Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

In the following period, cartoons could be watched, but Xiao Ran deliberately controlled the amount.

We can't let these little girls get addicted to cartoons.

Watching it occasionally is fine, but becoming addicted is definitely not okay.

Zhang Jinhe also approached Xiao Ran, "Young master, my younger brother wants to go to school in the village."

"Aren't we going to Chang'an?" Xiao Ran asked casually.

“I’m not going. Grandpa said Jin Nian isn’t learning well in Chang’an and wants to stay in the village to try,” Zhang Jinhe explained.

“Yes, no problem. Let’s talk to Mr. Wang and Wu Niang so we can arrange seating.” Xiao Ran naturally had no objections.

Zhang Jinnian is also a member of Kaolao Village.

Zhang Dalang and the others couldn't stay idle either. Li Kecheng and the others went to light the stove, and the materials had already been prepared.

I'm looking forward to starting to make glass as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the coal workers are also being urged to work, and everyone is even more eager to get things done than Xiao Ran himself.

Xiao Ran's initial intention was to let everyone rest, but it was clear that he wanted to work and earn money more.

Kaolao Village was exempted from taxes for three years, so the pressure was actually much less.

But with something to look forward to in life, everyone is full of energy.

Xiao Ran's series of actions successfully replaced Zhang Mingde's family and made him the richest man in Kaolao Village.

As the ice and snow melt, busy people gradually appeared in the fields.

This is preparation for sowing.

Zhang Dalang sat on the mound of earth next to the stove, watching each ridge of the field.

He reached up and touched the tattoo on his forehead.

After spending a long time together, everyone else knew about the tattoo.

Li Kecheng and the others knew their place and didn't ask, but instead went home to have someone investigate.

Everyone knows what Zhang Dalang's situation is.

Zhang Dalang felt very reluctant to leave, knowing that he didn't have much time left and would have to go back to be executed in the autumn.

But thinking about how his two younger sisters are now living a good life with Xiao Ran, he feels very gratified.

Xiao Ran was very kind to everyone else, and even more so to Zhang Erya and San Niang, something Zhang Dalang could sense.

Xiao Ran was friendly to everyone else.

Zhang Dalang is not worried about the fact that his two younger sisters will definitely have enough to eat and wear in the future.

I'm a little reluctant to leave now. Life is getting better and better, but I have less and less time for myself.

Every time they saw Zhang Dalang in a daze, Li Kecheng and the others understood what was going on.

Cheng Chumo pulled Li Ke aside. "Your Highness, is there any hope for the eldest son's situation? He's a good person, and the murder was an accident."

Cheng Chumo asked Cheng Yaojin if he could help.

Cheng Yaojin asked someone to investigate, but said he was powerless to help.

The matter is clear; the Ministry of Justice has already delivered its verdict.

Zhang Dalang has not been executed yet because Emperor Li Shimin has shown great favor by granting him a year.

However, this matter itself is no longer feasible.

Even the ducal state was powerless against Cheng Yaojin, and the other censors were also watching closely.

Li Ke sighed, "There's nothing we can do. It's an undeniable fact that someone committed murder. Even if it was manslaughter, not malicious, patricide is still far too serious."

“I checked. If it weren’t for the old village chief and the villagers vouching for him, Dalang would have committed an unforgivable crime and would have been beheaded long ago.”

"I have no choice. My eldest son is now considered a craftsman. If the young master helps, I don't know if we can get it done with Grandpa."

Li Ke was also unsure.

Even now, Li Shimin cannot do whatever he wants.

“Young Master, you should know about this. I wonder if he has any solutions.” Cheng Chumo felt that Xiao Ran didn’t care at all.

“Ken knows, we all know, and the young master certainly knows too, but perhaps there’s nothing he can do!” Li Ke said, glancing at Zhang Dalang and Qin Huai, who were staring at the stove.

"If Dalang is really beheaded after autumn, how heartbroken will Second Mother and Third Mother be? It's just that Dalang has such a bad life! It's not his fault."

Li Ke pondered for a moment, "I shouldn't ask. I'll have Fifth Sister and Sixth Sister ask around and try to find a solution!"

Now, Li Kecheng, Chu Mo, and the others do not want Zhang Dalang to die.

In other circumstances, they wouldn't want to get involved, but knowing the whole story made them feel even more sorry for Zhang Dalang.

Li Ke found an opportunity to explain the situation to Li Lizhi.

Hopefully, Xiao Ran can think of a way. He has made many contributions, so maybe he can redeem himself through some meritorious service.

Atonement through meritorious service was the only solution Li Ke could think of.

The credit wasn't given to anyone else, but it was given to Xiao Ran.

Li Lizhi nodded. "Young master must have his own plans."

When they first met, Li Lizhi remembered what Xiao Ran had said: Xiao Ran preferred to handle matters according to the law.

How could someone who admires Han Feizi do such a thing?

However, Li Lizhi still wanted to ask Xiao Ran.

Zhang Dalang is a down-to-earth and capable person. I wouldn't say I like him very much, but his personality isn't hateful either.

