Peaceful Farm Life

Chapter 749: Chapter 750 Grudges_1

Xiao Changyi nodded, ”Mm.”

Then, Xiao Changyi bought four little sugar figurines shaped like goats, one for each child.

No one was favored over another, exceptionally fair.

The four children, each holding a sugar figurine, were even happier, their mouths agape, smiling from ear to ear so that their eyes nearly disappeared.

And since the four children only had two teeth each, top and bottom, when they grinned with their tiny mouths wide open, they were incredibly cute and heart-meltingly adorable. Seeing this, An Jing’s heart grew even warmer, and she felt a tenderness beyond words.

Unable to help herself, An Jing spoke again, ”Husband, we should take the children out more in the future. Look how happy our little ones are.”

”Mm.” Every time the four children laughed like this, and with his beloved woman by his side, Xiao Changyi’s heart would melt into softness, and even his cold eyes gradually warmed.

That warmth belonged to his wife. It was also for the children he had with his wife.

In the town, the four children clamored for many things, but Xiao Changyi didn’t buy everything they asked for—only a few items.

An Jing also felt that they shouldn’t simply buy the children whatever they wanted, so when Xiao Changyi didn’t buy something for the kids, she didn’t say anything but simply helped to soothe the children, making sure they didn’t fuss or cry over not getting those things.

On the way home from town, An Jing sat in the carriage, with the four children either passed out on her legs or curled up in her arms—none of them were awake.

Clearly, after a full day of fun, all four children were a bit tired, which was why they fell asleep.

After affectionately watching her four sleeping children for a while, An Jing lifted the carriage curtain and smiled at Xiao Changyi, who was outside driving the carriage, ”Husband, look, the children have all fallen asleep, and quite deeply at that. They were so lively just before.”

Hearing her, Xiao Changyi turned around to glance inside the carriage and then continued driving.

After a while, Xiao Changyi said, ”Next time we won’t let them play for so long, so they won’t be this tired.”

”Let’s not. We should just let them be. Didn’t we bring them to town so they could enjoy themselves?”

”Mm.”

An Jing looked affectionately at her four children once more before saying, ”Let’s go to the county office tomorrow. I want to speak with Official Liu to request some funds from the Agricultural Institute for building a few tube wells.”

A tube well was a tool that used water flow as power to extract water for irrigating fields.

It was only after she had made the Dragon Bone Waterwheel public that she remembered having seen tube wells before.

Tube wells didn’t require human effort, and if there were one next to every river, it would indeed be quite beneficial.

Tube wells were made from bamboo tubes and wood, so building a few wouldn’t cost much Silver Coin. Although her family could afford to pay for them entirely, she was currently acting as a Farmer official, which meant this was an official affair, not a private matter. Thus, it would be better for the Imperial Court to allocate funds for construction.

Xiao Changyi was aware of the tube well matter, as An Jing had mentioned it to him before and he had seen the structural drawings of the tube well she had made. If a tube well really could be installed next to each river, it would indeed be very beneficial for farmers.

So, as soon as he heard An Jing mention going to the county the next day to work on the tube well matter, Xiao Changyi nodded, ”Mm.”

...

The next day, An Jing and Xiao Changyi left their four children in Meng Zhuqing’s care, and then the two of them went to the Agricultural Institute in Qilin County to look for Official Liu.

Official Liu was harboring resentment against An Jing.

Grafting and crop rotation could reduce pestilence significantly—a great achievement. Originally, Official Liu hoped to claim all the credit, or at least a portion of it, since An Jing was under his supervision.