some wanting to make their own pulleys, Mu Heng’s home returned to its peaceful state.
The children sat eagerly waiting for their hot meal of the day, homemade noodles prepared by Yueqian. The kids, who normally had to buy an expensive noodle in town, were particularly excited.
The aroma almost made them unable to sit still. Mu Heng felt the same, though he managed to keep his composure better than the kids. Yet, deep down, he felt somewhat guilty towards Yueqian.
He looked at the book from which he had been practicing writing for a while. Compared to the kids, his memory was excellent. Mu Heng learned quickly, so he had already written down 100 characters in just a few days.
Although there were over a thousand characters, this achievement was significant. If needed, he could already transcribe simple texts. The young man’s idea was for him to be good at it as quickly as possible. At least, good enough at calligraphy. Took a textbooks transcription job and earning money was what he was eager to do the most.
Originally, he had wanted to study to become a scholar and serve the government for his family’s comfort. But as he grew up, his thinking changed. Mu Heng wanted to do anything that would bring in money and give him a chance to protect his family. He didn’t want his wife, siblings, or future children to suffer like he did.
So, his first goal was to make as much money as possible.
"What are you thinking about?" Yueqian approached him at some point, and he hadn’t even noticed. He snapped out of his reverie only when the beautiful face was right in front of him.
The big man paused, blushed slightly out of embarrassment.
"Nothing much, I just want to earn more money," Mu Heng looked seriously at his wife. He wanted to convey to her that he was sincere. He didn’t want to take advantage of his beloved; he wanted to be the family provider and take care of his wife and children himself.
Every day he saw his wife taking out things, which were her dowry, yet she shared those with them. He felt deeply guilty about this; those items were her dowry, supposed to be hers to keep for the future, but she had married an incompetent husband like him. She had to bring out her dowry for use to prevent herself from starving. One day, those might run out.
Thinking this way made Mu Heng’s expression turn more solemn.
