It's really hard to just farm peacefully.

Chapter 252

The reed marsh that Jiang Yan mentioned usually only has a shallow layer of water, and when there is little rain, only soft mud is left.

It's a drought now, and even the ponds and rivers with more water can't hold up. The little water in the pond has probably dried up long ago.

When Jiang Yan led Aunt Yu and the other two there, she didn't hold out much hope. A large area of ​​plants would need as much water as a human.

However, Aunt Yu could dig out some opportunities in the exposed, dry mud, so maybe she could find some opportunities under the reed marshes that could conserve water.

This time it took more than half an hour to reach the destination after many twists and turns.

What meets the eye is a patch of half-yellow leaves.

Jiang Yan plucked a reed leaf. It felt less tender than fresh leaves, but not dry and dehydrated.

I tried stepping into the mud with one foot again. It didn't sink, so I put a little more force and inexplicably felt a rebound.

The sunken marks are not visible, but it does feel less tiring to stand on than from the outside.

Aunt Yu was already exploring with tools. She picked a few spots and tapped them gently, then turned to the others and said, "There's hope."

The reed marsh was quite large, so Jiang Yan and the other two followed Aunt Yu's instructions and dug five deep pits at different locations. Each pit was much deeper than the previous one-foot one.

Jiang Yan estimated that it was about four feet long.

The soil thrown out by the last few shovels was already a dark color with sufficient moisture. Everyone looked at Aunt Yu excitedly.

Aunt Yu twisted her fingers one last time, then her face completely relaxed as she gave an affirmative answer.

"There is water, a decent amount, but it won't be collected any time soon. Let's dig deeper and come back tomorrow to get it."

Several people happily dug the pit down another foot. Because they were worried that the water that seeped out would not be able to get enough sunlight, they broke some reeds nearby and wove large and thick reed mats to cover the top of the pit.

Jiang Yan lacked the skills and speed, so he was sent to cut reeds with the other three.

When the sun is high in the sky and makes people's faces red and itchy, a faint trace of water can be seen in the deep pit.

……

It was around 3 p.m. when we got back to the foot of the mountain.

In order to minimize the attention of fellow villagers, Jiang Lu and his companions agreed to gather at the entrance of Dongshan Village at dawn tomorrow, and then go into the mountains to quickly fetch water and return home.

Jiang Yan watched the three people walk out of the village, and then went to the field to catch a dozen grasshoppers to feed the hens.

Since the crops began to turn yellow, the aphids on the leaves and stems gradually disappeared, leaving only grasshoppers jumping around.

Because there was no hope of achieving this year's planting target, Jiang Yan originally carried the hens to the fields. He didn't care how many grains of wheat they damaged, he just hoped they could eat more pests.

Unexpectedly, when the drought came, except for taking a walk in the backyard in the early morning and evening, it spent most of its time listlessly staying in the shed, just waiting for me to deliver food and water to it.

Jiang Yan wanted to execute this new ancestor on the spot several times, but considering its past contributions, he could only endure it.

However, if the drought could not be alleviated and she had to leave her hometown to make a living, Jiang Yan thought, she must practice it for herself.

Jiang Yan leaned against the door panel and looked at the dancing fire from afar, and couldn't help but think of the afternoon chat of Aunt Jiang Lu and the others.

According to the Rongcheng County government, the drought is expected to last for about half a month, so it's not serious and can be weathered. The worst-hit area is Xiding Prefecture, where people reportedly can't find any water even after digging two or three meters.

Xiding Prefecture is already dry and rainy due to its geographical location, and with another drought on top of it, even though the local people have rich experience in resisting drought, Jiang Yan only feels that life has become more difficult.

Moreover, Heding Prefecture and Xiding Prefecture are separated by the 800-li Qin Mountain. If the mountains are also severely affected by the drought and the people cannot find a way to survive in the mountains, where will they migrate to?