220 Dealing with the Wheat Spider

Zhou Jia smiled indifferently. “He just likes this liveliness! Let’s go back and eat dumplings!”

“This taste is really delicious.” Scribe Tu praised as he ate. He muttered to Mr. Qian, “Ever since I ate at Sir’s house, I’ve gained more than ten catties. I’m now worried about where I’ll eat after Sir gets promoted!”

Mr. Qian smiled and said, “That’s still too early! But we’ll make plans when that day comes. I’ll follow Sir wherever he goes!”

Scribe Tu glanced at Mr. Qian and said enviously, “Old Qian, you’re so carefree. I wish I could do the same.”

“Sigh.” Mr. Qian sighed. “I’m alone and don’t have anyone to worry about. I’m different from you!”

Scribe Tu smiled and said, “We’re both old widowers. How are we different?” Mr. Qian thought about it. “Yes! Two old widowers.”

After dinner, they returned to the government office to get busy. When Li Yu woke up, Yang Wei hurriedly ran into the courtyard and reported to Li Yu, “Madam, the villagers who followed us to plant winter wheat in the back mountain village came to look for you. They said that there are many red spiders growing in their wheat fields, and some of the wheat has turned yellow.”

Li Yu thought for a while and said, “I’m afraid they are wheat spiders. I’ll go with you to take a look.” The two of them went out to the street and saw a charming girl followed by a woman. She had just come out of the house next door. Li Yu glanced at her and got into the carriage. Yang Wei raised his whip and drove the carriage out of the city.

Yu Yan stood at the door and watched the carriage walk further and further away. She whispered to the woman beside her, “Mother, I’m afraid that lady just now is the wife of the county magistrate, right? I didn’t expect the county magistrate and his wife to be so compatible.”

Madam Yang glanced at her daughter. “This madam is indeed good-looking. Her looks and actions carry a heroic aura. Yan’er, most capable men like delicate beauties.” Yu Yan nodded as if she understood.

Li Yu sat in the car and thought about it. Was there any pesticide in this world? She could only rely on plants to kill insects. What plants could kill red spiders? After thinking for a long time, she recalled hearing a comrade proudly say that his sister, who was studying at Agricultural University, had used walnut leaves and lime water to kill the red spiders on the cotton seedlings. She had saved a sum of money by not using pesticides at home. At that time, when she heard him mention it, she felt curious and even asked how it was made. She didn’t know if this method could be used on wheat spiders, so she could only try to see if it worked.

When the carriage arrived at the back of the mountain village, more than ten villagers who had learned how to grow winter wheat from Li Yu waited anxiously at the entrance of the village. When they saw Li Yu’s cart, they surrounded it anxiously before it stopped. After Li Yu got out of the car, she said to Yang Wei, “Ah Wei, go back to the city and buy a basket of quicklime and a big clay pot to send here.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Yang Wei drove back to the city.

The villager, Tu Zhong, asked anxiously, “Madam, look at my land. Many wheat seedlings have turned yellow. There are many red spiders spawning in the wheat field. They didn’t die even after I scattered grass and ashes a few times.”

“Don’t be anxious. Bring me to see what’s going on first. Who has a walnut tree at home? Go and pick some walnut leaves first.” Li Yu’s calm smile calmed the villagers down. A woman stepped forward and said, “Madam, there’s a walnut tree in my backyard. I’ll go pick walnut leaves now.”

Li Yu looked at her and smiled. “Hey! Why do you look so familiar?”

The woman bowed and said, “Madam, my surname is Lin. I’m the daughter-in-law of the Ye family at the end of the village. Last year, my husband wanted to sell my daughter to treat my mother-in-law. You helped us chase that broker away.”

After she said that, Li Yu remembered. “Oh! Did you plant winter wheat at home too?”

The woman smiled shyly and said, “Ever since the incident last year, my family has been separated by my mother-in-law. I heard that the families working at your place learned to plant winter wheat from you. I also learned to plant two acres.”

“Oh, I’ll have to trouble you to pick a basket of walnut leaves. Get a kiln, and carry a load of water to the wheat field.”

“Alright, Madam.” Madam Lin jogged home. Li Yu followed Tu Zhong and his wife towards his wheat field. When they reached the wheat field, Tu Zhong caught a few wheat spiders from the field and showed them to Li Yu. He pointed at the yellowed wheat leaf in the middle and said, “Madam, look at that area. The wheat seedlings are about to die.”

Li Yu went down to the field to take a look and grabbed some soil to look at. She said to Tu Zhong, “Your wheat field is a little short of water. Remember to water it more. Go back and find a few gourds. The bigger the gourds, the better. Find a carpenter to drill thin holes at the bottom of the gourds and get some firewood.”

After Tu Zhong nodded in agreement, he rushed back. Li Yu followed the other villagers to take a look and realized that the situation was similar. After strolling around, they returned to Tu Zhong’s family’s wheat field. Tu Zhong and Madam Lin had already prepared the things. Yang Wei had also arrived with the carriage carrying lime and clay pots.

Li Yu asked the villagers to cut up the walnut leaves and boil them in water according to the ratio. After they were done, they would filter the walnut leaves with mercury and add raw lime to the boiled water according to the ratio. They would put them into gourds and scatter them at the roots of the wheat seedlings. Everyone worked until the sun went down. When they returned to Tu Zhong’s wheat field, they realized that some of the wheat spiders in Tu Zhong’s wheat field had died. Li Yu and the villagers were relieved.

Seeing that the walnut ash water was effective, Li Yu said to the villagers, “Follow my method and scatter it a few times until the wheat spider is completely killed.” The villagers bowed gratefully. “Thank you, Madam. Otherwise, we won’t be able to do anything.”

Li Yu waved her hand and said, “It’s almost dark. It’s probably going to rain soon, so I’ll go back first.” Everyone sent Li Yu to the village entrance and only walked towards the village after seeing the carriage leave.

Li Yu drove the carriage back alone. After entering the city gate for a while, she saw Zhou Jia riding a horse toward her. Zhou Jia saw Li Yu driving the carriage and got off the horse to tie the horse to the carriage. He got into the carriage and took the reins from Li Yu’s hand without saying a word.

Li Yu knew that Zhou Jia was a little angry, but she had been tired all afternoon and really didn’t have the energy to explain to him. Zhou Jia leaned against the carriage and narrowed his eyes in exhaustion. Zhou Jia pulled the reins tightly and slowed the car. He pulled Li Yu’s head over to lean on his shoulder. He said gently, “Yu’er, I’m not angry at you. I’m just worried about you being pregnant and tired.”

Li Yu silently reached out to hold Zhou Jia. “Xiao Xi, I’ll be careful. It’s just that the wheat fields are not doing well. Those villagers rely on the crops in the fields to live. I can’t stand by and do nothing.”

Zhou Jia held Li Yu’s hand and said with heartache, “I know, but you don’t have to do it yourself. You can order the servants to do it. Yu’er, when we go back, I’ll organize the things you asked me to record in the past and get someone to copy more and paste them on the notice wall at the city gate for the bailiffs to read to the villagers. What do you think?”

Li Yu fell asleep leaning against Zhou Jia’s low voice. After Zhou Jia finished speaking, he didn’t hear Li Yu’s answer. He looked down and saw that Li Yu had already fallen asleep.

“Silly, you’re so tired!” Zhou Jia looked at the sleeping Li Yu lovingly and drove the car slowly back.

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