Daily Life in the Countryside After Being Reborn-Chapter 30 - 29 The Old Master’s Astuteness

"Old master, are you saying that the decrease in tea production in the village is due to the felling of pine trees?" After listening to Zhu Shijun's analysis, Yezi's mother was somewhat skeptical yet somewhat convinced.

The girl Xiao Xian, perhaps because she grew up with Zhu Shijun, could recognize the species of a tree just by looking at the stump. This made Yezi's mother even more convinced by what Zhu Shijun said.

The top of Black Mountain was originally covered with several types of trees, wild white tea trees being one, and Ma Yisong pines another.

Dongnan Miao Village has been established here for fifty or sixty years. The tea trees and Ma Yisong pines on the mountain had always coexisted peacefully, each occupying their own soil. After the economic benefits of cultivating tea in Miao Village increased, several other major tea-growing families in the village became tempted, saying that the Ma Yisong pines grew tall, not only blocking the sunlight but also consuming the fertility of the land, so last winter, the village organized people to chop down all the Ma Yisong pines on the mountain, leaving only a few hundred bare stumps behind.

"From an agricultural standpoint, sunlight and water are the most natural fertilizers. But everything must be taken in moderation. Although the tea trees were previously overshadowed by the Ma Yisong pines and had their sunlight and water usurped, there is a saying that distant relatives aren't as good as close neighbors. This is also true between trees; the tea trees, having lived for hundreds of years, are already accustomed to being sheltered by the Ma Yisong pines, with a fixed amount of sunlight and rainwater. A slight increase can be more harmful than beneficial. Miao Village cut down the Ma Yisong pines, and the sunlight spurred the growth of leaves. The fertility of the soil was all used up for growing leaves, which, becoming too numerous and dense, affected the quality of the tea buds you harvested," explained Zhu Shijun in simple terms, understandable even to Jin Dafu.

The hundred-year-old tea tree stood next to a boulder, and whether to cut or keep the Ma Yisong pines did not greatly affect it.

Xiao Xian listened and nodded quietly to herself. She had just observed the old tea tree and found that, due to its age, she did not get information about the white tea tree as usual. However, being cautious, she carefully noticed that the leaves of the old tea tree had grown shorter and the branches and leaves were not growing wildly.

Looking at the other ordinary tea trees, the sun had already set behind the mountains, but more than half of the tea trees were still basking in the sunlight. After Zhu Shijun's explanation, the truth became crystal clear.

Yezi's mother also listened with repeated sighs. Black Mountain, this treasure mountain, truly seemed to be blessed by divine forces; all things and soil here were the products of natural selection. Miao people failed to follow the growth rules of the mountain crops and cut down trees indiscriminately, and in the end, the Miao people themselves were the ones who suffered.

Following Zhu Shijun's suggestion, Yezi's mother planned to consult with several tea gardens in the village and, at the next market, go and buy saplings.

This year, they would first replant young Ma Yisong pine saplings on the mountain and nurture them with pigeon manure for a few years. After several years, the pines would grow back. The income from white tea in Miao Village would definitely be affected this year, but that couldn't be helped; it would serve as a lesson learned.

Jin Dafu also listened and nodded repeatedly. Miao people were better at utilizing natural resources than the people from Ge Village, from paddy fields to fish and pigeon farming, making the most of everything. He was inspired and planned to make a grand display in his village, but how to persuade villagers who were accustomed to poverty and unwilling to make progress?

When they descended the mountain, the path through the mountains was shrouded in haze. Yezi's mother thanked them profusely and wanted to keep Zhu Family for dinner, but Zhu Shijun declined, using the darkness and the need to hurry on the road as excuses.

On the way back, Jin Dafu insisted on carrying Xiao Xian, fearing her young age would make her prone to falling on the winding mountain road. One misstep could send her tumbling down from the mountain top to the base. Besides, Xiao Xian's behavior today was quite good, showing both humility and resilience. If it weren't for her being only six years old, Jin Dafu would have really thought Xiao Xian had ulterior motives and was intentionally courting Yezi's mother's favor.

Before leaving, Yezi's mother repeatedly told Xiao Xian to come and play in Dongnan Miao Village more often, and she also warned Yezi emphatically not to bully Xiao Xian again, showing no estrangement between Miao Han.

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Xiao Xian doesn't really dislike Jin Dafu. Other than the village chief of Ge Village having a loud voice and occasionally speaking with a hint of pickled vegetable flavor, he is genuinely a good person.

"Old man, it's not really that dark yet. The darkest time of the day is just about now. When the moon comes out later, the mountain path will be clear," Jin Dafu has been longing for authentic Miao family cuisine for a long time.

When he was up at the tea mountain, didn't he see the pond full of ricefield eels? This season, the wild chrysanthemums are blooming all over the hills, and it's the time when carp are fattest—cooked with a local farmer's sour soup, the fish flesh could even rival that of dragon meat.

Of course, being able to eat well wasn't the reason Jin Dafu became the village chief. He had his own plans. Miao family people are not like the Han people; they don't just invite any riff-raff into their homes. To actually be invited to sit with them in the main hall, to toast with a few cups of rice wine, and to take a puff of the Miao family's roasted tobacco, that person must be a friend of the Miao family.

"Da Fu, you should know that there are two things that grow thicker as they roll: one is interest, and the other is favor. Money accumulates over time, and so do favors." Zhu Shijun didn't spell it out but gave a vague hint, and Jin Dafu listened, vaguely understanding Zhu Shijun's intention.

When they arrived at White Dragon Pond, Xiao Xian could no longer pretend to be a child. Have you ever seen a sixteen-year-old child being carried by someone else? She clamored to walk by herself. Zhu Shijun looked at the sky; the moon was already out, the bridge was covered in frosty moonlight, Black Mountain was behind, Leigong Mountain ahead, and the chain bridge with wooden planks swayed precariously over White Dragon Pond, looking rather dangerous.

"Xiao Xian, no mischief allowed, listen to your Uncle Jin, behave yourself," such a sky-high suspension bridge would make even the faint-hearted tremble while crossing, not to mention allowing Xiao Xian to fool around on it—if she made a wrong step, it would be no laughing matter.

How could Xiao Xian listen? Using her hands and feet, she wriggled out of Jin Dafu's arms, "No, Uncle Jin smells of smoke," she said, and jumped down.

Not staying still for a second, she ran straight towards the suspension bridge ahead.

The two adults behind looked at each other, then smiled and followed. That suspension bridge, having connected the village for decades, should be safe.

A crisp "pi li pa la" sound came from the bridge in front.

By the time the sound reached them, it was too late. Several wooden planks that had not been maintained for years tilted up. Xiao Xian had run so frantically; she was small in stature and didn't grasp the ropes on either side when crossing the bridge.

A hole appeared beneath her feet. In an instant, Xiao Xian's figure had vanished above the bridge, and the broken hole on the bridge looked dark and ominous.

"Xiao Xian," Zhu Shijun's heart-wrenching cry echoed through the two mountains, chilling to the bone, causing flocks of evening birds to take flight.

The ordinarily placid and waveless White Dragon Pond at night, too, was suddenly stirred up under the night sky. Amidst the ripples, the moon's reflection shattered, and a sound like the wind's howl or a wild beast's groan rose from the depths of the pond.