Chapter 78

As March arrived, the days gradually became warmer, the mornings grew earlier, and the city of Tile gradually became bustling again.

It was already evening when the mule cart arrived in Dongxiang Town. As soon as the cart reached the town, Ye Jia hurried to check if the tile market was closed. Generally speaking, the tile market was open until dark, and vendors could stay there all day with their dry food.

Ye Jia was pretty lucky. When he went there, the tile market was still open and he happened to catch the small vendors packing up their stalls.

In reality, due to the terrain, climate, and environmental factors in the northwest, winter wheat cultivation is unsuitable. Spring wheat is now the most popular crop on the market. Although Ye Jia didn't have any relevant knowledge, she knew that wheat seeds needed to undergo a period of vernalization in the soil. This process would take at least ten days, so it was obviously too late for her to start breeding immediately.

After much deliberation, the only option was to buy ready-grown seedlings. Fortunately, Dongxiang Town was more peaceful than Libei Town, and many locals chose to plant rice, so there was no need to worry about not being able to buy seedlings.

Since she was in town, she didn't even bother to look at any of the shops. She just asked from house to house. But it was unlikely that any of these things were available in any of the shops. Seeing her anxiousness, Old Man Sun thought for a moment and parked his mule cart outside Xishi's shop, then started asking from house to house.

Who in town didn't know Ye Jia? Everyone knew the sisters back when they were setting up shop in the tile market. Later, when Zhou Jingchen became a Sima and then a lieutenant, who in Kashgar County didn't recognize the Zhou family?

Knowing that Ye Jia was a good-tempered person, some of those who had known her from setting up stalls together in the past saw that Ye Jia was anxious and pointed her in a direction.

"If the captain's wife is anxious, why not go to the Wu family and ask."

The person who showed Ye Jia the way was a sturdy woman in her forties who had previously sold cloth next to Xishi's stall. Thanks to Zhou Jingchen's good management of the town, their business was much more comfortable than before, and they were naturally grateful. "The Wu family is a large landowner, with hundreds of acres of fertile land. They grow wheat, corn, and rice every year, without fail. They hired many people to raise seedlings at the beginning of this year, and there might be a lot left now..."

After she reminded him, Ye Jia came to his senses: "I was so anxious that I lost my mind!"

Isn't it? She needs a large quantity of seedlings, how can she get them so quickly by buying from individual dealers? But the individual dealers have to make up for it. Otherwise, if the Wu family doesn't sell, she won't be able to do anything about it. Ye Jia quickly thanked the woman for the reminder and quickly went to the Wu family.

The Wu family is also an old acquaintance. The third young master of the Wu family has been cooperating with Ye Jia in the soap business.

Old Man Sun asked around in the tile market, and when the two met at the entrance of Luzhai, he was sweating profusely. "Boss, they said that there are people selling rice seedlings in the tile market these days. But they don't sell much, and the days are uncertain. If you want to buy some, you probably have to come to the tile market often and wait."

"No rush." ​​Ye Jia listened and nodded. "Ask someone to keep an eye on Wa City. Send me to the Wu family first."

Old Man Sun didn't ask Ye Jia why he was going to the Wu family. He nodded honestly and went to the shop to drive the cart over. Ye Jia got on the mule cart and hurried to the Wu family.

Speaking of which, there are wealthy families in the northwest. The disparity between the rich and the poor here isn't just vast; it's a chasm. The poor can barely afford to eat, while the rich can afford to have floors inlaid with gold bricks. There's the Cheng family in Libei Town, and the Wu family in Dongxiang Town. However, the Wu family differs slightly from the Cheng family. The Cheng family is a merchant, while the Wu family is a substantial landowner.

When Ye Jia arrived at the Wu family's gate, two or three children were sweeping the floor. In the afterglow of the setting sun, there was a sense of peace and tranquility.

Seeing a mule cart stop, one of the little kids with a bowl-cut hair ran over to ask questions.

Ye Jia opened the carriage curtain and glanced at the Wu family's gate. He was shocked. What a huge mansion. The Wu family usually kept quiet, but he didn't expect them to have such a large family background. Old Man Sun explained Ye Jia's identity to the child in front. When the child heard that it was the captain's wife inside, he immediately threw down his broom and ran back to the mansion.

