I Picked Up a High-Maintenance Mistress for Famine-Fleeing and Farming 76

Chapter 76: The Great Migration

As March approached, the withered yellow leaves were gradually replaced by green vines. The wind in the forest was blocked by the dense barrier, and when it blew on a person, it carried a gentle warmth.

The people of Zhangjia Village, carrying their belongings, walked with difficulty through the forest. The occasional two bird calls from the branches brought a different kind of vitality to the tired people.

Long before the Zhangjia Village moved, Muchun had taken Liu Yunhe on a horse-cart to an uninhabited place, packed a thousand jin of grain in a sack, and lied that she had asked someone to buy it, storing it in the cave as rations for everyone.

She was only responsible for distributing one mixed-flour steamed bun a day. The rest would have to be self-reliant. Their village now had eighty people left. A day would use up ten jin of flour to make eighty large steamed buns. This thousand jin of grain would be just enough to last for three months.

After three months, it would be the stage of all things growing. As the saying goes, you live off the mountain if you’re near a mountain, and off the water if you’re near water. If they dried some wild vegetables in advance and saved some potatoes and sweet potatoes, they would not starve to death.

As for the seeds, she would probably have to go to Wanliu City again. It wasn’t that she didn’t have enough grain, but she was short on vegetable and corn seeds. It would be even better if she could get some potatoes and sweet potatoes.

This forest outside the city would probably take three days to walk from end to end. The hot spring cave that Muchun had chosen was about a day’s distance from Wanliu City and was not yet in the depths of the jungle. The trees were of all sizes, and the spacing was much wider than in the forest behind.

It was just that there were a lot of bushes, which had to be cleared.

“When we see a large open space, we have to occupy it first. Each family will only be given two acres of seeds. If you have the ability to clear more, then we will give you more seeds according to the situation,” Muchun shouted in the crowd as they were halfway through. She even sent her little tail, Zhang Muxuan, to spread the word.

“Grain is precious now. We will naturally settle down where we clear the land. If we all go into the depths of the forest and can’t find a suitable place, it would be a pity to miss this spacious open space outside,” Muchun was still explaining the pros and cons to everyone.

“Then if we don’t go inside, what about the daily buns?” a family who was worried about the rations asked.

“For now, we have enough rations for three months. I will send someone to deliver them to each household every day to prevent the situation of the rice and flour being eaten up in a few days, and also to ensure that the old and the young all get one,” she said. The rations, of course, had to be distributed daily. Otherwise, they would easily run out of food and supplies before the spring planting.

“And, to avoid the attack of wild animals and refugees, the families who have chosen an open space should preferably be next to their relatives and friends. That is to say, two families can choose a place close to each other to have a mutual support,” Muchun said, standing in the middle of the crowd. Everyone stopped and pricked up their ears, afraid of missing any important information.

“This is a good idea. You can discuss it with each other and stay if you find a place you like. Anyway, everyone is not far from each other,” the old village head said with a smile, sitting on a rock in support.

“Muchun, then where are we going? I heard you built a courtyard in the forest? Are the rooms all built?” Zhao Yue’e’s eyes shifted, and her gaze was fixed on Muchun.

“I did fence off a courtyard, but it’s not my courtyard. It’s a few girls who worked hard to settle down on the mountainside. They’re all girls, and it’s not convenient for a man to live in their house. I don’t plan to take you there.”

“And there are no rooms, just a damp and cold cave. It’s not even as warm as this wooden shelter. You don’t have to think about it. And I won’t allow anyone to have any ideas about the girls’ place. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being impolite,” Muchun said, decisively cutting off Zhao Yue’e’s thoughts and at the same time warning the villagers.

Everyone thought of the dead Zhang Guangda, and they were a little sad and did not dare to provoke Muchun. She really did it.

“Dad, look at Muchun. She’s not even planning to let you into the room now,” Zhao Yue’e said with a resentful tone, complaining to Zhang Tiesheng.

