The cannon fodder character in the Dream of the Red Chamber's story of a substitute bride tries her best to rewrite her life. (Seeking...)
Soaps and hand soaps should be stored in a cool, dry place for one month after unmolding.
Just as she had a moment to herself, the Shennong system urged Jia Hui: "I have sweet potatoes here that yield 30 shi per mu. Do you want to start seedlings and plant some?"
Don't you want some roasted sweet potatoes? Imagine a snowy day, gathered around a stove, brewing tea and roasting sweet potatoes—doesn't that sound wonderful?
Upon hearing this, Jia Hui's mouth watered. Her mind was filled with images of sweet potato balls and sweet potato noodles... She slurped them down, determined to have some.
The hardworking old housekeeper organized people to repeatedly spread base fertilizer, deeply plow the land, and create ridges.
Jia Hui then led a group of women to start cultivating seedlings.
The tubers provided by the Shennong system are disease-free, undamaged, and uniform in size, eliminating the need for seed selection.
However, the conscientious clerk Mingrui needed to record the seed selection process in detail.
We should also try to write in plain language, as this planting manual will likely be printed in the future, so we can't afford to be careless or sloppy.
Potato tubers need to be soaked for disinfection to prevent black spot disease. Preparing the disinfectant solution seems simple, but Jia Hui failed three times before finally managing to prepare a usable solution, even with the system's guidance.
After disinfection, the potato tubers should be placed in a greenhouse with a heated kang (a traditional heated platform bed), covered with straw mats, and sprayed with water from time to time to maintain humidity and promote sprouting.
While the seedlings are sprouting, we also need to dig seedbeds, apply base fertilizer, and do a series of other tasks.
Two weeks later, each tuber had sprouted new shoots and was ready for planting.
After sowing, cover the seeds with soil, water thoroughly, and then keep them warm, ventilate, fertilize, and remove diseased, weak, and weedy seedlings.
Fortunately, Jia Hui only needed to follow the task list given by the Shennong system and tell the tenant farmers.
She couldn't even imagine how long she would have to work on all these tedious tasks by herself.
At that time, there were no small or large machines; everything was done manually.
The seed potatoes provided by the system are a fast-growing variety. The sweet potato seedlings can be transplanted after one month.
She summoned the tenant farmers and the women she had trained again, and taught these quick and capable women how to collect seedlings. They were responsible for collecting the seedlings, while the tenant farmers were responsible for transplanting them.
Standing on the edge of the field, looking at the bustling scene, Jia Hui couldn't help but sigh: "When I heard the older generation lament the hardships of farming, I didn't really feel anything."
Now I finally understand what it means to toil in the fields, facing the earth with your back to the sky, and to sweat drop by drop onto the soil.
What she didn't say was that seeing those tenant farmers working tirelessly like oxen, for a fleeting moment, she truly had the urge to raise her arms and shout for the overthrow of the Qing government.
Unfortunately, she was willing but unable to do anything. All she could do was tell the old steward that the tenant farmers' wages would be doubled.
There must be meat at every meal. These days are all physically demanding, so it's essential to make sure people are well-fed and satisfied.
Mingrui was puzzled. Jia Hui was just reciting poetry happily, so why did she suddenly become depressed?
He grasped Jia Hui's hand and asked with concern, "What's wrong, Huihui? Is it something those tenant farmers did that didn't meet your requirements? Just tell them to change it."
Jia Hui forced a smile: "It's nothing, I just suddenly thought of something else. I'm a little tired, let's go back."
She didn't know how to describe to Mingrui how she felt when she saw the tenant farmers working so hard, and of course Mingrui wouldn't understand why she felt sympathy for them.
As a member of the imperial clan, Mingrui was born a beneficiary and was incapable of empathizing with these tenant farmers.
Although he knew from the system that Jia Hui was a person from the future, and he also heard the system talk about many things from the future.
At the end of August, the corn and sweet potatoes were nearing harvest time. Mingrui sent his old steward with an invitation to the Prince of Ping's mansion, inviting his cousin Nersu and his wife to the estate to oversee the corn harvest.
Before seeing the corn, Nersu thought that the two silly children had been staying on the farm for months and didn't know what they were doing. What was so interesting about harvesting crops?
Despite his outward complaints to his wife, he didn't stop telling the steward to prepare the carriage.
The couple, with their child, traveled by horse-drawn carriage to the village in Xiaotangshan.
Nersu followed Mingrui to the field and saw tall, dense cornfields.
The corn was covered with rows of golden ears, and Nersu's heart pounded.
