Chapter 47

"Mother, how much longer do we have to wait?" Inside the incubation room, He Xiaoya anxiously looked at the goose eggs that showed no sign of hatching.

"Don't be impatient. They'll come out when the time is right."

The two waited another half hour in front of the incubator, when one of the goose eggs suddenly moved a little.

"It moved! Is it going to hatch soon?"

"It should be."

"The egg shell is so thick. What if the gosling can't peck through it?" He Xiaoya asked worriedly.

"That's unlikely. Don't underestimate them."

Li Yao hadn't actually seen goslings hatching, but she believed in science. In nature, so many species of birds hatched by pecking through the egg shell themselves.

If any were really underdeveloped and couldn't break through, they could lend a hand later. It wouldn't be too late.

Soon after, the first gosling finally pecked a small hole in the egg shell, then slowly pecked away at the surrounding shell, poking out a complete little head.

An hour later, the vast majority of goslings had successfully hatched.

Once dry, they were fluffy feathered. Seeing these cute little goslings, He Xiaoya felt her heart melting.

But even more was her admiration for Li Yao.

Without a mother hen, relying only on a few small oil lamps, she could hatch goslings. No one else in the world had such skills.

The few that couldn't hatch themselves, He Xiaoya helped crack the shells, and they crawled out successfully too.

But these were noticeably smaller, and it was unknown whether they could survive.

"Raise these separately for now," said Li Yao, "and mix them with the others when they grow up some."

"Okay." He Xiaoya nodded, looking at the unhatched eggs somewhat regretfully, "It's a pity these few didn't make it."

"Survival of the fittest is normal," said Li Yao. "Did you count how many hatched?"

"A total of 121."

Out of 200 eggs, 121 goslings hatched.

Under these conditions, the hatch rate was quite good.

And with the experience from the first try, future hatch rates would improve. Newly hatched goslings couldn't eat grass, but were first fed egg yolks for two days, then soft cooked rice mixed with fine bran or wheat bran.

After a week they could be fed boiled rice or wheat.

Fortunately the goslings didn't have huge appetites, otherwise feeding so many would eat the family poor.

Under He Xiaoya's attentive care, the goslings grew very well, lively and energetic. Wang Xiao Si also brought back good news from the dry well.

"Master Li said we can start collecting water today."

"Don't know how much it'll collect overnight," Da Zhuang was very concerned about the well, because they needed water to plant crops. "I'll go take a look first thing tomorrow morning."

"I'll go too."

The next morning, after basic training on the hillside with Wang San, Li Yao came to the well.

Other villagers had arrived much earlier, surrounding the well in several layers.

Seeing the unconcealable joy on their faces, Li Yao knew there must be a good amount of well water.

"Li Yao, come see!" After just one night the well filled up! So much well water, we can plant all the fields in our village!"

Li Yao went over to look, and saw the water level was about even with other wells, around five meters above ground.

This was the highest groundwater level, no more would rise.

But there were still over 15 meters below, about 5000 tons of water. Even with dry soil and flooding irrigation, it could irrigate 50 mu in one go.

"Let's start digging the irrigation channels," said Li Yao, "then set up a waterwheel to channel water to the fields so everyone can start planting."

"No rush, no rush."

The village head and Fang Mingchuan came over, representing the two biggest surnames in He Wan village, as well as most villagers.

"Li Yao, not only did you propose a good solution this time, but also funded it yourself, your contributions are too great! But you also know everyone is very poor now, and can't offer much to thank you."

"It's no big deal, no need to thank me."

"No no no, this is a huge deal," Fang Mingchuan said solemnly. "You've saved our entire village, your merit is immense!"

"So we decided to name this well after you," the village head announced loudly. "From now on this well shall be called Yao Well! I will go find a big stone and carve these characters to place by the well side! Whenever people come to draw water, they will be reminded of your merit!"

Li Yao: ......

Let's not do that.

Naming a well after her was too embarrassing no matter how she looked at it.

"Why don't I pick a name?"

"That works too," said Wang Jiafu. "Go ahead and pick one now."

Li Yao thought about it. When the well was dug, her goslings had just hatched.

"Let's call it Gosling Well."

"Great, Gosling Well it is!" And so the name of this dry well was happily settled.

The next few days, villagers didn't continue going up the mountain to dig vegetables, but the whole families went out to work on the irrigation channels and fields. For a time all of He Wan village was filled with the villagers' labor.

The cracked dry earth quickly softened under everyone's hard work. The waterwheel was erected over the well mouth, ready to draw water out at any time.

To show thanks to Li Yao, everyone decided unanimously that her family would use the water first.

Da Zhuang had already leveled the ground and sown the wheat seeds and fertilizer, and eagerly climbed onto the waterwheel.

Wang Jia Gui, Wang Dingyuan, and Wang Yuancai, the eldest son of the village head's family, also came to help. The four men worked the waterwheel together.

Gurgle gurgle...

As the waterwheel turned, clear well water was quickly brought up and flowed down the irrigation channel towards the fields.

Seeing the parched earth turn moist, continuously bubbling, the villagers were deeply moved.

With this well, they could have a wheat harvest next year. No one needed to think about fleeing famine!

Being able to live and work in one place, who wanted to leave their home and well behind?

"Li Yao, mention anything you need help with in the future, we'll all come lend a hand."

"Why state the obvious?" someone laughed. "Aren't they building a new house? We'll all send one person from each family to get it done for them quickly!"

"Right, that's a good idea, let's go tomorrow!"

Seeing the beaming smiles and changed attitudes of the villagers towards her, Li Yao felt somewhat strange for reasons she couldn't pinpoint. She had never experienced such a scene growing up.

Although not accustomed to it, she didn't feel averse either.

"Mother," He Xiaoya stood on the ridge, eagerly looking at the just-planted earth, her eyes full of expectation for the future. "Next year we'll definitely have a good harvest, right?"

Li Yao nodded.

Having a good harvest was probably the greatest expectation of people in this era.

"Hurry home, there's a strong wind outside."

Packing away the feelings from her maiden name, Li Yao quickly headed home.

......

"Sir!"

"I have great news!"

Hearing Wang Jiafu's voice, magistrate Song frowned.

This old village head was usually very steady. Why was he so impetuous today, his voice preceding his person?

"Come in, what is it?" "Wonderful news, sir!" Wang Jiafu, disregarding etiquette, rushed in breathlessly. "We've planted all our crops in the village!"

"What?"

Magistrate Song shot up, forgetting the dignity of a county magistrate. "Speak! What happened?"