“Dad, what do you say?” Muchun asked, looking at Zhang Tiesheng.

Zhang Tiesheng was silent for a while and said, “As for the house, there’s Mulin and Mujing. Your mother and I will follow them.”

“Sister-in-law, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of Mom and Dad,” Muchun said, and gave her a proper bow, which made Zhao Yue’e’s mouth twist with anger.

And so, the people of Zhangjia Village found their own places one after another. A suitable place could save half the effort. Sometimes, choice is very important.

They did not go into the depths of the forest, but covered about a fifth of the forest. You could see one or two households every li.

But even so, Muchun felt that it was not safe enough. In the future, when the grain grew, she would have to arrange for people to patrol in shifts.

And so, like a mother hen laying eggs, she settled all the villagers and even collected two large iron pots to cook for everyone.

Three or four households were also settled in front of and behind the cave. The Zhang family and the Qingshan family were among them. And the village head’s family also settled near the Zhang family. It was convenient for the two old brothers to chat in their spare time.

After all this, Muchun returned to the cave to rest. Dongjiu and Zhao Xing’er had been steaming mixed-flour steamed buns all day and were now delivering them door to door. This was the first time the people of Zhangjia Village had eaten dry flour grain in more than a hundred days. It was finally no longer the thin porridge that could reflect a person’s face. After having something in their stomachs, they finally felt that Muchun was a good village head. On the first day they entered the mountain, they had had a large mixed-flour steamed bun to eat.

The steamed buns, of course, would not be delivered every day. After the villagers got used to the life of one steamed bun a day, they would have to send someone to get it themselves. Muchun and the others also had to plant and grow vegetables and did not have time to serve them all the time.

The quiet forest suddenly became lively, full of life.

Tomorrow, she still had to distribute the farm tools. After preparing, she would officially start clearing the land and farming.

…

After washing up at night, the few of them gathered around the stove to dry their hair.

There were cushions on the wooden stools, and straw sandals on their feet. It was convenient to wear them after a bath, and the soles were also lined with a layer of cotton cloth to prevent chafing.

“There are many people recently. We should also arrange what we need to do,” Muchun said, her loose long hair tied casually behind her with a red string.

“Dongjiu and Ah Xing will take care of the villagers’ rations first. At most, they’ll have to do it for three months. After half a month, they won’t have to deliver the rations personally. I’ll have them send someone to get it.”

“No problem for me,” Dongjiu said.

“No problem for me either,” Zhao Xing’er followed, and she also wanted to go home and see what kind of good life her family was living without her.

“As for the food at home, Sister Caiying can cook. I’ll also cook when I have time,” Muchun said. She felt that Liu Yunhe’s appetite was better when she cooked, but she didn’t have time to stay at home and cook. Besides, Sister Caiying’s craftsmanship was much better than Yin Xi’s, so it shouldn’t be a big problem.

“Then what do I do?” Guan Yue asked anxiously.

“I’m not distributing silver. Why are you so anxious to work?” Muchun said with a laugh.

The others also laughed along.

“Now that there are many people and prying eyes, you can take Hong Xiu and Lü Fu to fence off the hot spring area, and then lead the water flowing down from above to the fields. Make a door where a door should be, and build a wall where a wall should be. When you have time, go and dig a latrine. But these are not urgent. Just fence off the hot spring pool first,” Muchun said as she thought.

“Alright. I’d rather not have asked,” Guan Yue said, feeling that she had poked a hornet’s nest.

“Jin Ling and Yin Xi are good at needlework. They can just wash and dry the quilts for everyone. When I get some cloth, I’ll make some clothes and shoes for everyone.”

“Okay,” the two said in unison. Compared to building a latrine, washing and scrubbing was a much better job. The two of them were secretly laughing in their hearts.

“Then what do I do?” Liu Yunhe asked, and seeing that everyone had a goal, although she had never worked before, now was not the time for her to be a young miss. She still had to do something.

