Chapter 95: Not Expensive, Just Seventeen Taels

Wen Yao nearly rolled her eyes to the heavens, but when Granny Luo made a move to strike, she still stepped forward in time to take the old woman’s hand and, with a deft twist, relieved her of the weapon.

“Grandma, please don’t be angry yet. I bought this ox; it has nothing to do with Father. If you want to hit anyone, hit me.” Wen Yao flung the stick aside first, as a gesture of respect.

Nonsense. If the grandmotherly bond between her and the old woman was only flimsy paper, she certainly wasn’t going to go fetch a stick herself and invite a beating.

Sure enough, Granny Luo lifted her hand high, only to let it fall as lightly as a feather, prompting Wen Nong and Wen Jun beside her to mutter, “When Grandma smacks Yao Yao, it looks like she’s just brushing dust off her.”

Wen Jun could not help laughing.

“You wretched girl, for such a huge matter, why didn’t you discuss it with the family first?” Granny Luo was not angry because Wen Yao had bought something recklessly; she simply felt that for such a large sum of money, everyone ought to have discussed it together. To buy it just like that—wasn’t that playing around?

Wen Yao spread her hands. “I did say something. You and Grandpa didn’t agree.”

Granny Luo: “…”

She had thought they were only speaking casually.

Old Master Wen came to himself from his shock and had already circled the ox cart several times. The way he looked at Big Yellow was full of satisfaction.

He reached out and patted Big Yellow’s ox head. “How much did this ox cost?”

“Not much. Seventeen taels.” Wen Xiuyi answered and then darted away, snatching up his youngest son and holding the child in his arms, standing straight as a spear.

Big Head hurriedly sidled over, trying to use his small body to block Wen Xiuyi’s big one.

Old Master Wen’s smoking pipe nearly slipped from his fingers in fright.

He knew oxen were expensive, but he had never imagined they could be this expensive.

At the price, Granny Luo’s freshly suppressed anger surged up again at once.

Before they could explode, Wen Xiuqing, who had never been fond of speaking, suddenly pointed at the curved-plow on the cart and asked, “Big Brother, what is that?”

Everyone followed his finger and looked over, taking in the entire curved-plow on the cart.

“What’s that too?” Old Master Wen skipped over the matter of the ox cart and looked at the implement. “Is that a plow?”

Wen Xiuyi came over with Big Head in his arms and explained, “Yes, Father. I’ve looked into it. The straight-beam plow we use now is faster than human labor for turning soil, but it has many flaws. It’s hard to turn, it doesn’t turn the earth deeply enough, and so on, so I made a few small improvements based on the original design.”

“Look at this—this is called a curved-beam plow. It’s the upgraded version of the straight-beam plow. Not only does it save time and effort in the field, it’s easier to turn and easier to maneuver, and it digs deeper than the straight-beam plow. Yao Yao and I specifically went into town today so Sixth Son’s father could make this for us. Tomorrow we’ll take it to the fields and try it out. Now that we have Big Yellow, our work in the future will go a lot faster.” As Wen Xiuyi explained, he did not forget to claim credit for himself.

Old Master Wen, the remaining two brothers, and even Granny Luo’s attention all fell upon the curved-beam plow. Wen Xiuyi and Wen Yao exchanged a glance, relief at narrowly escaping disaster flashing in their eyes.

The three brothers carried the plow down. It was a hefty piece; lifting it was far heavier than the one at the village head’s house.

“Will this really work?” Old Master Wen crouched nearby and asked.

Wen Xiuyi slapped his chest and promised, “Father, just trust me once. It’ll definitely work. Tomorrow we’ll take it to the fields and test it.”

The old couple exchanged a look, neither saying whether they believed him or not.

Being interrupted so muddle-headedly by everyone had actually softened the matter of buying the ox, but Granny Luo had no intention of letting the four of them off so easily. Judging by Wen Jun’s calm demeanor, he must have taken part in this too.

“Tell me, what on earth is going on?” Granny Luo pointed at Big Yellow. Seeing that Old Master Wen had already made a hopelessly eager move to curry favor with the ox, she huffed in disdain.

Wen Yao hurriedly reported the entire process of buying the ox, its advantages, and what benefit they would gain from it, clearing away the last of the old woman’s anger.

“This ox really is good. Seventeen taels is a bit dear, but a good ox lasts longer, and with an ox cart, it’ll be much easier for the family to get in and out.” Granny Luo sighed.

What could they do? It was bought already. They couldn’t really kill it in a fit of pique, and besides, privately slaughtering cattle was against the law for common folk now.

Seeing the whole cluster of grandparents and grandchildren still circling Big Yellow, Granny Luo glared, planted her hands on her hips, and snapped, “Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and lead it to the back courtyard and put up a shed for it.

Really, one and all, none of you ever let me rest easy. You buy it on a whim, and then bring it home without preparing a single thing. Are you planning to let it stand in the yard and drink the northwestern wind?”

After scolding everyone, Granny Luo turned to Wen Yao and deliberately sniffed. “Since you insisted on buying it, then from now on you’re responsible for feeding it. An ox eats grass, after all. And also—”

She lowered her head and looked at the shield that Wen Xiuyi had abandoned. “You too. You even dared to lie.”

Big Head clung to her leg and acted spoiled. “Grandma, I didn’t lie to you. I was always studying and writing for you to see and hear. I never hid from you what my father and the others were doing, and besides, you were the one who agreed to let them go out.”

Granny Luo: “…”

Who exactly did that cleverness take after?

Wen Yao declared that she would certainly feed Big Yellow until he was strong and sturdy. She had room in her own private store of supplies anyway; later she could buy a couple of bags of grass seed and scatter them over the ground inside it. As much fodder as they needed, she could provide.

Big Yellow seemed to like his new home as well. Once the shed was built, he went in and stayed there obediently on his own.

That night, apart from worrying that Grandma might scold them, the Wen family was still very happy. After all, they had an ox now.

Aside from the village head’s household, the entire village had only theirs.

The next day, the family was fresh and full of energy. Old Master Wen was the most obvious example; he even deliberately put on a shirt with fewer patches and spent the early morning fussing over himself, or else wandering around Big Yellow while feeding him and muttering softly as he tried to build a bond.

After breakfast, under Old Master Wen’s lead with Big Yellow in hand, the family set out.

These days, any household suddenly gaining something new was big news. Much more so when the Wen family openly led Big Yellow out for all to see; many people noticed.

All the way along, Old Master Wen kept greeting the villagers.

“Oh, yes, we bought an ox.”

“Indeed, it wasn’t cheap.”

“Yes, the children are filial. The family suddenly has so much more land now, and it’s hard work, so we bought an ox.”

“Borrow it? Well, it’s not impossible, but only after the work in my own fields is done.”

“Hahaha, yes, it was my son’s filial gift, my son’s filial gift.”

Along the way, the Wen family could hear nothing but Old Master Wen’s cheerful back-and-forth with the villagers.

Granny Luo muttered quietly to Wen Yao, “Your grandfather has only one bad habit in his whole life: showing off. Sooner or later, he’s going to suffer for it.

Did you see those few who wanted to borrow our ox? Don’t be fooled by how politely your grandpa answered them. If he really had to lend Big Yellow out, he’d be heartbroken for sure. He’d definitely have to follow it around every step.”

Wen Yao burst out laughing. Look at what a good decision she had made—the ox was bought, and even the old man and the old woman seemed full of vigor now.