Chapter 7 - Six: The Land Behind the Wall

Chapter 7: Chapter Six: The Land Behind the Wall

Lin Yue had a problem.

It was a very serious problem.

She had too many vegetables.

She stood in the middle of the eastern courtyard, staring at the rows of green plants.

Radishes.

Mustard greens.

Beans.

Cabbages.

More radishes.

Even the rabbits had begun looking suspiciously well-fed.

Qiao’er stood beside her.

"Miss."

"Yes?"

"What are we going to do with all of this?"

Lin Yue folded her arms.

"Sell it."

"We already do."

"Then sell more."

"To whom?"

Lin Yue pointed toward the gate.

"The entire town."

Qiao’er looked at the tiny courtyard.

Then at the vegetables.

Then back at Lin Yue.

"But we don’t have enough land."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Exactly."

She turned toward the wall behind the garden.

Beyond it was another stretch of unused land.

She had noticed it several days ago.

The ground wasn’t particularly fertile.

There were weeds.

Broken stones.

An old shed.

But it was land.

And land could be improved.

Lin Yue walked toward the wall.

"Qiao’er."

"Yes?"

"What is on the other side?"

Qiao’er followed.

"That belongs to the estate."

"Is it being used?"

"No."

"Who owns it?"

"The household."

Lin Yue nodded.

"Then I want it."

Qiao’er blinked.

"You want what?"

"The land."

"Miss, you can’t simply want land."

"Why not?"

"Because that’s not how things work."

Lin Yue looked thoughtful.

"That sounds inconvenient."

Qiao’er sighed.

Asking for Land

The main residence was unusually quiet that afternoon.

Lin Yue entered the courtyard with Qiao’er following behind.

She had expected resistance.

Instead, she found Shen Rui sitting beneath a tree, reading.

He looked up.

"Fourth Sister."

"Brother."

His eyes moved toward the basket in her hand.

"Vegetables?"

"Bribe."

He closed his book.

"I see."

Lin Yue placed the basket on the table.

Inside were fresh greens, radishes, and several small cabbages.

Shen Rui raised an eyebrow.

"What do you want?"

"Land."

He smiled.

"At least you’re honest."

"I’ve learned that honesty saves time."

"Which land?"

"The unused plot behind my courtyard."

His expression became thoughtful.

"That land isn’t particularly good."

"I know."

"There are stones."

"I’ll remove them."

"The soil is poor."

"I’ll improve it."

"There is no irrigation."

"I’ll build it."

Shen Rui looked at her.

"You’ve considered all of this?"

"Yes."

"How much land do you want?"

"All of it."

He laughed.

"That’s ambitious."

Lin Yue smiled.

"I have ambitious vegetables."

The Family Council

By evening, Lin Yue sat before the household elders.

Her father sat at the head.

Madam Zhao, her stepmother beside him.

Several relatives were present.

The unused land had apparently become important simply because Lin Yue had asked for it.

Her father looked at her.

"You want the western plot?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To farm."

"You already have a garden."

"I need more space."

Her father frowned.

"You intend to become a farmer?"

Lin Yue thought about it.

"Yes."

Someone at the table laughed.

Lin Yue didn’t react.

Her father looked displeased.

"Your position doesn’t require you to work the land."

"I know."

"Then why?"

Lin Yue answered simply.

"Because I want to."

Silence.

Madam Zhao glanced at her.

Something almost amused flickered in her eyes.

Her father sighed.

"The land is difficult to cultivate."

"I know."

"You’ll receive no additional household allowance for it."

"I don’t need one."

"You’ll be responsible for any losses."

"I accept."

Her father stared at her.

"You’re serious."

"Yes."

After a long pause, he nodded.

"Fine."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Thank you."

Then her father added:

"But if you fail, don’t blame the household."

Lin Yue stood.

"I won’t."

She left.

Shen Rui followed a few moments later.

Outside, he found her smiling.

"You’re pleased."

"I got the land."

"You got difficult land."

"Same thing."

He shook his head.

"You really are strange."

Lin Yue grinned.

"Thank you."

The Land Behind the Wall

The next morning, Lin Yue opened the small gate between the courtyards.

She stood before her new territory.

It was ugly.

Very ugly.

Qiao’er looked at it.

Then at her mistress.

"Miss."

"Yes?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"It’s worse than our courtyard."

"That’s why it’s cheap."

"We didn’t pay anything."

"Even better."

Lin Yue walked forward.

The plot was approximately half an acre.

There were rocks everywhere.

The soil was compacted.

A few thorny bushes had taken root.

The old shed had collapsed on one side.

But the terrain had potential.

A shallow slope ran toward the eastern boundary.

Perfect for drainage.

There was also a small depression in the center.

Potential pond.

Lin Yue smiled.