After a while, the door of the Wu family opened from the inside, and an old man over fifty years old walked out.

The old man was supported by a young man and came out to greet them with a smile on his face.

Ye Jia hadn't wanted to put on airs, but remembering what Yu had told him, he sat quietly, waiting for the old man to approach before getting out of the car. The old man was Wu En, the head of the Wu family. Supporting him was Wu Min, the eldest son of the Wu family. Speaking of which, ever since Zhou Jingchen took the position of lieutenant in Kashgar County, many local gentry and wealthy merchants had come to the Zhou family to offer gifts and congratulations, but the Wu family hadn't made a single move.

Ye Jia, a man of worldly wisdom, hadn't taken this matter to heart at first, but now, upon meeting him, he suddenly remembered it. Regardless of the Wu family's reasoning for ignoring the newly appointed captain, Ye Jia smiled politely and said he had something to ask.

Mr. Wu smiled, stroked his beard with one hand, and politely invited Ye Jia to take a seat.

Ye Jia followed him into the courtyard. The Wu family's mansion was far more refined and elegant than the crude, military-style dwellings of the Cheng family. From the front courtyard to the flower hall, the grass and landscaping were meticulously tended. The pavilions, towers, carved beams, and painted buildings were not overly white, yet they exuded an air of opulence. Ye Jia quietly surveyed the area as he entered the flower hall, where Master Wu immediately ordered tea.

Even though he didn't know much about tea, Ye Jia could tell the difference after just one sip. It was refreshing and refreshing, with a lingering fragrance.

"I wonder what the captain's wife is doing here at this time?" Mr. Wu looked at the pale-faced old man and spoke in the elegant manner of a scholar.

Ye Jia didn't beat around the bush and simply asked if his family had any rice seedlings for various crops. "Because time was tight, we weren't able to arrange for seedlings in time. Now it's the spring plowing season, and since that time has passed, we can only look for rice seedlings that have already been planted."

When Mr. Wu heard about this, the slight wariness on his face dropped and he seemed relieved.

Ye Jia found this somewhat odd. The Zhou and Wu families had no other ties besides the soap business, and Old Master Wu's behavior was as if he were feeling guilty about something he'd done wrong. However, it wasn't convenient to change the subject at this point, so after a brief moment of deliberation, Old Master Wu agreed. However, his words were uncertain: "The farmstead matters are handled by the servants themselves. I need to ask them if there are any extra rice seedlings before I can give Madam a definitive answer. If Madam isn't anxious, how about I send someone to check on the farmstead tomorrow and then pass on the message to the Zhou family?"

"That's true." He had already said so, and Ye Jia couldn't force him to give it. "Then we can talk about it tomorrow."

"It's nature, it's nature."

…

It was getting dark outside the door. The Wu family knew the rules and naturally offered to entertain guests when it was getting dark. Mr. Wu did not neglect Ye Jia because she was a female relative. He smiled and said, "...Madam, why don't you stay for a meal?"

Ye Jiacai had just returned from the camp in Libei Town, but when he arrived in the town, he didn't even go into his house.

Yu Shi Ye Si Mei and the others were probably still waiting at home, so Xiao Xiao declined politely, "Master Wu, you're welcome. I just came back from outside. The elders at home are probably already waiting anxiously. I won't stay for dinner."

They said goodbye immediately and the Wu family politely escorted Ye Jia out of the yard. Master Wu watched the mule cart go away, then turned back and sighed.

Ye Jia was unaware of the Wu family's uneasiness, so he got on the mule cart. Old Man Sun whipped the horse outside, and the cart hurried back to the Zhou family.

From the Zhou family, Elder Zhang Changli had been sent here three days prior. In fact, the twenty-five people Zhou Jingchen brought back at once were the very same group Ye Jia had encountered at the camp. With the exception of Elder Zhang, the rest of the twenty-five were relocated to a farm near the fertile fields. This hundred acres of fertile land wasn't just farmland; it also came with a farm.

After all, when the Shenhai Niu Buqun was still around, there were many slaves and servants. Even the mansion couldn't accommodate so many people. They weren't responsible for resettling tenants like these who did the hard labor in the fields, but they did need to accommodate the slaves who looked after the tenants and the harvest. There was a farm near the fields.

