Chapter 3122 The Most Useless Thing (Update 2)

The county magistrate couldn't help but sit up straighter. "Grain seeds?"

Zhou Li nodded and told him about his family's six-year experiment in the experimental fields in the capital. He also took out his notebook and said, "The current grain seeds have the best seed-keeping performance. Sir, would you like to give it a try?"

The county magistrate said, "...you are quite bold. Do you know what the consequences will be if these seeds, which have not been approved by the imperial court, are promoted to the local areas?"

If everything goes well, it's fine, but if the harvest fails, it would be a serious crime worth losing one's life.

Zhou Lizhong said hurriedly, "We don't have a lot of grain seeds. We can select some farmers with more land and give each family one or two mu of seeds. These grain seeds are those we have tested..."

"You know, farming isn't just about the seeds," the county magistrate interrupted him, "but also about the wind, rain, and sunshine. If the wind and rain aren't favorable, your seeds won't grow well even if you defy the will of nature."

"But most people in the world are ignorant and don't know these reasons. They just think that the harvest failed because they changed the seeds."

Zhou Lizhong: "...Sir, every household doesn't just plant new grains. If the wind and rain are not favorable, then the poor harvest will not only affect the new grains, but all crops. The people also have eyes and consciences."

They are not fools. If it is really a matter of wind and rain, who can't see it?

"What if it's a problem with the new grain?"

Zhou Lizhong was speechless, unable to find any words to refute. He could only scratch his head and said, "Anyway, I believe in the new grain grown by my family."

The county magistrate waved his hand and said, "That's just your one-sided story. Furthermore, the rice was previously grown in the capital. Who knows if it can adapt to the soil and water conditions in Luojiang County? I can't let the people take that risk."

Zhou Lizhong felt a little regretful and could only suppress the matter temporarily. However, as soon as he got home, he said to Zhou Sanlang, "Uncle San, the county magistrate doesn't believe me. Shouldn't we plant all the seeds ourselves?"

Zhou Sanlang: "...You burned it? We have a lot of land, but we can't possibly plant all this grain."

They had actually reserved half of the field for planting new grain seeds, and the rest was to be used with the seeds that Zhou Sanlang had saved himself last year.

Zhou Lizhong thought for a moment and said, "Persuade the villagers?"

Zhou Sanlang scratched his head and said, "Then I'll talk to the village chief and the others when I get home."

Zhou Erlang came in happily and said to Zhou Lizhong, "I bought a yard at the end of the street. I can move in after I clean it up."

Zhou Lizhong opened his mouth wide, "Second Uncle, did you really buy a house?"

He was a little anxious. "I won't stay in the county town for too long. My aunt said that I will return to the capital after the harvest in late autumn."

Zhou Erlang asked, "What if the new grain cannot be planted?"

"...Uncle, can't you have a little confidence in me?" Zhou Lizhong finished speaking before adding, "My aunt said that if the new grain doesn't work here, then we need to open some experimental fields here. Then we can plant it here and in the capital together. I'll have to watch over the fields, so I probably won't be able to work in the house anymore."

So he will resign from his official position, and at that time he will not live in the city, but in the village.

Zhou Erlang stiffened for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "Forget it, we'll live together from now on."

He said, "We've already bought it. If we come back late from doing business outside, we'll have a place to stay in the county town."

Zhou Lizhong stopped talking.

Zhou Erlang turned around and said to Zhou Sanlang, "Let's go back tomorrow and call a few people to help us. We can clean up the house before the busy farming season starts. It's not good to live here with Daya all the time."

Zhou Sanlang asked, "Whose family in the county did you buy it from?"

He was confused, “Why would you sell the house at this time?”

"The Shi family," Zhou Erlang turned and said to Zhou Lizhong, "Speaking of which, we have some connection. Back then, you and Manbao often bought roosters that had been defeated in fights from that family."

Zhou Lizhong's eyes widened, "Uncle Shi!"

"Is he still gambling?"

"No, he's broke even if he wanted to gamble now," Zhou Erlang sighed and shook his head. "The Shi family was once a very wealthy family. I heard it was only slightly smaller than Master Bai's. But now they've lost it all."

He said, "This yard we bought now is the last one owned by Uncle Shi. It was originally where his wife and son lived. But his son is seriously ill and needs medical help. In his early years, when he was bankrupt, he borrowed money from many people and never paid it back. Oh, there is nothing he can pay back. So now that his son is really sick, no one is willing to lend him money. I have no choice but to sell the yard."

Zhou Lizhong felt complicated. He could still remember that when they came to the county town to sell candy, they would squat at the street corner and wait until Uncle Shi finished cockfighting, and then they would buy the badly pecked rooster from him.

So they know best that he loses nine out of ten times when he gambles. So they can't understand why he keeps gambling even though he knows he will lose.

Even his aunt, who wanted to buy his rooster at a low price, couldn't help but repeatedly persuade him, "Since your family is not short of money, why bother taking a gamble on this one in ten thousand chance? Besides, gambling is always a losing strategy."

Uncle Shi laughed and said, "You think it's gambling, but I think it's gambling. Gambling is just like any other form of entertainment; it makes people excited and happy. Since it's all fun, why should we be afraid of spending money?"

"But the gain doesn't make up for the loss," Zhou Man, though still young at the time, said seriously, "Gambling may make people excited and happy, but that's only when they can control themselves. If you're so addicted, it's no longer a pursuit of happiness, it's a disease."

"All addictions in the world are diseases. You are still young, and there are many things in this world that can bring you happiness. Why choose the thing that is least beneficial to yourself, your family, and the world?"

Zhou Man was only seven or eight years old at the time, and Zhou Lizhong was not much older either. However, because his fourth uncle had lost all the family's money gambling, he was deeply impressed by these words. He also hated all gambling industries, including horse racing.

Because he remembered his aunt's words clearly, this industry was the most useless thing for himself, his family and the people.

But Uncle Shi went down this road to the end, and no matter whether he hit the wall or fell into the river, he never looked back.

Although Zhou Erlang and Zhou Sanlang sighed, they were not familiar with Uncle Shi after all, and did not have as complicated feelings as Zhou Lizhong. The two of them quickly discussed what to buy for the new house.

"We need to buy some firecrackers. They say the house has bad feng shui, so we need to boil some pomelo leaves to ward off evil spirits..."

Zhou Li came back to his senses and nodded, saying, "I know where there are pomelo trees in the county town. I'll go ask someone for some branches and leaves.

Good night

(End of this chapter)