After the New Year passed, the village head mobilized everyone in the village to start working the fields, and ordered that they could only plant potatoes.
Huawanxi’s family had only been allocated one mu of land at the beginning, and she hadn’t planted it herself—Jiang Er’s father had been taking care of it, so she didn’t really pay attention.
“Village head! Even though potatoes yield a lot, we can’t use them to pay taxes! The government only collects grain. What are we supposed to do then?”
This was the concern of most villagers. As long as they weren’t foolish, no one would dare plant their entire land with potatoes.
The village head couldn’t openly reveal Jiang Wenwan’s prediction; otherwise, it would take time to verify, and by then it would be too late.
Since he had already believed it and made up his mind, he would use his own way to convince the villagers.
The village head, together with Jiang Er’s father and several elders who were in on the situation, went from house to house persuading those who refused to comply. After half a month, they finally got all the villagers to agree. Farmers weren’t good at deep reasoning anyway—everyone was tied together in the same boat, so they decided to just follow the village head.
Some young wives even went back to their maternal homes to mention the situation, but others thought the village head of Jiang Village had gone senile and was doing foolish things in old age. No one took it seriously, and no one intended to follow their example.
However, some experienced old farmers noticed the weather was unusual this year. After the New Year, temperatures began rising quickly, and it hadn’t rained for a long time, making spring plowing extremely difficult.
The people of Jiang Village gradually began to believe the village head’s claim that a drought was coming. They no longer complained about planting potatoes and instead tried to plant as early as possible.
Jiang Ergou’s family only had him as the laborer. During the day he dug fields and planted potatoes, and at night he helped his grandmother make handmade soap. Within just a few days, the weight he had finally gained was gone again.
Huawanxi wanted to lend him an ox to plow the fields, but Jiang Ergou refused. He knew many people were eyeing her ox, and since she hadn’t lent it to others, he couldn’t be the one to start it.
“Madam, it’s fine. My family doesn’t have much land. We’ll finish planting in a couple of days.”
Jiang Ergou came to deliver soap materials and once again refused Huawanxi’s kindness.
Huawanxi didn’t insist, but she subtly reminded him, “Ergou, the weather this year is unusual. You should store more grain and water at home.”
Jiang Ergou had actually heard his grandmother mention the strange weather too, but nothing more. Now, combined with the village head suddenly ordering everyone to plant potatoes and Huawanxi’s words, he keenly sensed something was wrong.
“Madam, do you know something else? Please tell me clearly. I won’t tell anyone!”
Huawanxi trusted Jiang Ergou quite a bit. Since he would find out sooner or later anyway, she decided to tell him early.
“Ergou, I’ve received reliable information. There will be a drought this year. By summer, there will basically be no water sources nearby. We may have to head north to escape the famine, so you need to prepare in advance.”
Jiang Ergou was shocked. “Madam, is what you’re saying true?” If it was true, wouldn’t everyone have to leave? What about his grandmother’s health—could she withstand the journey?
Huawanxi nodded firmly. “Absolutely true. There are still a few months left; it’s not too late to prepare. If you don’t have enough money, I can lend you some first.”
No matter how composed Jiang Ergou usually tried to be, he was still just a child who had never experienced anything like this. He didn’t know what to do.
“Madam, I’ll go back and talk to my grandmother and see what we need to prepare.”
“Alright, go quickly. If you run into problems, don’t panic—you can discuss them with me.”
Huawanxi was worried he might act recklessly, and also worried his grandmother might lose hope. In the original story, Jiang Ergou’s grandmother chose to end her life during the disaster, so as not to burden her grandson during the escape or consume precious food.
Jiang Ergou returned home in a daze, even forgetting to pick up the leftover soap pieces.
He closed the door and looked at his grandmother, who now had much better color than before, and hesitated in his steps.
They had only just started enjoying a better life—was everything about to change again?
“You’re back, Ergou?” his grandmother called when she heard his footsteps, but he didn’t respond right away.
“I’m back,” he finally said.
“Did you bring the bucket? Hurry and bring it over. I’m waiting to make soap!”
“Bucket? Ah—I forgot! I’ll go get it later!” Jiang Ergou’s mind was completely blank after hearing such shocking news. He had no idea what he had even gone out to do.
“Ergou, what’s wrong?” His grandmother knew him too well—something big must be on his mind.
After hesitating, Jiang Ergou finally said, “Grandma… Madam told me just now that there will be a drought this summer. We all have to flee the famine!”
He watched her closely for her reaction.
At first, she was shocked. Then she fell into thought. Finally, she showed a look of sudden realization.
No wonder.
No wonder temperatures were rising so quickly this year. In previous years, they would still be wearing padded cotton clothes at this time, but now they didn’t even feel cold in thin clothing.
“Ergou, go get the jar where I keep the copper coins.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Ergou knew exactly which jar she meant. All their money was stored in it, hidden under the water vat in the kitchen.
He brought it out and placed it in her hands—it felt light, almost empty.
She poured all the copper coins onto the bed and began counting them by touch.
Over the years, apart from Jiang Ergou occasionally selling firewood, they had almost no income. They didn’t even dare to get sick.
Only recently, after helping Huawanxi make soap, had they gained some stable income—but it was too short a time. Adding everything together from the past few scattered years, they still had less than three taels of silver.
“Too little… it’s too little…” the grandmother sighed deeply, holding the jar. If they were to flee famine, this amount of money wouldn’t even buy much grain, let alone the supplies needed for a long journey.
“Grandma, Madam said we should prepare early and store more grain and water. If we don’t have enough money, she can lend us some!”
Jiang Ergou couldn’t bear seeing his grandmother like this. He would even be willing to serve Huawanxi like an ox or horse if it meant she would lend them money.
“That little madam is a good person… but if we borrow money, how will we ever repay it?” his grandmother worried. Borrowing several taels for famine escape wasn’t a small sum. Their relationship wasn’t deep—why would she lend them so much?
The grandmother sank into despair again. Was she the one dragging her grandson down?
“Grandma! I can work for Madam. I—I can even sell myself into servitude!”