“You… I have an important matter for you,” Muchun said, looking at the active Liu Yunhe with a smile in her eyes.

“What is it?”

“Tomorrow, you’ll take an inventory of all our belongings. In the future, whenever anyone takes anything, whether it’s from the family or the villagers, they have to come to you to get it. Be careful. Don’t waste all the things I’ve brought back,” Muchun’s voice was serious, but she turned and winked at Liu Yunhe.

Liu Yunhe instantly understood her meaning and said in a submissive tone, “I’ll definitely keep a close eye on the things. Don’t you worry.”

But in her heart, she was sweet. Wasn’t this the job of a housekeeper? She had seen it a lot and was very good at it.

“Baozhu, you help Sister Yunhe with the accounts. You have to keep a clear record of the village’s accounts as well.”

“I’m going to be an accountant? That’s great,” the little girl said, her happiness written all over her face.

“Alright. That’s it for now,” Muchun said, and after assigning everyone their tasks, she went back to bed to rest.

Letting Liu Yunhe manage the grain and belongings, although she had her own selfish thoughts, these things had originally started from her wife. Without Liu Yunhe, there would be no everything that followed. It was only natural for her to be in charge of the belongings.

The others had no objections either. Although they had also taken things, those things could not be compared to the grain that Muchun had brought. What could they say about her own things being managed by her own wife? They were all adults, and they had to be sensible when it was time.

Liu Yunhe took small, flowery steps and followed Muchun into the bed curtains with a bounce in her step.

Muchun lay on her stomach on the blanket, stretching her limbs and relaxing. A glass-covered lamp was lit by the bed. Liu Yunhe let down her smooth long hair, tilted her head, and shook it gently. She secretly changed into a champagne-colored nightgown. The smooth fabric, from her neck to her ankles, clung to her figure, and the lower part was spread out in layers. A thin sash outlined her slender waist.

Her body, after soaking in the hot spring, was smooth and tender, but it had a faint smell of sulfur. She took out the scented balm, melted it in her hand, and dotted her round, pink toes on Muchun’s waist. She lifted her skirt, revealing her dazzlingly white legs, which were slightly bent.

She gently applied the scented balm in her hand to her ankle bones, calves, knees, and the inside of her thighs, until almost all of it was stained with a fresh fragrance.

Muchun felt someone stepping on her lower back, and the small space was filled with a faint, fresh fragrance.

She turned over and grabbed the small, exquisite jade foot in her hand. She propped her head up with one hand, her gaze falling on it, and her other hand moved up to caress it.

The smooth and delicate touch made her fingers linger on her calf.

“It’s a little itchy,” Liu Yunhe’s long lashes trembled downwards.

In the dim yellow light, her smile rippled in the bottom of her eyes, radiant and dazzling.

She stared at that captivating face and hooked her finger.

Liu Yunhe knelt on both legs, her soft waist lowered. She used her hand to lift the long hair behind her ear, and with a docile expression, she pressed her ear close to her.

“Don’t seduce me. If you make me anxious, I’ll take you to that pool above. There’s no one there,” Muchun said, and pressed her lips against her earlobe, lightly biting it. Her fingers slipped into her lapel from her beautiful neck.

Her gaze followed downwards. This position seemed to have a better feel.

A current ran through Liu Yunhe’s body. Her long hair covered half of her flushed face. She frowned and murmured, “Just seduce. I haven’t seen you all day these past few days. I can only touch you when I’m sleeping.”

As she spoke, Liu Yunhe wrapped her arms around Muchun’s neck and lay on her, her long legs restlessly hooking her waist.

“Not outside. It’s too cold,” Liu Yunhe’s smooth long hair was mixed with Muchun’s.

“Alright then. We’ll go when it’s warmer,” Muchun said, responding to the kiss that was offered to her.

In the night forest, the large trees were sprouting new buds, and the small grass was swaying and growing. This year’s spring seemed to have come faster than every year.