Chapter Seventy-Four: Snatching Food from the Dragon King's Mouth

The time for harvesting wheat arrived in the blink of an eye, and with his wealth of experience, Zheng the Village Chief once again made the right judgment.

From the moment the harvest began, the entire village mobilized over two days; every household joined in. The men were the main force, but strong women did not lag behind. Elderly folk whose strength was waning, and women less robust, followed along behind to gather the cut wheat into sheaves. Even children played their part, gleefully picking up fallen wheat ears.

Everyone worked feverishly, pouring their energy into the harvest.

Only Wei Renshi stood apart, gazing absentmindedly at the sky.

Above was an endless expanse of blue, with a few clouds drifting idly, casting vast shadows upon the earth. Sunlight poured down from the azure heavens, making it seem every bit a fine, clear day.

Yet when Wei Renshi rose that morning, he found a thick layer of dew covering the outside of his water jar. Arriving at his field, he noticed earthworms had surfaced, crawling out from the soil.

These signs told Wei Renshi that rain was likely imminent.

What does a wheat harvest most fear?

Rain.

If the wheat is ripe but not yet harvested and rain descends, the water will knock mature grains into the mud, greatly diminishing the yield. Seeds that fall into the earth will quickly sprout, becoming unfit for food. Even if the wheat has already been cut, the grains may become damp and moldy from exposure to rain.

Worse still, the wheat harvest coincides with the hottest days of the year, when the northern climate is fickle and clouds are lively. Rain comes suddenly and hard: one moment the sky is clear and wheat is laid out to dry, the next, a torrential downpour sweeps in, leaving no time to gather the crops.

Wei Renshi had witnessed such calamities in his later years: a sudden storm struck as farmers were drying their wheat, soaking the harvest and washing much of it away. The year's yield was devastated before their eyes, and some farmers could do nothing but stand in the rain and weep.

At this thought, Wei Renshi could not afford to hesitate about whether his judgment was sound. He hurried off to find Zheng the Village Chief.

He searched several fields before locating him.

Pulling him aside, Wei Renshi said earnestly, "Uncle Zheng, you should urge everyone to work faster—it's best if we finish today. I believe it's going to rain!"

"Rain?" Zheng looked up at the sky. "That can't be, can it?"

Wei Renshi pressed, "Uncle Zheng, trust me. Have everyone hurry. And after harvesting, don't rush to take the wheat to the threshing yard."

Seeing Wei Renshi's serious expression, Zheng asked, "Why do you think it's going to rain?"

Wei Renshi replied anxiously, "I can't explain it all at once! Uncle Zheng, please trust me—even if it doesn't rain, working faster can't hurt, right?"

After a moment's thought, Zheng nodded, "Alright!"

He turned and strode back to the fields, calling over several young men. "Go to every field and pass the word: rain may be coming—everyone needs to hurry! Once you've finished, don't take the wheat to the threshing yard, bring it home instead! Quickly!"

"Is it really going to rain?" The men looked up at the sky, puzzled.

"No questions, just spread the word," Zheng ordered. "Wei Renshi said so, and he always has his reasons."

Hearing it was Wei Renshi's advice, the men grew serious and ran off to relay the message.

It was no surprise. Wei Renshi had invented a new harvesting tool, and after seeing its efficiency, the villagers held him in even greater esteem, following his words without question.

As the runners spread the news, Wei Renshi frowned at the sky and observed the ground. The more closely he looked, the heavier his heart became.

Swallows fly low, snakes cross the road, ants move their homes, mountains wear hats. Water jars sweat, frogs croak—heavy rain soon arrives.

Wei Renshi hoped his judgment was wrong.

But after lunch, the previously clear sky darkened almost in an instant.

Zheng began running through the village, calling out to each household to hurry the harvest and bring the cut wheat home to shelter it from the rain.

No one paused for a meal; bowls were thrown aside as everyone rushed to the fields.

Soon, thunder rumbled from the distant horizon.

"Quick! Move it home!" Zheng shouted from the field. "Who hasn't finished cutting?"

Soon, the village was filled with the chaotic sound of footsteps and shouts, as every household scrambled to harvest before the storm.

"It's done!"

"We're finished!"

"And we're done over here!"

At last, voices rang out from the fields, easing Wei Renshi's anxiety somewhat.

After taxes were paid, little remained for the villagers themselves. If the wheat was ruined by rain, the losses would be immense. Yet taxes would not be reduced for farmers' misfortune; selling roofs or land was not uncommon in such times.

"Has everyone finished?" Zheng gathered the villagers and asked again.

Once everyone confirmed, Zheng breathed a sigh of relief. "We owe thanks to Wei Renshi. If he hadn't warned us this morning, we would have been caught off guard."

Old Six, respected in the village, stepped forward. "Such fine weather this morning, yet Wei Renshi knew rain was coming. Is he perhaps a sage?"

"I wish I had been mistaken," Wei Renshi shook his head. "At this time of year, storms come suddenly and clear just as quickly. Let's hope the sun returns soon, so we can thresh and dry the wheat while it's fine."

"I wonder how the other villages are faring," someone else sighed.

The neighboring villages were all intermarried; any mention would reveal kinship ties, so many worried for their neighbors.

Zheng frowned. "We had Wei Renshi's harvesting tool, so we finished in two days. Normally it would take four or five. The other villages surely haven't finished."

He looked up at the sky; thunder rolled, but the rain had not yet fallen.

After a pause, he lowered his head and said, "Anyone still strong, take the harvesting tools and let's help the other villages!"

At once, many stepped forward.

"Our young men often marry brides from neighboring villages—losing face would be bad. Besides, plenty of our sons-in-law come from there. We must lend a hand," Zheng said. "Stone, take ten men and go to the upper village! Fourth, take ten to the lower village! Seventh, gather some men and..."

When all were assigned, Zheng added, "If the rain falls, all these villages will be snatching food from the dragon's mouth, harvesting in the storm. Let's hurry and help as much as we can!"

"Wait!" Wei Renshi called out. "I have a few more words to leave with you..."