"It's their loss if they don't believe it, but I can't let this opportunity for increased grain production go to waste. The people have been longing for a real 'bumper harvest' for a long time," Yan Shuping said. "Master Yan, go and have your men summon the village heads and town chiefs to the county government. I need to soak and germinate seeds throughout Ningdu County!"
Master Fan was shocked: "Your Excellency, please reconsider! Even setting aside a small plot of land for experimentation is..."
Yan Shuping interrupted him: "Contemplation refers to things that are completely confusing. What Lady Hui said is about when you might miss an opportunity, Master. Once some opportunities are missed, they can never be regained."
Song Anxin never expected that this Magistrate Yan was truly a man destined for great things. Sometimes, when the opportunity arises, only the bold can truly take off.
Yan Shuping seemed to have thought of something and said, "By the way, Magistrate Lu, Magistrate Mo, Magistrate Tian... didn't you magistrates say that you also wanted to make some contributions for the people? Send them invitations and ask them to come over."
These magistrates were from several counties near Ningdu County. Master Fan felt that the magistrates were up to something big, and his face showed even more fear.
Seeing his expression, Magistrate Yan calmly replied, "Don't worry, I have my own plans."
Master Fan could only put his mind at ease. He was merely an advisor; the final decision rested with the magistrate. He could only hope that things would go smoothly.
What happened next was beyond Song An's control. The wisdom passed down from generation to generation in China is truly precious, and Magistrate Yan really grasped it! So she bid farewell to Magistrate Yan and Master Fan and left the yamen.
Upon returning to the village, Song Anxin was intercepted by the village head in advance.
"Fengnian's mother, you're finally back! We've all been waiting for you."
Song Anxin asked in confusion, "Why is everyone waiting for me?"
"Didn't you say that the rice seeds need to be soaked and germinated? The villagers are all waiting for you to demonstrate the process for them. I have prepared everything you mentioned, and I even brought the rice seeds from my own fields."
Song Anxin was surprised. She didn't expect the whole village to believe her so easily. This was a major event concerning the autumn harvest, and she didn't know what to say for a moment.
She followed the village head to the big ginkgo tree. The villagers were all gathered in the middle of the tree. There was a large wooden bucket there, along with seeds, wood ash, and other tools. Lin Fengnian was also there waiting for her.
Everyone greeted Lin's second aunt as soon as she arrived.
"Aunt Lin is here! Come and teach us how to soak these seeds!"
"Second sister-in-law, come here. This place is spacious, so you can show off your skills more easily," said Lin the Drunkard.
"Grandma Fengnian, I'm old and don't understand, you'll have to help me figure it out..."
"......."
As Song Anxin watched the villagers ask her questions with genuine sincerity and trust in their eyes, something within her was touched. She knew she had to be even more careful in teaching them how to operate the equipment to live up to that trust.
"First, we need to soak the rice seeds in clean water in a bucket. This will cause the rice seeds to separate into layers. The rice seeds that sink to the bottom are good and plump, while the ones that float to the top are average, bad, or shriveled. This layer of rice seeds that floats to the top is not worth keeping, as they will not germinate if planted, and it will be a waste of the land and fertilizer."
Some experienced farmers in the village were even more convinced of Song Anxin's reasoning after hearing this; it was a good way to get rid of bad seeds.
Song Anxin continued in a gentle voice, "Then we need to sift the wood ash... to remove impurities, add the wood ash to clean water... and soak the good rice seeds in it. A layer of ash will form on top. Remember, once it forms, you must not destroy the ash film. This ash film can kill some diseases in the rice seeds and promote better germination, so that the seeds will grow healthier. Soak them like this for about two days, then transfer the rice seeds to warm water, stir and wash them, and soak them for a while."
The villagers were even more convinced when they heard what Aunt Lin said so convincingly. They asked, "So that way, the sprouts will grow and then we can spread them in the paddy fields?"
Song Anxin shook her head and smiled, "Of course not. We need to put the rice seeds that have absorbed enough water on the straw, and then cover them with another layer of straw to keep them warm. We'll see them sprout in a day or two, and then we can sow them in the paddy field."
An experienced farmer from Linjia Village said, "Fengnian's mother, you are truly amazing! You even know about crops. Although I haven't soaked rice seeds before, with my many years of farming experience, this method must be correct. Before, the rice seeds we sowed in the paddy fields either didn't sprout or grew small and sparse. Many of them even died when transplanted. Yours can sprout directly, it's truly miraculous."
Some farmers chimed in, "Yes, yes, it's already a great achievement if the rice seeds can germinate..."
Lin Lizheng said happily, "Then everyone, stop standing here! Spring is precious, everyone should go back and soak the rice seeds that have been drying these past two days using this method."
The villagers responded loudly and hurried back to soak the seeds. If they had been a little confused before, now that they had seen Aunt Lin's methods and her well-reasoned explanations, as well as the approval of the village's experienced farmers, they now had hope—the hope of a real "bumper harvest"!
The people from other villages who worked at the Dafeng Factory in Linjia Village also saw it and thought that since it was Hui Ruren who proposed it and all the people in Linjia Village followed her instructions, there must be no problem. They also wanted to soak their seeds in the same way when they went back.
The next day, in the county government office, all the town heads and village chiefs from Ningdu County, except for those from Linjia Village, came, because Master Fan knew that the villagers of Linjia Village had all completed the seed soaking the day before, and he did not need to issue any further orders.
After hearing what Master Fan said, everyone present, except for a few village heads, was dumbfounded.
One of the town mayors stammered, "Master, Master, this is spring planting, it's the food supply for the whole town for a year, you...you're not kidding us, are you?"
Since the decision has been made, those above must be resolute and not allow the people below to become unsettled. Master Fan said with a serious and firm expression:
"Would the government joke about something like this? Just do as we say. Don't worry, the grain will be fine."
Although the clerk reassured them, the men below still looked conflicted. The county government had instructed them to do as they were told, but they were anxious. What if something went wrong...?
Master Fan knew what these people were thinking, but he didn't know how to convince them. After all, this was unprecedented, and he was immediately in an awkward situation, so he could only force a straight face.
At this moment, Shi Lizheng from Shangyang Village came out and said, "Some villagers in Shangyang Village started soaking the seeds yesterday. I will go back and talk to them. It should be completed in about two days."
Several village heads from Wangou Village, Dawu Village, and Liujia Village also came out to speak:
“Our village is in a similar situation. When we get back, we will urge all the villagers to complete the soaking process.”
These villages are all near Linjia Village, and some villagers even work at the Dafeng Factory in Linjia Village.
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