An ordinary person who is hardworking, diligent and conscientious.

We also have to consider the relationship between Zhang Erya and San Niang.

Xiao Ran was pondering something on the other side, and the others were sensible enough not to disturb him.

Every time Xiao Ran did this, he was thinking about something.

After Xiao Ran got up, Li Lizhi walked over.

"Fifth Sister, is something the matter?"

Li Lizhi glanced at the Zhang Erya family not far away and said, "Young master, may I have a word with you in private?"

"Hmm?" Xiao Ran asked, puzzled, but still walked to the other side with Li Lizhi. "Fifth Sister, what's the matter?"

"Young master, it's already early spring, and the matter of the eldest son is drawing ever closer to autumn. Do you have any ideas?"

Xiao Ran had almost forgotten about it if Li Lizhi hadn't mentioned it. "Oh, this!"

"Uh-huh!"

"It's alright, no big problem," Xiao Ran said. "I need to go check on the sweet potato vines and find a suitable plot of land nearby."

Xiao Ran clearly didn't take this matter to heart, which puzzled Li Lizhi.

Xiao Ran didn't want to reveal too much.

Xiao Ran knew that in normal historical developments, these people would not die, so he didn't need to interfere.

Just let nature take its course.

The remaining snow had not completely melted, and tiny green shoots were already sprouting from under the withered grass along the field ridges. The wind had lost its winter chill and gained a touch of moist warmth.

In early spring, even the soil in Kaolao Village seems to be waking up.

Xiao Ran carried a curved plow in front, followed by a large group of people: Li Lizhi, Princess Yuzhang Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya, and San Niang and two little princesses with Xiao Hei behind them.

On the sunny slope east of the village, the remaining snow had disappeared into the ditch, leaving only a few shady spots still covered in white.

“This plot of land is sunny and the soil is loose, perfect for planting sweet potatoes.” Xiao Ran put the plow on the ridge, squatted down, grabbed a handful of soil, rubbed it between his fingers, and let the fine soil slip through his fingers. “First, make ridges. Sweet potatoes are susceptible to waterlogging, so make the ridges high.” He picked up a hoe, stuck it into the soil, and pulled it back, creating a deep furrow. “Leave two feet between rows and one foot wide at the top of the ridge, so that the water seeps in quickly when you water them.”

Cheng Chumo had just come from the glass furnace when he rolled up his sleeves and snatched the hoe: "Young master, I'm good at this!"

He tried to make a mound like Xiao Ran, but he didn't hold the hoe properly and dug too deep, splashing soil all over Princess Yuzhang's skirt.

Princess Yuzhang wasn't annoyed. Instead, she leaned closer to look and said, "Young Master, your ridge is crooked, it looks like a little snake."

Cheng Chumo chuckled and quickly adjusted his posture. Li Ke, who had arrived from behind, helped measure the distance and marked the ground with a twig: "Move it half a foot here to align with the tree over there."

The ridges were almost finished. Xiao Ran picked up a handful of sweet potato vines and squatted down by the ridge: "Before planting, you have to pinch off the old leaves and leave only two or three new leaves at the top."

He pinched off the old leaves from the lower half of the seedling with his fingertips, saying, "Old leaves consume water, so pinching them off helps the roots take hold."

Li Lizhi picked up a rice seedling and carefully pinched off a leaf, but she didn't control her strength well and even pinched off a bit of the tender tip. Her face turned red and she whispered, "I'll try again."

Xiao Ran nodded and handed over the seedlings he had pinched off: "Watch the buds, don't damage them."

Zhang Erya and Zhang Jinhe had already arrived with buckets of water. Third Sister squatted at the edge of the ridge, pouring half a ladle of water into the newly dug hole: "Young master, how much water should we pour?"

"Just water it until the soil is moist, don't let it accumulate in the hole." Xiao Ran said, picking up a pinched seedling and inserting it into the hole, burying it three inches deep at an angle, and then pressing the soil down with his hand. "When you insert it, you should do it at an angle so that the roots can spread out, so that it will grow faster."

The little princess is also someone who can't sit still; she definitely has to participate in interesting things like planting.

"Little Nang-kun~ I'm here too~"

The little princess, following in the footsteps of Xiao Ran and Li Lizhi, also wanted to do something.

Princess Chengyang is also imitating it quite well.

Xiao Hei wandered around on the ridge of the field, when suddenly it ran over with a bamboo basket in its mouth. The basket contained the remaining rice seedlings, which it placed at Xiao Ran's feet and wagged its tail excitedly.

Princess Yuzhang smiled and patted its head: "Little Black can even help hand things over!"

"So awesome~" The little princess also patted Little Black.

"Woof woof woof!" The dog wiped the little princess.

Zhang Jinhe squatted down beside him, marked the holes where the plants had been watered, and turned to Xiao Ran and said, "Young master, all the holes here have been watered, enough for twenty plants."

"it is good!"

No one else knew how to plant sweet potatoes before, so they just did whatever Xiao Ran told them to do.

After sweet potatoes come potatoes.