Qiao’er recognized that expression.

"Miss."

"Yes?"

"Don’t say it."

Lin Yue pointed.

"We can build a pond there."

Qiao’er closed her eyes.

"I knew it."

Work Begins

They started with the stones.

It took two days.

Then the bushes.

Another day.

Then the old shed.

Two more days.

Lin Yue worked alongside the hired laborers.

At first, the workers were confused.

The young mistress was supposed to sit under a parasol.

Instead, she was carrying stones.

One of them finally said:

"Miss, please let us do it."

Lin Yue wiped sweat from her forehead.

"I’ll help."

"You’ll dirty your hands."

"They’re already dirty."

"You’ll tire yourself."

"I’ll rest when I’m tired."

The workers exchanged glances.

One elderly farmer chuckled.

"She isn’t afraid of work."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Neither are you."

The old man laughed.

"Fair enough."

The Soil Test

Once the land was cleared, Lin Yue took samples from several locations.

Qiao’er watched her.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking the soil."

"With what?"

"My eyes."

Qiao’er looked confused.

Lin Yue smiled.

"Mostly."

She examined:

texture,

color,

moisture,

plant growth,

drainage,

and earthworms.

Then she dug deeper.

The upper soil was poor.

But below it was darker earth.

Not excellent.

But workable.

Lin Yue stood.

"We can improve this."

The elderly farmer nearby shook his head.

"Miss, this soil has been poor for years."

Lin Yue nodded.

"Then it’s time for a change."

The Great Compost Mountain

Lin Yue ordered the workers to collect:

fallen leaves,

weeds,

straw,

animal manure,

kitchen scraps,

and old plant matter.

The workers stared at the growing pile.

One asked:

"Miss, are we building a mountain of rubbish?"

"No."

Lin Yue pointed proudly.

"Compost."

The farmer scratched his head.

"What is that?"

"Food for the soil."

The old farmer looked skeptical.

"Rubbish becomes food?"

"Yes."

He looked at the pile.

Then at Lin Yue.

"Young people have strange ideas."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Sometimes strange ideas work."

General’s New Kingdom

The biggest change came when Lin Yue expanded the chicken enclosure.

General was delighted.

For exactly ten minutes.

Then he discovered that the new enclosure contained other chickens.

He immediately attacked them.

Qiao’er screamed.

"GENERAL!"

The rooster chased another rooster across the yard.

Lin Yue watched.

"That’s not good."

"Catch him!"

"I think he’s establishing dominance."

"Miss!"

"Fine."

She grabbed a broom.

General saw her.

He stopped.

They stared at each other.

Lin Yue pointed at the enclosure.

"Go inside."

General refused.

"Inside."

He turned away.

Lin Yue narrowed her eyes.

"General."

The rooster slowly looked back.

"Don’t make me chase you."

General crowed.

Lin Yue sighed.

"You’re impossible."

Then Shen Rui appeared at the gate.

He watched the scene.

"Do you need help?"

Lin Yue pointed at General.

"Yes."

Shen Rui looked at the rooster.

Then at her.

"What did he do?"

"He’s started a territorial dispute."

Shen Rui stared.

"It’s a chicken."

"Exactly."

He walked over.

General immediately ran away.

Shen Rui laughed.

"He’s afraid of me."

Lin Yue looked offended.

"He isn’t afraid of anyone."

General hid behind Lin Yue.

She looked down.

"Traitor."

Shen Rui laughed again.

A New Irrigation System

The following week, Lin Yue began work on the irrigation system.

She didn’t have metal pipes.

So she used what was available.

Wooden channels.

Clay sections.

Stone-lined trenches.

The system was simple.

Water would flow from the higher ground toward the fields.

A diversion gate would control the amount.

Overflow would return toward the pond.

Lin Yue drew the plan on paper.

The workers gathered around.

One scratched his head.

"Miss, will this really work?"

"Yes."

"What if the water flows too quickly?"

"We’ll slow it with stones."

"What if it doesn’t reach the far field?"

"We’ll adjust the slope."

"What if it rains heavily?"

Lin Yue smiled.

"Then we’ll be grateful for the water."

The workers laughed.

They had begun to understand something about their young mistress.

She didn’t expect everything to work perfectly the first time.

She expected them to learn and improve.

That was different.

Shen Rui’s Contribution

Three days later, a cart arrived.

It carried wooden boards.

Rope.

Clay pipes.

Metal fittings.

And several sacks of grain.

Lin Yue stared.

Shen Rui stood beside the cart.

"I thought you might need these."

She looked at the supplies.

Then at him.

"You keep doing this."

"Doing what?"

"Helping."

He shrugged.

"You keep building things."

"And?"

"I thought I’d make sure you don’t run out of materials."

Lin Yue looked at him suspiciously.

