Chapter 205 [VIP]

The year passed simply, and Chen Qingyan and Wang Ying began a new round of busy work.

There are many things to do in the government office every day, and Chen Qingyan is a conscientious person who strives to do every task well, which naturally requires both mental and physical effort.

Wang Ying is busy promoting wheat seeds. Spring plowing will begin in March, and there are still more than two months left. It is indeed a difficult task to promote Changfeng 03.

Firstly, ordinary people usually reserve wheat seeds for the following year in advance every autumn. If they already have seeds at home, they naturally won't spend money to buy new seeds.

Secondly, the harvest from the fields is the lifeblood of the people. If new seeds are used and the harvest is poor or there is no harvest at all, wouldn't they starve to death? Therefore, it is very difficult to promote the new seeds.

Fortunately, Chen Zhandong was there. This kid was definitely a marketing genius. He first found a few peddlers in the city and gave them a string of cash every day, asking them to promote Wang Family Farm's wheat seeds while selling their goods.

The peddler, naturally pleased with the reward, couldn't help but mention it when he went out to sell his goods. "The wheat seeds from the Wang family's farm in the city are quite good. I heard they were specially transported from Jizhou, and they can increase the yield of grain by three shi per mu!"

The old man buying things asked, "Really?"

"This stuff is genuine, high-quality wheat."

"Will the wheat seeds from Jizhou be able to grow here?"

The vendor patted his chest and said, "I heard that the shop guarantees the survival rate. If less than 70% of the wheat seedlings survive in an acre, we'll compensate you three times the cost of the wheat seeds."

The cost of three times the wheat seed was roughly equivalent to the wheat harvest, so some people decided to buy some to plant, just to give it a try. They figured they wouldn't buy much anyway, and if the harvest was good, they could keep it as seed for next year.

Experienced farmers who have farmed for many years are shrewd; they can tell whether a wheat seed is good or bad at a glance.

The Changfeng 03 bud that Wang Ying took out from the experimental field had a bright color and a plump shape. It made a rustling sound when rubbed with your hands. After soaking it in a pot for a few days, it sprouted, with a germination rate of over 90%.

Good wheat seeds naturally sell well, and the shop gradually became busier. In order to distribute the seeds better, Wang Ying used a scarcity marketing tactic that would later become famous – purchase limits.

Each household is limited to purchasing one bushel of wheat seeds based on their household registration. Even if you want to buy more, they won't sell them to you.

Unexpectedly, this method is even more effective than advertising!

A bushel of wheat seeds cost only one hundred coins, a sum that ordinary people could afford, and everyone rushed to buy them. The news of the wheat seeds spread far and wide, and everyone knew that there was a Wang family farm in the prefectural city that sold exceptionally good wheat seeds, not only with a high germination rate but also with a yield much higher than the local wheat.

People have a herd mentality, and so the word spreads from one to ten, from ten to a hundred. By March, people from various counties were coming to buy wheat seeds.

Because the purchase was based on household registration, the registration showed which people bought the wheat seeds. That evening, Wang Ying made a table to compile the statistics.

There were about 1,300 households in the prefectural city that bought wheat seeds. More were bought in the neighboring counties, with more than 2,300 households selling to them. The number of households selling to the more distant counties was less, around 700.

If there are no natural disasters or pests, this year's wheat harvest will definitely be good, and if farmers save their own seeds, next year's harvest will definitely be even better!

*

Time flies and it's already March. The weather is getting warmer, and the trees in the yard are in bloom. It turns out they are apple trees. I wonder what the fruit tastes like. I'll have to wait until autumn when they ripen to have a good taste.

Wang Ying took some time to move a few grapevines out of the experimental field. The temperature difference between day and night is quite large in the Northwest, so the grapes that grow there will definitely be delicious.

During the day, Chen Qingyan was busy as usual, Yuanbao went to school, and Wang Ying would go to the shop every morning and then go home in the afternoon to continue cultivating new varieties. Life was simple and leisurely.

Lin Sui finally arrived with Qing'er in mid-March.

After a bumpy ride of more than half a month, the carriage arrived outside Shanzhou City. Once inside, Lin Sui and Qing'er leaned out the window and looked out. This was their first time in Shanzhou, and it looked much more prosperous than the border region.

The various hawking cries on the street were dazzling to the two of them.

Although there were many merchants in Yumen Pass, they were far less wealthy than those inside the pass. The goods they sold were expensive and extremely scarce; it was difficult to even buy a piece of silk.

Lin Sui said, "When we go back this time, let's buy more fine cloth and silk."

"My father made me a beautiful dress."

Lin Sui gently stroked Qing'er's hair, her eyes filled with loving tears. "Okay, do you still remember your cousin and uncle?"

“I remember, I still remember my little brother Yuanbao. I wonder what he is like now.”

Qing'er is two years older than Yuanbao and is now an eleven-year-old girl. Yuanbao is nine years old. The last time the two children met was at Qinghuai's wedding. They haven't seen each other since then, which is almost four years ago.

The carriage soon arrived at the entrance of the government office. Lang Qianping, who was traveling with the carriage, ordered someone to take the token inside. Soon after, Chen Ju ran over.

"Is it the Second Master of the Lin family?"

Lin Sui opened the carriage curtain and it took her a while to recognize him. "Oh, it's Chen Ju. You came with your older brother and sister-in-law."

Chen Ju smiled and nodded, "Second Master, let's go this way."

The front gate was inconvenient for coming and going, so Wang Ying and his entourage usually didn't use it.

The carriage entered the courtyard through the back gate. Wang Ying had been waiting outside. When she saw Lin Sui and Qing'er, she rushed over and hugged them tightly, saying, "We've been waiting for you to come."

Lin Sui excitedly hugged Wang Ying back, "Sister-in-law!"