Xiao Ran had previously chopped up all the few potatoes he had.

This is grown from seeds, so it's a bit different from sweet potatoes.

In this era, without chemical fertilizers, the process is much simpler.

The production estimates are also quite different, and Xiao Ran really doesn't know the exact number.

Therefore, it has never been revealed that these are high-yield crops.

"I want seven potatoes~" the little princess pointed to the seeds in the hole.

"We can't eat them now, but if we plant them, we'll have more potatoes to eat in the fall," Li Lizhi said to the little princess as she covered the soil with the potatoes.

The princesses didn't do much work in the palace before, but they gradually changed after coming to Xiao Ran's house.

Now, they get to work very quickly.

Sweet potatoes and potatoes are definitely no problem, but Xiao Ran doesn't know if he can grow corn.

These corn kernels are too young, so I can only throw in more seeds. As long as a few sprout, that will be fine.

Xiao Ran didn't ask for much; he just wanted to leave behind a seed.

Although corn yields are not as high as sweet potatoes and potatoes, it is a staple food!
There weren't many to begin with, and there were too many people.

It was finished in less than an hour.

The little princess tugged at Xiao Ran's sleeve, "Little Nangjun~ Look at the sheep~"

"Hee hee~"

"Did you finish writing today?" Li Lizhi looked at the little princess sternly. "If you don't finish, I'll give you a beating at school!"

The little princess was a bit wary; Li Lizhi was the eldest sister and also a teacher at the school.

"Big sister is so annoying~" The little princess only dared to mutter in a low voice.

"You can only read it after you finish writing!" Xiao Ran picked up the little princess. "Reading is also very important."

Xiao Ran implemented a five-day work week with two days off, and originally wanted to do the same in the printing workshop and coal mine, but found that others were unwilling, so Xiao Ran didn't mention it.

Schools can be established, but children need a balance between work and rest.

When they're not in school, these children are the breadwinners of their families.

During the period of waiting for the Grain in Ear solar term, we will have a holiday and no classes.

The coal mines and workshops will also be temporarily shut down.

The land still needs to be cultivated.

After they returned home, the little princess went to practice her writing.

I want to finish writing quickly so I can watch cartoons.

Xiao Ran understood this feeling very well, having been through it himself.

The little princess's handwriting is a bit childish, but it's very beautiful.

Xiao Ran thought it was due to good genes and talent; the Li Shimin family all had this.

The same was true for little princesses in history.

Historical records say that the Feibai style calligraphy written by Li Shimin was placed together with the original, making it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake.

There is no record of her exact age, but the little princess was 12 years old when she passed away, meaning she was under 12.

Xiao Ran couldn't even imagine that what he wrote when he was twelve years old was simply unbearable to look at.

Actually, things aren't much better now.

Third Sister is very serious and works harder than the two little princesses; she practices even more often.

But the handwriting is just not good; it's far too short of two little princesses.

Zhang Jinnian is much older and started school a few years earlier, so his handwriting is just average.

Slightly better than Zhang Jinhe, but not by much.

As the cartoon began, the three little girls sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), staring intently at the screen.

The light bathed the hillsides of Kaolao Village in a warm gold hue, and the wind carried the scent of freshly thawed earth.

It doesn't have the earthy smell of frozen winter; it's a soft smell with a hint of dampness and the scent of sprouting grass, so pleasant that it doesn't even sting your face when it's blown on.

The coal mine entrance north of the village has long been fenced off with wooden barriers, and the winch that used to rumble all day is now so quiet that you can hear the soft clatter of the wooden wedges on the rope shaft.

Several workers, who had just changed out of their coarse cloth clothes, carried curved plows home. Their trouser legs were still covered in black coal dust, but they smiled and shouted to passersby, "Hurry up, plant the land well, and come back to dig coal soon!"

Standing on the hilltop and looking down, the field ridges looked as if someone had drawn them with a ruler, with light brown strips of soil spreading out around the newly green wheat fields, and the strips of soil were full of moving figures.

The most eye-catching are those curved plows, their tips polished to a shine. When they glide across the frozen soil, they no longer feel the stiffness of the old plows. There is only a "shush-shush" sound, and the soil turned up is so fine that it looks like it has been sifted. Even the person holding the plow has to save effort.

Previously, with the old plow, it took two strong men to carry the plow handles, and the oxen had to rest twice before they could plant half an acre.

Now, a strong laborer can hold the curved plow with his back straight, and the ox can walk steadily. He can plant more than one acre in a morning.

The spared oxen were taken to households that lacked oxen, and the women were not idle either. They carried water jugs and seed bags and ran to the ridges of the fields. Even the teenagers who usually loved to chase butterflies obediently helped the adults pick up small stones from the ground.

Zhang Dalang didn't even tend to the furnace in the workshop.

He carried his own curved plow, the handle wrapped with coarse cloth. As he walked along the ridge of the field, he stopped to adjust the plowshare: "Press it down half an inch; millet seeds are small, if planted too deep, they won't sprout." (End of Chapter)