Chapter 149: Crops Never Before Seen in the Fields

Just as Qiu Rongrong had anticipated from the start, the debut of the roast duck ignited a craze across Cloud Mist Town and its surrounding areas. Every day, the ducks at the shop were sold out in an instant, and the orders for reservations piled up until the staff could barely keep up.

Over at the Wen family’s place, the day the three waterwheels were completed and the sluices were opened to irrigate the fields, the banks of the irrigation canal were packed with curious villagers gathered to watch the spectacle.

"Go see if everything is ready over there," Old Man Wen instructed his youngest son.

Wen Xiuqing trotted off toward the pond, panting as he ran back and forth to confirm the preparations. Out of breath, he nodded and said, "Dad, Big Brother says it’s all set. You can open the sluice gate now."

With all eyes upon him, Old Man Wen walked toward the waterwheel and released the valve. As the current caught the wheel, it began to turn, lifting water layer by layer into the canal, where it flowed steadily downstream. When it reached the second waterwheel, the momentum of the flow set it in motion as well, carrying the water further along the channel.

The villagers and Old Man Wen followed the flow of water back to the pond, watching as it finally cascaded into the vast basin, the stream growing larger by the moment.

It would likely take several days to fill such a large pond, but even so, Old Man Wen felt a sense of immense satisfaction.

"Uncle Wen, will we be able to draw water from your canal to irrigate our own fields in the future?" a villager asked. Previously, they had to trek all the way to the water’s edge, which was both far and exhausting.

Old Man Wen waved his hand generously. "Help yourselves. This canal was built to make things easier for everyone."

As his words fell, a burst of applause and cheers erupted. The village chief, grinning from ear to ear, stepped forward and asked, "Uncle, these waterwheels of yours are quite convenient, aren't they?" They saved so much labor.

Old Man Wen had grown wiser. "If the village wants to build waterwheels, just find Carpenter Zhang. But mind you, he doesn't work for free."

The village chief chuckled awkwardly and nodded. "That’s only natural, of course."

Old Man Wen ignored him and walked over to his eldest son, feeling a twinge of anxiety as he watched the water disappear into the thirsty soil of the pond.

"Eldest, will this work? What if the water doesn't accumulate?"

Wen Xiuyi shook his head. "It will. It’s just a matter of time. We’ll wait. Besides, Mother and the others are already looking for ducklings; by the time they find them, it should be ready. Dad, since the pond is dug, we need to start building the duck pens. Have you made arrangements?"

"As if I could forget," Old Man Wen replied. "Your mother has been nagging me about it from dawn till dusk. Once the canal is settled, we’ll start cutting timber from the barren hills to build the sheds."

Old Man Wen felt a surge of emotion. He never could have imagined a life like this. Even though his pockets were still light, his heart finally felt at ease.

After circling the pond and seeing the soil beginning to dampen and a faint shimmer of water appearing, his mind was put to rest. However, spotting a few people standing near the plots where he had planted the seeds brought by Wen Xiuyi, he grew anxious.

"What do you think you're doing? Get out of the field, now!" he shouted, pointing toward them.

Only then did the others notice the intruders. Old Man Wen pushed through the crowd and hurried over, yelling, "Get out! What are you doing?"

The few people in the field had only been curious about the strange, unfamiliar crops. Caught off guard by the public outcry, they scrambled out, looking incredibly awkward.

"Be careful! Don't step on my seedlings!" Old Man Wen was furious. His eldest son treated those plants like treasures; if they were crushed, he would surely lose his temper.

As they stepped out, Old Man Wen scolded them roundly. "Who goes trampling through someone else's crops? What is the meaning of this?"

The villagers, knowing the Wen family’s status had changed and that their own kin were now working for them, quickly explained, "Uncle Wen, it’s not what you think. We were just curious about what you’ve planted—we’ve never seen it before. We were just looking; we didn't step on anything, we promise."

"What I plant is none of your business. There’s nothing to see here," Old Man Wen muttered.

The group looked embarrassed and at a loss for what to say. Yet, one person noticed something—Old Man Wen seemed to treasure these plants immensely. Could this be the secret to the Wen family's sudden prosperity?

One villager’s eyes darted around as he asked, "Uncle Wen, what exactly are you growing? We’ve never seen these before. Could it be some kind of treasure?"

Old Man Wen glanced at the speaker. His heart sank; this man was known for his underhanded nature. "Treasure? It’s just ordinary crops. Wouldn't you be worried if someone trampled your hard work?"

Determined to stop the questioning, Old Man Wen looked at the crowd. "The water is flowing now; everyone should get back to their own chores. Once my pond is full, you can draw water from the canal to irrigate your fields. Now, disperse, disperse!"

Seeing there was nothing left to watch, the villagers drifted away in small groups, though a few cast lingering, suspicious glances at the plots where the potatoes and corn were planted.

Once everyone had left and only the family remained, Old Man Wen frowned. After a moment of hesitation, he looked at his second and third sons. "Have the men building the duck shed put up a small hut here first. From now on, the two of you will take turns sleeping here to watch the fields."

The family was stunned. Wen Xiuzhu and Wen Xiuqing looked baffled, and Wen Xiuyi asked, "Dad, what happened?"

Old Man Wen sighed. "Our family has been attracting too much attention lately. I’m afraid someone has their eyes on these crops." He recounted the incident in the field.

Mrs. Luo’s face darkened. "Those shameless wretches, always coveting what belongs to others."

Wen Xiuzhu and Wen Xiuqing understood immediately. They knew how important these crops were to their eldest brother and nodded firmly. "Don't worry, Dad. We'll keep a close watch."

Wen Xiuyi’s brow furrowed tightly. He looked at his two younger brothers and said, "Dad, there’s so much to do at home. The second and third brothers have their own work; they can’t just spend all their time guarding these two patches of land."

Old Man Wen glared at him. "Then you do it?" If it weren't for this brat insisting on planting these things, would he have to pull his other two sons away from their work?

Wen Xiuyi knew that with these strange new crops and their family's recent success, it was inevitable that they would be targeted. Still, his heart ached at the thought of his brothers suffering for it.