Su Luo said it jokingly.
Even Fan Hongzhen glanced at Magistrate Jiang and said, "Madam Su, the country has its laws. Grain tax is only paid once a year. With me here, even if the Grand Minister of Agriculture comes, he won't dare to rob your grain."
The crowd burst into laughter. Magistrate Jiang said, "I'm just going to take a look. If two seasons of rice can be grown in my jurisdiction, I will report the truth and will not take your grain, Madam Su."
This concerns my official career; my future rests in your hands, Madam Su. I would never do anything like a bandit, hahaha…”
"You flatter me, Magistrate. If everyone wants to see it, then let's go see it together."
After the banquet, the group went to the fields. These three adjacent acres of fields all belonged to Su Luo's family.
In just two months, grains have sprouted, lush and green. The second crop of rice grows quickly, and with the southern weather, it will turn yellow in another half month.
Judging from this, the yield is even higher than the first crop of rice they received. Su Luo estimated that these three acres of second-crop rice would yield about three thousand catties.
Fan Hongzhen held up the rice ears with both hands; the grains were plump, and the fragrance of rice permeated the breeze, seeping into his heart and soul.
"Lady Su, I only thought you shone in the field of literature, but I never imagined you were even greater in the field of agriculture. From now on, Nanning will become stronger because of you."
"Mr. Fan, you flatter me. I am just a woman and I am not as great as you say."
The rice ears were bent low. Nangong Qing and Axu picked two grains, peeled off the green husks, and revealed the white, well-formed rice grains inside their fingertips.
The fresh rice grains were chewed on the tip of the tongue again and again. This was a real feeling, not a dream. Su Luo really did grow another season of rice after the autumn harvest.
“Young master, the rice can only grow because of the manure you carried.”
Nangong Qing turned around and rolled her eyes at A Xu: "If you don't know how to flatter, then don't."
Ah Xu simply said "Oh," he just wanted to praise the young master, and besides, he had also helped carry manure to make these three acres of land grow so well.
"Lady Su, the moment I arrived here, it felt like the autumn harvest was truly here. Throughout history, you are the only one who has ever managed to grow rice after the autumn harvest."
"But Madam Su, your second crop of rice matured in just over two months. You must have used seeds that aren't from our regular rice varieties."
The county magistrate, being a seasoned official, immediately thought of this problem.
"Of course, these are seeds that I carefully cultivated and selected. I dare say that this rice is unique in Nanning."
So, now that there are three acres of land with the second crop of rice, it means that apart from Su Luo, no one else has the seeds.
"Su Luo, what do you plan to do with this rice after it matures?" Nangong Qing asked.
"Food is for eating, of course."
As soon as Su Luo spoke, everyone looked at her with a startled expression.
“Just kidding. I know what you’re thinking, but the villagers in my village have already placed orders with me. After I harvest these three acres, they will come and exchange their rice for seeds.”
They were all startled by what Su Luo had just said, but they felt much more at ease when she said she could exchange the first season's rice for the seeds of the second season.
"Hahaha... Lady Su, since that's the case, can I exchange some seeds with you?"
"Old Fan said with a smile."
"Sure, but don't get too excited yet. The second crop of rice also needs the right environment to grow. It can only grow in the south. It's too cold in the north, and this variety won't survive."
The group watched for a while before returning. The magistrate and Nangong Qing smiled on the surface, but each had their own thoughts.
On the way back, the two of them got into a carriage.
"Young master, Lady Su has done a great service this time. If the second crop of rice is planted in all of southern my country, will the people still have to worry about going hungry?"
"To enrich the nation, we must first enrich its people. There is hope for the unification of our dynasty."
Nangong Qing was well aware that the high prices in Nanning Kingdom were due to the scarcity of goods.
"Magistrate Jiang, once you return to the county office, immediately write to the prefecture and inform the prefect of Anchang Prefecture to send people to guard Su Luo's three acres of land properly, keeping sparrows away during the day and preventing thieves at night."
"Yes, I will take care of it immediately."
A single seed can grow into a rice plant, and a single plant can yield one to two kilograms of rice, enough for a family to eat for one meal.
They must now cherish every grain.
Nangong Qing was trying to get the rice harvested this autumn, hoping that Su Luo would be willing to exchange seeds with him.
...
After the banquet, there were still many leftovers, so Su Luo asked Chen Ping'an to invite everyone in the village to have another meal that evening.
Zhao Ruyun let Zhao Chunlan stay at home for two days. Her uncle told Su Luo that he also wanted to go to Shuiqingzhuang to work, and Su Luo agreed.
That same day, Li Yongchang went home to pack his things and then went to Shuiqingzhuang with Chen Ping'an and the others.
Du Xiuyuan also moved to a new courtyard, and Su Luo let him live in the east courtyard of Yanchuan.
Su Luo would often pick some herbs and dry them, and now that Du Xiuyuan was also studying here, she simply set aside a small room to use as a pharmacy.
Within just two days, heavy rain began to fall, the heaviest rain of the second half of the year.
Su Luo leaned against the window on the second floor of the main courtyard, listening to the torrential rain pounding against the roof, creating an exciting symphony.
Like jade beads, they poured down from the sky. When I opened my eyes, the other side of Changping Village had turned into a vast expanse of white.
Fortunately, they moved to the new courtyard; otherwise, the kiln might have been flooded.
"Mother, look, I embroidered a flower on my hand."
Yi Huan ran over from the backyard and showed Su Luo her left palm.
This sight made Su Luo both laugh and cry. Yi Huan used an embroidery needle and thread to embroider a flower shape on the thick skin of her palm.
"Huanhuan, doesn't it hurt like this?"
"It doesn't hurt. Grandma and Auntie are making clothes, and Huanhuan secretly embroidered a flower."
"Next time you want to embroider, ask Grandma for a piece of cloth. Don't embroider on your hands. If you scratch something, the whole piece of skin will fall off. Can you cut it off?"
Yi Huan was a little reluctant, but still nodded and said, "Okay, I'll ask Grandma to cut my hair. Mom, Huanhuan wants to eat your cooking today."
Su Luo rubbed her head and said, "Okay, after you cut the thread, go read a book with your brother."
"Um!"
Su Luo went to cook dinner that evening. Before it got dark, a young Taoist boy came in the rain, delivered a letter to Su Luo, and then left.
The handwriting belongs to that old Taoist priest, who took Su Luo's money and would write to her every ten days to tell her about Chen Xique's miserable state.
This should be the last one.
Xu Kong wrote that Xu Tianhe died last night. He was bitten on the neck by Chen Xique and bled to death. He died on her body.
However, Chen Xique fared no better. The Xu family nailed her and Xu Tianhe together in a coffin and buried her with Xu Tianhe.
The Chen family will soon receive news that Chen Xique is unwilling to live alone and has volunteered to accompany Master Xu.
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