Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 11 - 0: Sensation Throughout the Village

Father Luo and three others hurriedly carried two bamboo tubes of water over.

The Protector stated, "This is Housekeeper Zhou, discuss it with him."

Father Luo and his companions thanked the Protector, and bowed to Housekeeper Zhou, saying, "We've met Housekeeper Zhou."

Housekeeper Zhou, in his early forties, slightly short in stature, with a square face and a goatee, looked at Father Luo, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness, and asked, "Who takes charge among you?"

Father Luo stepped forward: "I, Luo, am in charge of this matter."

Father Luo spoke in the official language, not the local dialect, which made Housekeeper Zhou look at him with increased respect.

"Do you want to exchange water for grain?" Housekeeper Zhou asked, pointing to the bamboo tubes in Father Luo's hands.

Understanding, Father Luo handed over the bamboo tube: "Yes, our village is out of grain, the villagers have gathered some water, wishing to exchange it for some food."

Housekeeper Zhou took the bamboo tube, took a sip, and said with a half-smile, "Collected? This water has an earthy taste, newly drawn, isn't it?"

Housekeeper Zhou returned the bamboo tube to Father Luo, and, getting straight to the point, said: "Brother Luo, a big brother doesn't beat around the bush. Our master is interested in your water. As long as you take us to the source, our master promises you two bags of top-quality rice and flour."

Father Luo felt a catch in his heart; Elder Zhou's appetite was indeed large — he aimed to swallow their water sources.

Father Luo shook his head: "I don't mean to deceive Housekeeper Zhou, but this water is vital for every villager's life, we dare not promise lightly. If Housekeeper Zhou isn't interested, I will seek other masters."

Saying this, he turned to leave.

Seeing the negotiation falter, and not daring to push the destitute too far for fear of causing trouble, Housekeeper Zhou quickly called out to stop Father Luo, changing his tone: "Brother Luo, don't hurry, big brother was just asking; there's no other meaning. Our master indeed agrees to exchange grain for water."

Hearing this, Father Luo and the others halted, turning back to face Housekeeper Zhou, and asked, "What are the terms of exchange? First agree, if the grain is too little, we won't trade."

Realizing Father Luo's stubborn nature and fearing to miss this rare opportunity to exchange, Housekeeper Zhou grimaced and said: "One jar of water, ten catties of fine grain."

Although a water jar is smaller than a water vat, the current scarcity made a jar of water worth ten catties of fine grain.

Father Luo refused fine grain: "One jar of water for twenty catties of coarse grain, and besides the grain, also half a pound of salt and ten water jars. Our water is limited; we can only trade for as much as four jars."

They did not want fine grain, just the sustenance provided by coarse grain which lasted longer.

Housekeeper Zhou frowned upon hearing their demand for salt, but remembering his master's instructions, he had to agree: "Alright, let's trade like that."

His master had specifically stated that the water must be traded back to prevent wealthy households in the Prefecture from seizing it.

After finalizing the grain exchange and obtaining the salt and water jars, Father Luo and the three others were very pleased.

Housekeeper Zhou ordered the servants to bring four water jars, ten water jars, eighty catties of coarse grain, and half a pound of salt, and personally led ten Protectors, following Father Luo and the three others into the dark night.

Father Luo was cautious, and upon reaching the mountain pass, he asked Housekeeper Zhou and the Protectors to stop. The four men each carried a water jar into the mountains, frequently looking back to ensure no one was following, and only then felt secure.

After returning, Father Luo and the others told everyone the successful grain exchange, and everyone was very happy.

Third Grandpa quickly had everyone fill the filtered clean water into the jars, ready to be exchanged for grain.

Everyone moved swiftly, and barely a quarter hour later, they had filled the four water jars. Two persons carried each, and eight people in total carried the four water jars towards the mountain pass.

This round trip had taken quite some time, and the sky was starting to brighten. Housekeeper Zhou, anxious from waiting, upon seeing the torches and several silhouettes, hurriedly led the Protectors to meet them: "Brother Luo, you've finally arrived, making big brother wait anxiously."

Father Luo chuckled: "It's a long way, took some effort. See for yourself, Housekeeper Zhou, four jars of water, all clean."

Housekeeper Zhou had the Protectors hold torches for lighting, inspecting each jar of water one by one, and after tasting the water which only had an earthy taste but nothing strange, promptly allowed the Protectors to hand over the eighty catties of coarse grain, half a pound of salt, and ten water jars to Father Luo.

Father Luo and the others accepted it, declaring: "Our deal's done, Housekeeper Zhou, please return."

Father Luo was concerned that Housekeeper Zhou might send the Protectors to follow them, so he had Zhou and his group leave first.

Housekeeper Zhou, having successfully traded for the water and accomplishing a great feat, cheerfully led the Protectors carrying the four jars of water away.

Father Luo watched them go into the distance, then led the remaining seven people along with the food and water jars towards the mountain.

When they returned to the mountain, Gu Jinli and the others filtered out more clean water, and everyone worked together to fill ten water jars, all the water pots, bamboo tubes, and water bags.

Third Grandpa had everyone pile all the water, food, and the precious bag of salt together, and announced to the excited crowd: "Let's distribute the water and food!"

The water was easy to distribute, two jars for each family, as for the water pots, bags, and bamboo tubes, each family filled their own and took them back.

The salt was divided into five portions, one for each family.

As for the coarse grains, eighty kilograms were divided bowl by bowl using the old method, and after dividing the grains, each family packed them in sacks.

Gu Jinli, worried that his family's food and water wouldn't be kept safe, suggested to Gu Dashan: "Dad, let's give the food, salt, and the two jars of water we received to Third Grandpa's family for safekeeping. I'm worried Grandma might come and snatch them."

Gu Dashan hesitated upon hearing Gu Jinli's suggestion, fearful of upsetting Elder Gu.

Third Grandma scolded him: "If you want to respect Lao Liu no one is stopping you, but you can't starve your children and daughter-in-law. Leave the stuff at my place, the old lady will watch over it for you, if Ms. Pan is dissatisfied, let her come to me."

After being scolded, Gu Dashan, recalling the incidents of Xiao Yu being injured while begging for food and Mrs. Cui being beaten, stayed silent and no longer objected.

Gu Jinli and Gu Jin'an hurriedly moved the food, salt, and water to Third Grandma's place.

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Third Grandpa, seeing the sky lightening up, told everyone: "Dashan, Tie Zhu, come with me, we need to inform the village chief about the water source."

Now that they had enough water and exchanged for food, they could let the villagers come to fetch water.

No one objected, and everyone began to pack up, following behind Third Grandpa, wrapping the food and water in wild grasses, and carrying them back to their own resting places.

...

Bang bang bang!

The day had fully brightened, and each village was gathering with the beats of drums and gongs.

In Gu Family Village, the roll call was completed, and hearing no reply from Third Grandpa and their families, Village Chief Gu looked displeased.

People of the Old Gu Family seemed to gloat over the misfortune, daring to be late; Gu Dashan's family was bound to face the village's punishment.

Ms. Zheng, having been put in her place by Gu Jinli the previous day, returned home to find Brother Zhi inexplicably complaining of a sore hand, crying all night; frustrated and incensed, she saw Gu Dashan's family being late and hurriedly shouted: "Village chief, the village rules wait for no one, let's hurry on, it's possible Gu Dashan's family has done too much wrong and died in some mountain cranny."

In Ms. Zheng's arms, Gu Chengzhi was crying out: "Beat that despicable girl's family to death, that despicable girl's family all deserve to die, wuu wuu wuu..."

His hand hurt so much.

"Old Liu, how did you raise your child?" Third Grandpa's scolding voice suddenly came, staring at Elder Gu in the crowd: "Brother Zhi is still so young yet so vicious. Do you know, Xiao Yu has saved our entire village's lives."

The people of Gu Family Village, hearing this, looked towards Third Grandpa, unclear what he meant by his words.

Third Grandpa came to Village Chief Gu's side, whispered a few words in his ear, and Village Chief Gu was overjoyed: "Is what Third Brother said true? Did that girl Xiao Yu really find a water source?"

Third Grandpa directly asked Gu Dashan to hand a water jar to the village chief.

"Old brother, see for yourself, this is the water we five families extracted last night, it's clear," whispered Third Grandpa, fearing that the nearby disaster victims might hear.

Village Chief Gu, hands trembling, took the water jar and drank a few sips directly from the jar's mouth; the water had an earthy taste, but it was clear: "We're saved."

"Old brother, there's not much water left in the pit, hurry and let the villagers fetch water, if it's too late the water will seep away," Third Grandpa reminded.

"Right, right, right, Third Brother is right," Village Chief Gu hastily whispered the news of Xiao Yu finding a water source to everyone, and urged everyone to bring containers to fetch water.

In one statement, the entire Gu Family Village was astounded.

The Old Gu Family was even more bewildered.

Ms. Zheng screamed: "What? That despicable girl Xiao Yu found a water source? Does she even have that fate?!"