"How big is this plot of land?" an elderly official asked, twirling some of his grizzled beard.
"This newly dug section is about three fen," replied Lian Manman. They had already turned over about a third of the sweet potato field, which in total was roughly nine fen.
"Only three fen?" The official seemed incredulous and pressed further with another question.
"Your honor, that's right, just three fen, not less nor more," Lian Manman said.
"Go and measure it," Shen Liu ordered a few attendants by his side.
It was uncertain how the attendants happened to carry a measuring tape with them, but they indeed entered the sweet potato field and began to measure.
"Reporting back to your honor, it's exactly two fen nine li plus some change, and the whole sweet potato field is one mu two fen," the attendant reported back after measuring, standing with arms akimbo and addressing Shen Liu at the field's edge.