"Are you investing?"

"Perhaps."

"What percentage?"

Shen Rui smiled.

"I haven’t decided."

"Then I’m charging interest."

"What kind?"

Lin Yue thought.

"Vegetables."

"Again?"

"Yes."

He laughed.

"Very well."

The First Argument

That evening, Lin Yue noticed one of the workers dumping waste near the irrigation channel.

She immediately stopped him.

"Don’t put that there."

The man looked confused.

"It’s only waste."

"It can contaminate the water."

"But the water is for the fields."

"Exactly."

He shrugged.

"Plants don’t care."

Lin Yue shook her head.

"They do."

The worker looked doubtful.

Lin Yue crouched and drew a simple diagram in the dirt.

"This channel feeds the pond."

She pointed.

"Animals may drink from the pond."

Then she pointed toward the field.

"And we grow food here."

She looked at him.

"If waste enters the water, it moves through the system."

The worker’s expression changed.

"I understand."

"Good."

She smiled.

"Don’t worry. We’ll make a proper waste area."

The worker nodded.

He was beginning to understand that Lin Yue wasn’t merely interested in vegetables.

She was thinking about the entire system.

Water.

Soil.

Animals.

People.

Waste.

Food.

Everything connected.

The First Rain

That night, rain came.

Heavy rain.

Qiao’er woke Lin Yue.

"Miss!"

Lin Yue sat up.

"What happened?"

"It’s raining!"

Lin Yue blinked.

"That’s good."

"The fields!"

Lin Yue immediately got up.

They ran outside.

Rain poured over the new land.

For a moment, Lin Yue simply watched.

Then—

Water began flowing through the channels.

It moved exactly as she had designed.

Down the slope.

Through the stone-lined channel.

Into the pond.

The pond began filling.

Lin Yue smiled.

"It works."

Qiao’er laughed.

"It works!"

They stood in the rain.

Soaked.

Cold.

Happy.

Then Shen Rui appeared under an umbrella.

He stared at them.

"You’re both insane."

Lin Yue grinned.

"Look!"

She pointed toward the water.

"Irrigation."

"I can see that."

"It’s working."

"I can see that too."

"Isn’t it wonderful?"

Shen Rui looked at her.

Rainwater ran down her face.

Her hair was soaked.

Her clothes were muddy.

She was smiling as though someone had handed her a mountain of gold.

He smiled.

"Yes."

Lin Yue blinked.

"You agree?"

"I do."

He stepped closer and held the umbrella over her.

"Now come inside before you catch a cold."

Lin Yue looked at the umbrella.

Then at him.

"Are you always this bossy?"

"Only when someone refuses to use common sense."

She laughed.

"Fine."

They walked back together.

Qiao’er followed behind them.

She looked at the two figures beneath the umbrella.

Then quietly smiled.

The Golden Space

That night, Lin Yue entered the golden space.

The change was extraordinary.

The pond had expanded.

The stream flowed faster.

Several new patches of fertile soil had appeared.

And beyond the original garden stood a small wooden sign.

[Agricultural development recognized.]

[Water management improved.]

[External land cultivation initiated.]

Then—

[Development progress: 18%.]

Lin Yue’s heart jumped.

"Eighteen?"

She walked forward.

The golden boundary shimmered.

Only two percent remained.

A final message appeared.

[At 20% development, the next major expansion will unlock.]

Lin Yue smiled.

"What will I get?"

The space remained silent.

She waited.

Nothing.

"Fine."

She pointed toward the horizon.

"I’ll find out myself."

A New Beginning

The next morning, Lin Yue stood before the newly cleared field.

Workers were preparing the soil.

The irrigation channels were functioning.

The pond was full.

The compost pile was beginning to heat.

The chickens had a larger enclosure.

The rabbits had a proper shelter.

The eastern courtyard was no longer abandoned.

It was becoming a farm.

A real one.

Lin Yue looked at the field.

Then at her ledger.

She wrote:

Eastern Farm — Day One.

Underneath:

Goal: Produce enough surplus to purchase additional livestock and equipment.

She paused.

Then added:

Long-term goal: Build a self-sustaining estate.

Qiao’er read over her shoulder.

"Miss."

"Yes?"

"What’s a self-sustaining estate?"

Lin Yue smiled.

"A place where we don’t have to depend on anyone for everything."

Qiao’er thought about that.

Then nodded.

"I like it."

Lin Yue closed the ledger.

"Then let’s build it."

Behind them, General crowed.

Lin Yue looked over.

"Not you."

General crowed again.

She sighed.

"Fine. You can help."

Qiao’er whispered:

"Miss, he’s a chicken."

Lin Yue nodded solemnly.

"Every kingdom needs a troublesome general."

Qiao’er laughed.

And the first true day of the little farm began.