Now, there are thirty-seven bags piled up in the Li family’s grain warehouse. Li Da said that the wheat still needed to be dried in the sun, and the quantity would be less by then, but his face was full of wrinkles. If it was dried in the sun and dehydrated, the quantity would only be one and a half bags less. Could it be half less?

　　That’s bullshit.

　　The next day at breakfast, Gu Zhao discovered that his father looked at him with great love, and asked Zhou Zhou to cook eggs for him every day, saying that they would nourish his brain.

　　The original words were: “Zhou Zhou, cook more eggs for Zhao Er to nourish his brain.”

　　From Gu Zhao to Zhao’er, only the amount of food needed can be doubled.

　　Gu Zhao: …excellent.

　　Li Zhouzhou also smiled and agreed. He not only cooked one more for his husband, but also cooked one more for his father. His father had worked hard, so he wanted to give him more nourishment.

　　There was no break after work, not even a rest. Li Da went to the field to plant yellow rice, humming a little tune as he went.

　　Gu Zhao said that burning wheat straw into ash would also make the fields fertile. Li Da had no doubts at all and found a day without wind. Now every household had harvested their fields, leaving only wheat stubble, or one or two acres of peanuts.

　　The family’s glutinous rice field could not be next to the Wang family’s field, so Li Da found two acres of field in the middle and started burning the wheat stubble. He watched with a shovel and would extinguish the fire if he saw anything wrong.

　　There is no rush for the rest, just sow the yellow rice first.

　　At home, Li Zhouzhou would dry the harvested wheat every day and then put it in bags. Gu Zhao was holding up the bag, wearing a simple homemade mask – Gu Zhao made one when the family was winnowing wheat, and later Li Zhouzhou sewed three with his deft hands.

　　This will cover your nose and prevent you from choking.

　　Finally, in early July, every household had harvested wheat. The village chief went from house to house to register the tax they paid, waiting for the tax officer to check and verify whether there was any old or moldy grain. Those who passed inferior grain off as good grain would be fined. After the inspection, the village chief and the men from each household escorted the grain to the town.

　　The dozen or so villages under the jurisdiction of the town lined up, and the village chief negotiated and confirmed. After the men in each household confirmed and put their fingerprints on the tax, the tax was paid.

　　The village chief came to register that day, and there were people at the Li family, with the courtyard door open. The village chief came with a few curious people from the same village, who wanted to see how the Li family’s harvest was. When they first saw the crops, they looked better than theirs, with heavy ears of corn, but they had to see how it was.

　　The table in the main room was placed in the yard to make it convenient for the village chief to write and register, and Li Zhouzhou served him cold tea.

　　”How’s it going, Li Da? Your fields are well fertilized this year. They can’t be worse than mine, right?”

　　Li laughed loudly, very happy, and he told the village chief: “The harvest is good this year. Nine mu of land has a total of thirty-six dan.”

　　”What!!!”

　　The village chief’s newly imported herbal tea spurted out when he heard the number reported by Li Da. His eyes widened and he didn’t even have time to wipe the water stains from his mouth. “What? How many stones? Don’t talk nonsense.”

　　”What nonsense are you talking about? I’ve said a lot and I’ve done a lot, but I never said I’d lose face and embarrass myself.” Li Da said, pointing to the granary, “If you don’t believe me, take a look.”

　　Those who came with him couldn’t sit still anymore. Are there really thirty-six stones?

　　His family’s harvest was good this year, but it was only 20 shi, and that’s on 11 acres of land. Li Da had 36 shi, so that’s on nine acres of land?

　　Several people walked towards the granary together. Li Da opened the door and said, “Count, count carefully. When did I, Li Da, ever say I was lying?”

　　That’s true. But it’s thirty-six shi! This old farmer who has been working in the fields all day for generations has never seen so much from nine acres of land.

　　After counting again and again, some people still refused to believe it and asked, “Is it really nine acres of land? Not fifteen acres?”

　　”My family has only ten acres of dry land.” Li Day smiled happily.

　　That’s right, the village chief remembers how much land each family has, and the land can be seen in the village. He won’t make it up.

　　So it really is nine acres of land and thirty-six stones?

　　”Oh my God.” The village chief kept muttering after counting. Thirty-six stone and nine acres of land, thirty-six stone and nine acres of land.

　　Unable to even sit still, several of them stood by the table and talked.

　　”How can I plant this? If there is enough rain, I can get 1.8 dou of rice per acre.”

　　Oh, one hundred and eighty kilograms.

　　Gu Zhao also came out and went to the kitchen, leaving the door open, listening to his father chatting with the others. His father was really happy, smiling all the time, but it was also true that he had been promoted now, Zhao’er!