After a while, the two finally let go of each other. Wang Ying pulled Lin Sui up and down and looked her over. "You've gotten tanned, and your body has become much stronger. You look like an adult now."

"My sister-in-law hasn't changed; she's still as handsome as ever."

Wang Ying couldn't help but laugh and pat him on the shoulder. "You've learned to tease your sister-in-law now. This must be Qing'er. She's grown into a beautiful young lady."

Qing'er stepped forward shyly and bowed, "Greetings, Uncle."

"Come inside quickly. I thought you would arrive in February, but you didn't arrive until the middle of March."

Lin Sui sighed as she mentioned this, "I originally planned to come in February, but the border was not peaceful, so the Marquis waited for several months because he was worried."

Wang Ying keenly sensed the unrest at the border and a thought popped into his head. Qingyan had mentioned to him before that war might break out again at the border, and he wondered how much Lin Sui knew.

A servant brought tea, and Wang Ying poured him a cup. She then brought some candied fruit for Qing'er to eat, saying, "Try these candied fruits; I made them myself."

Qing'er glanced at Lin Sui, and only picked up the food after he nodded, showing great manners.

Wang Ying sighed inwardly, thinking how well Sui Di had raised Qing'er over the years; she was well-educated, reasonable, and poised.

"How is the Marquis's health?"

"It's alright, but the border is the most grueling place. Every day I have to lead troops on patrols and fight battles from time to time. I've been injured several times over the years, though none of them are fatal, they are still very worrying."

Wang Ying asked, "Have the barbarians attacked again?"

"It's not that they've attacked again; it's just that things have been going on for the past few years, only not on the same large scale as before."

"Didn't the imperial court sign a ceasefire agreement with the Turks and even send a prince to marry them?"

"On the surface, it is peaceful, but in private, the Turks still send troops to raid the border. Not long ago, just a few days after the New Year, a group of Turkic cavalry raided a town near Yangguan at night, not only stealing grain and cattle and sheep, but also killing the people."

Wang Ying gasped in shock. "It's that serious?"

"After receiving the news, the Marquis led his troops to pursue them for more than thirty miles, killed a group of barbarians, and recovered more than a hundred cattle and sheep. The rest escaped." Lin Sui paused and continued, "I heard the Marquis say that this war will probably break out again in a few years."

"Really?"

Lin Sui lowered her voice and said, "Because some officials in the court are colluding with the Turks to sell salt and iron... Last month, we intercepted a caravan at the border. The carts carried over a thousand shi (a unit of dry measure) of ironware, all smuggled to Xizhou." Now that Xizhou is occupied by the Turks, it's obvious who the ironware will be sold to.

Wang Ying's heart sank to the bottom. This was truly a case of a mouse acting as a bridesmaid for a cat, risking its life for money.

"This matter is of great importance, so I hope my cousin-in-law will not make a fuss about it."

"Don't worry, I understand." Lin Sui told him about something so important directly, clearly showing that she trusted him like a brother, so naturally he couldn't tell anyone.

Wang Ying quickly changed the subject and stopped discussing the matter. "By the way, when I came, my third aunt specially made some clothes for you and Qing'er and asked me to bring them over. They just happened to be made for spring and autumn, so try them on and see if they fit."

Lin Sui took the package, opened it, and felt a lump in her throat before tears streamed down her face. The stitches were clearly made by her mother.

"How is Mother's health?"

“It’s great. I take the two kids to my mother-in-law’s every day, and occasionally I go to the foot-trading shop to help out. With Lin Qiu by my side to take care of things, I don’t have to worry.”

Lin Sui took out the clothes. She knew that her own clothes would fit perfectly without even trying them on. The one she made for Qing'er was a little long. The old lady hadn't seen her for three or four years and couldn't estimate Qing'er's height, so she made it a little bigger. With some alterations, it would fit perfectly.

Wang Ying asked, "Could you stay a little longer this time?"

Lin Sui nodded, "There's not much to do at the border. It's all Gobi Desert there, and it's hard to grow any vegetables. Plus, the wind is especially strong in the spring. If you don't clean the house for a day, the table will be covered in mud and sand. You might as well enjoy yourself here."

"These past few years have been tough for you all."

"I'm fine, but it's Qing'er." Lin Sui reached out and stroked Qing'er's hair. "In a few years, she'll be of marriageable age. She definitely can't stay in a place like the border, and I'm not comfortable marrying her back to Jizhou."

Qing'er hadn't thought that far ahead; she was still a child at heart. She took Lin Sui's hand and shook it, saying, "Qing'er wants to stay by Father's side."

Lin Sui: "By the way, where's Yuanbao?"

"He's gone to school; it should be time for him to finish around this time."

Just then, footsteps came from the courtyard. Yuanbao had come home from school. Wang Ying opened the door and said, "Guess who's here?"

Yuanbao paused, looking at the carriage road in the courtyard: "These horses with their manes trimmed and tails tied must be warhorses. It must be Uncle Lin Sui from the border who has arrived!"

Lin Sui walked out with a smile, "Yuanbao is so smart, he guessed it right away!"

"Nephew greets Uncle." Yuanbao bowed respectfully to Lin Sui, his appearance truly endearing.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Yuanbao. He's grown quite a bit. Qing'er, didn't you say you wanted to see your little brother Yuanbao? Come and see if you still recognize him."

Qing'er peeked out from behind Lin Sui and curiously looked at Yuanbao. When the two separated, Yuanbao was only five years old and Qing'er was only seven. They had both changed so much in the long time that had passed.

"Yuanbao's face isn't as round as it was when he was little."

These words made Wang Ying and Lin Sui burst into laughter, and the joy of reuniting with their loved ones spread through their hearts.

A note from the author: