Zhang Mazi slapped his thigh and said, "I see there's a lot of wasteland on the mountain behind the village. Do you want me to talk to the villagers and reclaim another piece? There's a shortage of many medicinal herbs on the market right now. If we can grow some, it will be a lot of money!"
Chen Changyuan looked at the wasteland in the distance, thinking: "This matter needs to be done slowly. I need to make a test field first and see the effect."
"You're just too cautious!"
Zhang Mazi grumbled in dissatisfaction, but still patted his shoulder. "But as long as you have an idea, it's fine. If you need help, just tell me."
When I got home, it was already dark.
Chen Changyuan lit the kerosene lamp, placed the soil samples on the table, and opened the newly bought book to study it carefully.
"Improving this piece of soil shouldn't be difficult. I just need to find some experienced masters to learn from..."
He was reading a book and taking notes in a notebook.
The next morning, Chen Changyuan took the soil samples to the county agricultural station.
"Is Comrade Lao Zhang here?"
Chen Changyuan walked into the agricultural station office carrying a cloth bag full of soil samples.
An old man with gray hair and reading glasses looked up and said, "Oh, it's Xiao Chen!"
Mr. Zhang is an old expert at the county agricultural station who has spent his entire life researching soil and crops.
Chen Changyuan had heard Zhang Mazi mention him before.
"Mr. Zhang, I have some dirt here and I'd like you to take a look at it."
Chen Changyuan placed the glass bottles on the table one by one.
The old expert took the soil sample and looked at it carefully.
He pinched the soil with his hands, sometimes smelled it closely, sometimes observed it with a magnifying glass, and wrote something in a notebook from time to time.
"Interesting, really interesting!"
Mr. Zhang suddenly stood up excitedly and asked, "Xiao Chen, where did you get these soil samples?"
"The mountain behind Qingshui Village."
“No wonder!”
"Did you know? The composition and properties of this soil are very special," said Mr. Zhang excitedly. "This loess layer is rich in organic matter and minerals, making it ideal for growing qi-tonifying herbs like angelica and astragalus."
He picked up another bottle. "This sandy soil has excellent aeration and drainage, making it perfect for growing Polygonum multiflorum and Angelica dahurica. As for this alkaline soil, it's perfect for growing Codonopsis pilosula."
Chen Changyuan's eyes lit up: "Mr. Zhang, what you mean is that the land in our village is suitable for growing these precious medicinal herbs?"
"Not only suitable,"
Zhang Lao pushed his glasses up and said, "I dare say that the medicinal herbs grown in this kind of soil are at least 30% more potent than ordinary ones!"
Chen Changyuan was excited. This was an unexpected surprise.
He quickly took out his notebook and said, "Mr. Zhang, could you tell me in detail which piece of land is suitable for growing which medicinal herbs?"
Seeing Chen Changyuan's serious expression, Mr. Zhang smiled with satisfaction: "You are thoughtful, kid. I will explain it to you in detail."
The two chatted until noon, and Chen Changyuan's notebook was filled with notes.
"Yes,"
Mr. Zhang suddenly remembered something. "I know a few veterans who have been growing medicinal herbs their whole lives. Would you like me to introduce you to them? Although these people may not be well educated, they are very experienced."
"Very good!"
Chen Changyuan nodded quickly, "I was worried that I couldn't find someone with experience."
"Okay, I'll call Old Li right now,"
Mr. Zhang picked up the phone on the table and said, "He lives in the east of the city and has been growing medicinal herbs for more than 40 years..."
Chen Changyuan stood by the window, looking at the mountains in the distance, and a blueprint for the medicinal materials base had already been outlined in his mind.
As long as he makes reasonable plans according to different soil types and has the guidance of these old masters, he believes that he can grow the best medicinal herbs.
However, he still had to convince the villagers to agree to let him reclaim new wasteland.
Thinking of the smiling old fox face of the village chief Wang Fugui, Chen Changyuan couldn't help but frown.
The next morning, Chen Changyuan walked towards the home of the village chief Wang Fugui, carrying the soil report issued by Mr. Zhang.
The path paved with bluestone slabs winds and twists, with low houses of villagers on both sides. Smoke rises from cooking fires, and the air is filled with the fresh scent of earth and morning dew.
Wang Fugui's home is at the southernmost end of the village. It is a blue brick and tile house with a fenced yard where he raises a few chickens and ducks.
Just as Chen Changyuan reached the door, he heard Wang Fugui's resonant voice from inside: "Hey, Changyuan, what a rare guest! Come in and sit down."
Wang Fugui was as enthusiastic as ever, with a smile on his face. He personally brought a chair and poured a bowl of coarse tea for Chen Changyuan.
"Changyuan, what's the matter? You come to see me so early."
Chen Changyuan took the tea bowl, but did not drink it. Instead, he said straight to the point: "Village Chief, I want to talk to you about the reclamation of the wasteland on the west side of the mountain behind our village."
Wang Fugui's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal. "Changyuan, I've already granted you some of the wasteland in the back mountain. But the land to the west is public land. This matter... is not easy to handle."
Chen Changyuan had anticipated this. He calmly pulled out the soil quality report written by Mr. Zhang and handed it to Wang Fugui. "Village Chief, this is the soil quality test I asked Mr. Zhang from the County Agricultural Station to do. The results show that the soil in the back mountain is very suitable for growing precious medicinal herbs such as angelica and astragalus."
Wang Fugui took the report, put on his reading glasses and looked through it carefully, his brows gradually furrowed.
The report records in detail the soil composition of each piece of land and the types of medicinal herbs suitable for cultivation, as well as Mr. Zhang's personal signature and the official seal of the agricultural station.
"this……"
Wang Fugui raised his head and looked at Chen Changyuan, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, "Changyuan, is this report true or false? Are you trying to trick me?"
Chen Changyuan smiled and said, "Village Chief, you can call the county agricultural station to verify, or you can ask Mr. Zhang to come and explain it in person. I think no one is more authoritative than Mr. Zhang when it comes to soil conditions."
Wang Fugui's face turned a little ugly. He certainly knew Mr. Zhang's reputation. If this report was true, then his plan to stop Chen Changyuan from reclaiming wasteland would be ruined.
Wang Fugui's eyes rolled around, and he put the report on the table. He sighed and said, "For the long term, you know, the village has been relying on growing crops for years. I'm afraid the villagers will find it difficult to accept the idea of reclaiming wasteland to grow medicinal herbs."
Chen Changyuan had anticipated that he would use the villagers as a shield, so he slowly pulled out a list from his other pocket. "Village Chief, this is the list of villagers I've drawn up for work. It details the situation of each household and the time they are willing to work at the medicinal material base."
Wang Fugui took the list and glanced at it, his expression changed instantly.
The list not only lists the population and labor force of each family, but also clearly marks each person's specialties.
What frightened him even more was that the list clearly stated, "Zhou Changhe's family of four, two of whom are laborers, are good at farming and can be assigned to irrigate the fields."
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