The initial investment of five taels of silver yielded a return of three or four times that amount, which was far more profitable than winning a spot in the lottery and then reselling the winnings.

***

As the seasons change and the weather gradually becomes hotter, the summer atmosphere grows stronger. The once tender green wheat seedlings have now turned golden, and the heavy ears of wheat rustle in the breeze. Finally, it is harvest season, the happiest time for farmers.

Compared to previous years, the villagers of Shenjia Village were particularly excited because this year, one-third of the village's fields used the fertilizer that Meng Zhao had mentioned.

Although everyone had long noticed the obvious difference between fields that had been fertilized and those that hadn't, the villagers still couldn't be completely at ease until the wheat was actually bagged and stored.

As dawn broke, the village came alive with activity. Everyone carried sickles to the fields, bundling the harvested wheat into bundles. Those with large homes carried the bundles home, while those with smaller homes found an open space in the village.

In modern times, with combine harvesters, people usually wait until the wheat is almost dry in the field before letting the machine go down to harvest it. In ancient times, it was all done manually, which would take longer. By the time the wheat was completely dry, it would be too late to harvest it in time, so the harvested wheat would still contain some moisture and would need to be dried further.

Tie Dan watched his father carrying bundles of wheat home and said anxiously, "Dad! There's just too much wheat this year, we can't dry it all! What are we going to do?"

"Pah! You brat, you ignorant brat, what nonsense are you spouting?" Tie Dan's father immediately put his hands together and prayed to the sky, "God, please don't be angry. My son is ignorant and just spouting nonsense. We can have as little as we want, but we'd appreciate it if you could give us more."