403 Goodbye, Left Maid

He Chen waved his hand, glanced around at the familiar surroundings, and said softly, "No need."

The guard nodded hurriedly, then replied after a moment, "Sir, Old Man Weng came this morning, but left quickly. He said he was going to check on the sweet potatoes in the fields. If you're looking for him, you can send us to the fields to inform him."

He nodded slightly, turned to look at the familiar face, and asked softly, "You're Jin Huo, Uncle Dai's son, aren't you?"

Jin Huo, his face flushed with excitement, immediately replied, "Yes, sir."

Looking at the other people, they were all familiar faces. He had forgotten some of their names, but he remembered their faces.

The other three arrived immediately. "Sir, I am Jin Fan."

"Sir, I am Jinshan." "Sir, I am Wei Erbao."

Hearing some familiar names, He Chen nodded, "Okay, thank you for your hard work."

"This is our duty, and also our honor," Jin Huo replied with a smile.

"Yes, sir, it is our honor," Jinshan said, and the other two nodded in agreement.

Seeing their excited expressions, he nodded slightly.

They walked lightly towards the edge of the city, their path leading to a vast expanse of people, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Within the city, some barefoot clinics also opened, along with many unfamiliar shops. Judging from their names, they must be quite famous. "Sihai Trading Company" was a truly imposing name, and the decorations in front of the doors were luxurious, with exquisite carvings and gold paint, making it magnificent and splendid.

In the morning, a group of about a dozen children, probably five or six years old, walked hand in hand toward the school, walking in an orderly fashion, with adults following behind them.

They were dressed simply, mostly in coarse linen clothes, though some wore cotton-padded coats. I was immediately struck by an indescribable feeling. The adults were the same, dressed in simple coarse linen clothes.

Cotton fabrics are rare, just like I used to be. Not to mention silk, with its gold and silver threads.

Silk, gauze, satin, brocade, brocade, and fine silk were all rare items for ordinary people. For most, linen and cotton were the main staples.

There were also many people selling their own harvested items all around.

For a time, there was a cacophony of sounds and a constant flow of people, both working and busy.

Jinluo approached gently and whispered, "My lord."

She nodded slightly. 'Do you know where Old Man Weng is?'

Jin Luo nodded quickly and said, "Sir, Old Man Weng is in the fields not far outside the city. He's checking on the sweet potatoes and wheat."

"Alright, let's go take a look together." He smiled calmly as he looked around at the bustling crowd.

Jin Luo pointed the way and followed behind He Chen. Along the way, the crowd whispered among themselves, and finally, they met someone they knew.

"Good morning, Lord He." "Good morning, Lord He. This is a pork pie, please have a taste."

Gradually, more and more people looked at the rare sight of the local host and came forward to greet him, some even preparing to offer him a token of their appreciation.

He Chen thanked her softly, naturally refusing the gift. He quickened his pace and hurried out of the city. Not far from the city gate, he could already see Old Man Weng, and beside him was a familiar figure dressed in men's clothing, Miss Zuo.

Her long hair, tied up, couldn't hide her beautiful features, but it also couldn't conceal the fact that she was a woman.

Elsewhere, long hair is quite common among men, but here, because He Chen has short hair, the locals have gradually adopted short hair as their primary hairstyle. Long hair is very rare.

Ms. Zuo didn't mind at all; it just made getting around more convenient.

He Chen strolled over to Old Man Weng, who was having a brief conversation with Miss Zuo.

Miss Zuo said softly, "This sweet potato has seen a significant increase in production."

Old Master Weng chuckled and said, "Miss Zuo asked what I also want to know. This plant was brought by Madam and we are currently trying to cultivate it. As for the specific yield, we will have to wait a while to find out."

However, they are growing well so far, so it should be fine. These vines need to be supported; if they drag on the ground for too long, roots will grow where they are growing, producing small fruits that can also be used, but they are too small.

The leaves and stems are also edible, with a hint of sweetness, making them much tastier than grass roots and tree bark.

Moreover, these stems and leaves can be used to feed chickens, ducks, and pigs, which is quite rare.

Mr. Weng and Miss Zuo traded a lot of grain, and Miss Zuo will prepare a large amount of grain later, including millet, corn, barley, etc.

Furthermore, Ms. Zuo also took out a type of edible oil, saying it was made from corn pressing, and the process was somewhat similar to that of sesame oil and rapeseed oil.

The extract is poured into a pot, and the aroma is irresistible.

Although corn oil looks a bit cloudy and tastes much worse than regular lard or other oils, it is still better than regular lard.

However, dishes cooked with corn oil taste much more delicious than stir-fries or stews that have no oil at all.

Moreover, after eating it, I felt energized. Even after pressing, the corn can still be ground into flour, so nothing is wasted. It can also be made into corn on the cob.

Bodai Prefecture has a high grain yield, and a special group of people are responsible for grain production. Those who can increase grain yields or discover new varieties are given corresponding status and position; they can become officials.

Therefore, Bodai Prefecture was very developed in grain production.

We're still exploring this, and these things are just casual conversations; whether they're true or not is not something we need to investigate.

Food has always been scarce in the border regions, and only recently, thanks to the kindness of the lords, has there been some surplus.

If the sweet potatoes can be harvested in large quantities, it will be a rare and joyous occasion. With another year or two of accumulation, even if the harvest is not good in the future, there will still be some grain stored up.

It is necessary to buy grain, as having more grain in stock ensures peace of mind, in case the harvest is bad someday.

There wasn't even enough food to eat, so naturally there was no way to talk about researching oil pressing. In the past, rapeseed oil workshops were only found in county towns.

They could only wait for the market to trade, buying or exchanging goods from merchants. They couldn't exchange for much, but if they had any left over, they could cook and eat it during famine years. It was truly a rare delicacy.

Before he knew it, Mr. Weng remembered the glutinous rice cakes he had eaten when he was young. They were so delicious! He also had many fond memories of that time, when his parents were still alive and he wasn't alone.

Suddenly, tears were streaming down my face.

Looking at the elderly man who suddenly fell silent, and his face covered in tears.

Miss Zuo calmed down gently, took out a piece of silk, and hesitated for a moment.

It's not that I'm afraid of dreams coming, but that I'm afraid of not having dreams, and that I can't recall the past.

For example, I don't remember my past at all. It's a blank past, and I can't recall it even if I want to. Only occasionally in the middle of the night, I see my mother in a blurry dream and burst into tears.

A gentle breeze caressed him, and tears fell. A cool breeze brushed against his face, and the old man gently wiped away his tears with his sleeve.