The courtyard door was called open, and Yu Shi relaxed completely upon seeing Ye Jia return. Unconsciously, Ye Jia had become Yu Shi's main supporter. She could tolerate her son's absence, but she felt anxious when her daughter-in-law was away for too long. However, Yu Shi also knew that it was rare for her son and daughter-in-law to get along well and spend more time together. Even if she felt uneasy, she wouldn't send anyone to disturb them.

Seeing Ye Jia getting off the mule cart, he hurried over and muttered to himself, "You must be suffering over there. It's not as prosperous as the town. There's nothing to eat or drink. Jia Niang has lost weight in just a few days. That boy Yun An doesn't know how to be sympathetic..."

Ye Jia: "...Mom, I'm not thin."

How much weight can you lose in just three days? Ye Jia felt helpless, but when Yu murmured like this, Ye Jia felt relieved.

"Why haven't you lost weight?" Old Man Sun followed behind and bolted the door. Yu Shi looked at it a few more times, worried. After making sure it was locked, she came over and pulled Ye Jia into the house. The previous chaos at the garrison had frightened Yu Shi, and this time, caution took root in her heart. "I can see that you've lost weight. Your chin has become much sharper. I guess it's because the food there is too coarse."

It was true that the food was rough, and Ye Jia didn't refute it. Following Yu into the house, he saw a room full of people sitting around a table.

Zhang Changli had only been here three days, and with no vacant rooms available, he was temporarily crammed into Old Man Sun's house. While the conditions weren't exactly comfortable, they were much better than Zhang Changli's shack in the West Field. The old man wasn't one for pretentiousness, primarily because none of the other women in the compound complained about their hardships, and as an old man, he couldn't be pretentious either, so he settled in peacefully.

Seeing Ye Jia coming back today, he glanced over and asked, "Are those the peppers you mentioned in the backyard?"

"Teacher, did you see it?" Zhou Jingchen called out "teacher", and Ye Jia naturally followed suit.

Old Man Zhang nodded. He'd seen it on his first day. Some of the crops on the nearly one-and-a-half-acre plot outside hadn't sprouted yet, while others had already sprouted. With his forty or fifty years of experience in agronomy, there were indeed two types he couldn't identify.

"One is a chili pepper, and the other is probably some spice." Ye Jia tried growing them last year, but the latter one didn't survive past the season. He was trying to plant them again this year, and with a bit of luck, they sprouted. "I don't really recognize them. They're seeds from the Western Regions that I stumbled across from the locals. It was a stroke of luck that they sprouted. I don't know what they'll be when they grow up."

Zhang Changli nodded in agreement when Ye Jia said this, "Look around more, record and observe carefully, and you'll definitely be able to keep it alive."

Ye Jia smiled and just put down her things when Fourth Sister Ye came in from the outside. She had just been busy in the kitchen and knew her sister was back when she heard the noise. She came here to see when dinner would be served: "Sister."

"Yeah." During the few days when Ye Jia was away, Ye Simei was very busy. "Let's talk later. Let's eat."

If you were to ask what Zhang Changli loved most about being brought to the Zhou family, besides the unfamiliar plants in the backyard, it would undoubtedly be the delicious cooking of Ye Simei. He, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, had tasted all sorts of delicacies from land and sea. While he was a bit of a glutton, he wasn't so savory as to compromise for a bite. The Zhou family, however, didn't know how this little village girl cooked, yet everything she cooked was delicious and fragrant. Especially her braised large intestines, which were both pungent and delicious. Zhang Changli was hooked after trying them, and he'd crave a plate of them every now and then.

When he heard that dinner was about to start, Old Man Zhang's eyes lit up so brightly that they could serve as lights.

Ye Jia saw it with his sharp eyes and couldn't help laughing, but he didn't point it out to him, just pretending not to know.

Ye Simei followed her lead and began eating. The group split into two tables. Ye Jia, Yu Shi, Zhang Changli, and Ye Simei, Old Man Sun, sat at one table in the main hall, while Qiuyue, Xilai, Lingdang, and the children ate at another table inside. This unconventional arrangement made Zhang Changli glance at Old Man Sun a bit more, and Ye Jia then introduced him, "This is Guard Sun's father. He's now staying at the Zhou family."

