Chapter 500: Chapter 258 Fruit Trees_2
The cabbages also had to be planted within the vegetable ridges, similar to cucumbers and green beans, except no need to dig holes, but simply two shallow trenches would suffice. The depth of these trenches was also particular, not too deep, but still deeper than those for planting leeks. More cabbage seeds could be sprinkled in, and once the cabbage sprouts emerged, any excess seedlings could be pulled out.
These excess young cabbages would typically be given to tenant farmers to feed pigs, chickens, or ducks. It wasn’t that these young cabbages weren’t tasty, but they were accustomed to consuming only the matured winter storage cabbages.
Next to the cabbage ridges, Lian Manman planned to plant rapeseed. She had asked Shi Wazi about the planting method for rapeseed, which turned out to be similar to cabbage. However, rapeseed was meant to be eaten while it was still tender and wouldn’t be allowed to grow too large or too old; therefore, there was no need for as wide a ridge as required for cabbages.
After planting the cabbages and rapeseed, they went on to plant spinach...
The Lian Family’s old vegetable garden, plus their newly cultivated land, took a fragmented three days for the family to finish planting almost all the vegetables. There was still some empty space in the new garden and some corners in the old house’s garden could still be utilized. Though the melon seeds had germinated, Lady Zhang was concerned that they might not sprout if planted, so Lian Manman followed Old Master Lian’s method for cultivating dry tobacco seedlings by digging a small ridge and sowing the melon seeds, Sweet Girl seeds gathered by her, and covering them with straw mats for warmth and moisture, just like Old Master Lian did.
A few days after the seeds were sown, the small ridge was densely covered with sprouts and, after waiting another day or two, these sprouts could be dug out and transplanted into the vegetable plots.
The family had just finished planting the vegetable garden when Zhang Qingshan and Zhang Qingnian, hurrying with their cart, delivered a load of fruit tree seedlings. Although they were seedlings, they weren’t small; the smallest had a year’s worth of growth, and the largest didn’t exceed two. Each seedling’s roots were enveloped in a sizeable lump of earth—since they had been dug out early in the morning and delivered directly, the earth was still moist. Zhang Qingshan explained that planting them this way would most easily ensure the seedlings’ survival.
Lian Manman checked each seedling, asking Zhang Qingshan about the types of fruit trees they were. She couldn’t identify them as they had not yet bourne fruit.
"Ask your mother!" Zhang Qingshan called Lady Zhang over and said.
It was no big deal that Lian Manman didn’t recognize the fruit trees, but Lady Zhang should, having grown up among orchards.
Lian Manman looked at Lady Zhang with some skepticism.
"What are you looking at? I recognize all of these," Lady Zhang said as she showed Lian Manman each of the seedlings. This one is a pear, that one is a hawthorn, next to it is a plum, and those two short ones are peach trees... Lian Manman counted them herself—there were a total of thirty seedlings of six different varieties. In addition to the aforementioned pear, hawthorn, plum, and peach trees, there were also three jujube trees and four apricot trees.
Zhang Qingshan nodded in satisfaction, seeing Lady Zhang identify each fruit tree correctly.
"These seedlings have to be prepared a year in advance. I roamed around to find these for you, choosing only the best varieties to plant. I’m going to plant some more seedlings for you this year, so next year, whatever our family orchard has, yours will have too," Zhang Qingshan said.
"Grandpa, you must keep your word!" Lian Manman immediately said.
"This child, are you afraid your grandpa is deceiving you or what?" Lady Zhang chided.
"Exactly!" Zhang Qingshan laughed. Seeing Shouxin wasn’t around, he lowered his voice, "I’ve never said this, but the children whom their grandmother raised are too honest. It’s better now that Manman is growing up independently. At home, I always tell your mother that children shouldn’t be watched over like prisoners; that would just make them simple-minded... It’s a good thing you split from the family, the three children are more lively now, and you two also have more spirit."
Lady Zhang remained silent.
Seeing Shouxin approaching, Zhang Qingshan also stopped talking.
At heart, Zhang Qingshan was still a traditionalist. He believed in and adhered to old-school rules, like once a daughter is married off, she belongs to her husband’s family, and he has no right to intervene in her affairs. If her husband’s family set rules for her, even if it pained him, he couldn’t interfere. Grandsons and granddaughters belonged to the Lian Family, which had its way of raising them. Even if he disagreed, he couldn’t impose and demand that the Lian Family adopt the Zhang Family’s methods.
This was the old-school emphasis on everyone minding their rightful place.
Now that Lady Zhang had split from the main house and, also considering her previous miscarriage due to an assault, he otherwise wouldn’t have spoken his mind.
The tree planting couldn’t wait, so Zhang Qingshan and Zhang Qingnian took a quick drink of water and got to work. Shouxin found two more laborers from the village, and under Zhang Qingshan’s guidance, they dug tree pits and planted the trees on the chosen plot of land.
With Zhang Qingshan, Zhang Qingnian, Shouxin, and the two strong laborers they found, the tree pits were dug quickly. They could draw water straight from the river nearby. In less than two Chinese hours, the thirty tree seedlings were planted.
Zhang Qingshan then passed on some tips on caring for the seedlings before leaving with Zhang Qingnian. This season was busy for their family, with the fruit orchard, fields, and vegetable gardens requiring attention.
The next day, before the breakfast diner had opened its doors, Old Uncle Huang rushed in to grab breakfast.
"I don’t need soup or vegetables, just give me ten buns, I’ll eat them on the go," Uncle Huang said, like a man on a mission.
While Lady Zhang picked buns for Uncle Huang in the kitchen, Shouxin asked him outside, "What’s the rush that you can’t even spare time for soup?"
"Inspectors are coming from above today, I only got the message in the middle of the night. I hardly slept before rushing here to make arrangements, need to make a good impression, or it’ll be trouble for everyone," Uncle Huang grabbed the buns, not minding the heat, stuffed one in his mouth, and shoved the rest into his chest before leaving.
"Who’s coming, Uncle Huang?" Lian Manman, helping in the diner, inquired.
"People from the Prefecture City Shen Family," Uncle Huang replied, lowering his voice.
****......*****
Second update, begging for pink votes.
I haven’t been feeling well these past few days, and struggled to update late, please forgive me. Writing is a very draining task, sigh. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation votes or monthly votes; your support is my greatest motivation.)