Zhou Jingchen was promoted to captain, and his colleagues were also promoted. Sun Yushan had made significant contributions and had now risen to the position of guard general.

Old man Zhang didn't know who Guard Sun was, but after hearing these words, he knew that Old Man Sun was not a slave.

Old Man Sun felt a little embarrassed, but smiled innocently. Although his youngest son had risen to a high position, Old Man Sun himself lacked the confidence of his father, a high-ranking official. Normally a man of few words at the Zhou household, he felt a surge of gratitude when Ye Jia gave him a nod. He smiled at Zhang Changli and explained that they had only been able to stay there during the war thanks to Ye Jia's kindness, and that it was all thanks to his host's kindness.

The meal was lively and lively, and after dinner, Ye Jia called Yu and Zhang Changli to stay. Fourth Sister Ye still had to fry some crispy noodles and sort out the ingredients for the food stall, so she called Xilai and Qiuyue over to help.

Seeing that her master wanted to discuss something, Lingling quickly took a few children and went to clean up under the stove.

As soon as the others left, Ye Jia went inside and took out a map of the fields. She had found time to draw this map. Although she had only given the fields a cursory look before, she had memorized the general locations and shapes.

Ye Jia spread out the map, pointing to various areas on it and explaining it to the group: "There are about fifty acres of farmland at the bottom of the valley below. There's a lake to the southeast. The soil is fertile. Because the terrain is low and deep in the valley, the temperature and humidity are suitable, making it a good place to grow crops. These dozen acres are sloping on the hillside, facing southeast, with plenty of sunlight and long hours of exposure to the sun, making them suitable for growing cotton, fruits, rapeseed, and medicinal herbs. The soil on this side, twenty acres, is not as good, some sandy loam, but it's suitable for growing crops that don't require high soil conditions..."

These fields looked numerous, but they were actually quite concentrated. Aside from a portion located behind the garrison, most of them were at the bottom of the valley.

Yu Shi herself didn't know much about this. In her former high position, she'd never even visited the village. Now, exiled to the northwest, her hardest days were spent working as an embroidery worker. Having never worked in the fields, she felt like she was listening to a foreign language. But these were the Zhou family's tangible assets; she couldn't help but listen, so she naturally tried hard to understand.

"...What I said isn't entirely accurate. These are just my preliminary assessments. Someone knowledgeable enough needs to come and see for themselves to know for sure." Ye Jia didn't want to rush, but since Chun Geng was about to arrive, he had no choice but to hurry. "Teacher, what do you think? Should we go and take a look tomorrow?"

Zhang Changli didn't seem offended when he heard this. He had been sent here three or four days ago and had been idle for a long time.

"Okay," he agreed readily. "Tomorrow morning, ask someone who knows the place to take me there."

When Ye Jia heard him say that, his eyes lit up: "Then it's settled."

Zhang Changli nodded calmly. Seeing that he had almost finished his talk, he didn't linger in the front room any longer. He put his hands behind his back and staggered towards the backyard. "I'm talking to Yun'an's family. Warm up a pot of wine for me tomorrow..."

It's okay to ask him to do some work, but you have to give him some benefits.

Ye Jiayi smiled so hard that his teeth showed. "Yes, I brewed some sorghum wine at home before the New Year. If you don't mind, I'll warm it up for you tomorrow when you come back from the fields."

The old man raised his chin and nodded, then disappeared into the night.

Although Yu Shi didn't quite understand what was said, she knew that Ye Jia was relocating the hundred acres of fertile land. Yun An had acquired so much good land, and if he didn't take care of it, it would just go to waste. It was really disgusting. Ye Jia's reluctance to waste good things really touched Yu Shi's heart. When Yu Shi heard about growing crops, her heart was like a fire burning, and she was full of energy: "If we use all these hundred acres of land to grow crops, as long as there are no droughts or floods, won't our family not have to worry about starvation?"

"Isn't it?" Ye Jia nodded, then sighed again when he thought about the Wu family's lack of clarification. "But this rice seedling thing is a problem."

Yu: "Seedlings?"

"Grain is different from the fruits and vegetables grown in the backyard. We are already at the end of the spring plowing season."

Ye Jia then explained the matter in detail to Yu.

When Yu heard that the crops still needed to be planted early, she became anxious: "We can't just rely on the Wu family for this. If the Wu family doesn't give us seedlings, are our hundred acres of land going to be left to waste? We need to ask a few more families and pool our resources."

Ye Jia agreed with this, and this was exactly what she meant when she told Yu: "Mother, if you're not busy these few days, go to the tile market in town and buy whatever you can find. If you find any good seeds, buy them too. If we can't grow grain in these fields, we can grow some fruits and vegetables. If that doesn't work, growing some medicinal herbs can also be a source of income."

Speaking of this, Yu Shi suddenly remembered something. She had originally wanted to tell Ye Jia the good news, but now she brought it up without much joy: "Mother and the old doctor went to great lengths to buy the recipe for the pear blossom paste."

Ye Jia's heart moved when he heard this, "Isn't this a good thing?"

"Although it's a good thing, pear blossom paste is not that easy to make. It contains several medicinal ingredients..."

"No rush." ​​Just buy the prescription, and we'll have to open up the market step by step. "Our most urgent task here is to grow crops well."

Spring plowing couldn't be delayed. The weight of it weighed on Ye Jia's mind, keeping her awake at night and waking her up before dawn. Yu Shi couldn't let go of Ye Jia's analysis yesterday. When Ye Jia got up, she was already in the yard washing up. Everyone in the house was an early riser; Fourth Sister Ye and Qiuyue were already loading pots and pans onto the ox cart.

Yu asked Lingdang to look after the children at home and followed the ox cart to the tile market.

Ye Jia was waiting for news from the Wu family today, having risen early but not leaving the house. She waited for Old Man Sun to return before sending Zhang Changli back to the fields. She cooked breakfast and returned to the house to settle accounts. The workshop had been running smoothly in her absence, and the soaps now produced were for the next few months, but the cost was substantial.

Not to mention Ye Jia's anxiety, Yu Shi was also a little uneasy waiting in front of Luzhai after she arrived in the town.

Perhaps it was bad luck; she'd wandered around several times this morning but couldn't find anyone selling rice seedlings. She did buy quite a few seeds she didn't recognize, but since they weren't food, buying them made her feel uneasy. Undeterred, she spent money and sent people to ask if anyone had rice seedlings for sale, but no one could give her a clear answer.

Yu waited in the town for the whole morning, but finally returned empty-handed.

When she returned home, she found the yard quiet. She went to Ye Jia's room and found her still there. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law looked at each other. Yu saw a flash of disappointment on Ye Jia's face, and her heart skipped a beat: "Hasn't anyone from the Wu family come yet?"

"I guess they haven't asked clearly yet." No matter how anxious Ye Jia was, he still had some sense. Transportation was difficult in those days, and running to deliver a message was naturally not as fast as a phone call in later generations. "It would take the Wu family's servants a whole day to go to the farm to ask and get the message back."

"That's true." Yu sat down next to Ye Jia, overturned a clean teacup on the tray, poured some cold tea into it and drank it.

Seeing Ye Jia calculating the bill of the fragrant soap workshop, Yu paused while drinking tea.

"Come to think of it, I remember something."

During the past few days when Ye Jia was away, Yu Shi had to take care of the business in the workshop and frequently went to the market. Because the family workshop could not always only do business in the rouge shop and Lihua Lane, if the business grew bigger, it would also be possible to cooperate with others.

Yu not only had to keep an eye on how the scented soap was being made, but also had to go to the rouge shop from time to time to check it out.

Upon visiting the shop, she discovered that, in addition to the Zhou family's scented soap, the Linglong Rouge Shop was also selling another type of scented soap. Putting aside the effects and ingredients, their price was four or five coins cheaper per piece than the Zhou family's. This wasn't limited to the Linglong Rouge Shop; other rouge and powder shops were also selling it this way. Yu Shi sensed something was amiss and bought a piece to try. While the scent wasn't as good as the Zhou family's, it did clean things very well. Most importantly, it was much cheaper.

When Yu mentioned this, Ye Jia paused with his pen in his hand: "When did this happen?"

"Just these two days."

Yu knew what her family's main source of income was, so she was naturally very concerned. She herself also liked things like rouge and powder, and when she was not busy at home, she would often go to the shop to browse, and she would immediately notice any changes.

Ye Jia frowned and stopped writing: "Mom, bring that fragrant soap over to me and let me try it."