Then take another look at that palm-sized grain called a sweet potato, which was just dug out from the vine and was still covered in mud.
Under a single vine, one after another, they were all grains.
My God, this thing is incredibly productive! He turned to Mingrui and asked, "How many shi (a unit of dry measure) can this thing called sweet potato produce?"
Mingrui held up two fingers, and Nersu's eyes lit up: "Only two shi? I remember that the yield of rice from the best fields in Jiangnan can only reach two shi."
"How could it only be two shi? Look how much this vine has produced, 20 shi, or more!"
"How much? How much did you say? 20 shi? Aren't you afraid of exaggerating and getting yourself ripped off? Are you crazy?"
Mingrui rolled his eyes: "If it weren't for 20 shi, why would I have called you over?"
The corn yield is around 10 shi (a unit of dry measure). This is not something I made up; it was estimated by experienced farmers.
Anyway, you don't have anything to do, so just wait and see. Seeing is believing. We'll start harvesting the crops today, and the two of us brothers will witness the miracle together.
Brother, if this production figure is true, do you think the Emperor will raise our rank? Remember, we did this together.
"Once you get to the palace, tell the Emperor that when he becomes a prince, I will be his cousin."
Nersu slapped him on the head: "Do you think it's so easy to be made a prince?"
"I think being a hereditary prince is fine, but your title really needs to be raised, so that no Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to act wildly in front of you."
Looking at the golden corn, Nersu swallowed hard: "This corn looks so good, I wonder what it tastes like?"
Mingrui waved to the old butler: "Is the boiled corn on the cob ready?"
The old steward bowed and said, "It's ready. Madam and the Prince's wife are waiting for you and the Prince to go back for dinner."
Mingrui pulled Nersu back: "The corn in the field is too old to eat. Huihui planted a small patch of tender corn in our backyard, and it's the perfect time to eat it now."
Whether boiled and eaten raw, or chopped into pieces and added to stewed pork ribs, it's incredibly delicious, with a soft, sweet, and savory texture that will leave you wanting more.
Mingrui's words are not an exaggeration at all. The corn provided by the Shennong system is an improvement on the Northeast yellow glutinous corn.
Once cooked, the aroma fills the room. Peel back the husks to reveal glistening golden corn kernels. Each bite offers a delightful burst of flavor and a satisfyingly soft texture.
The children of the Nersu family held their corncobs so tightly they didn't want to lift their heads, munching on them one bite after another with great relish. Nersu wasn't much better off; he looked like a starving ghost reincarnated.
Zhen Jia smiled apologetically at Jia Hui, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, they're not usually like this."
Jia Hui handed Zhen Jia a piece of corn on the cob: "This is my first time eating it, and it's not much better than what they eat."
Even Mingrui ate several meals in a row, which scared Uncle Fu so much that he quickly called the family physician to check his pulse, fearing that he might overeat and cause himself harm.
The physician has prepared some digestive pills. Although the corn on the cob is delicious, eating too much can easily cause indigestion. We'll have them take some hawthorn pills to help with digestion, and they'll be fine after running around outside.
Sister-in-law, try this cornmeal and sweet potato porridge; it's sweet, fragrant, and good for your stomach.
After drinking a bowl, Zhen Jia's eyes lit up: "Sister-in-law, this porridge feels warm in the stomach. Is it suitable for people who live to a ripe old age?"
"This porridge has the effect of nourishing the stomach and relieving constipation, and is suitable for people of advanced age. Is my sister-in-law going to present it to the Empress Dowager?"
Today we harvested some new corn; sister-in-law, you can send a lot to the palace.
This cornmeal is actually made by drying and removing the kernels from corn cobs and then grinding them with a stone mill. Peel and chop sweet potatoes, then cook them together.
In winter, you can add a few red dates. If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can add sugar.
After the meal, Nersu took Mingrui to the fields again. The corn cobs needed to be dried and threshed, but the sweet potatoes could be weighed as soon as they were dug up from the ground.
The yield of sweet potatoes per mu is higher than the 20 shi that Mingrui mentioned. Mingrui explained: "When these sweet potatoes are first harvested, they have a high moisture content and need to be dried. After drying, some of the weight is reduced."
Nersu was so excited he was spinning around in circles. Even if some weight was reduced, the yield would definitely exceed 20 shi.
There's also corn. Although it hasn't been dried yet, the yield is already there. After drying and threshing, the yield per mu will definitely exceed 10 shi (a unit of dry measure).
The opportunity to bring glory to his ancestors is right in front of him. He must seize it. May our ancestors bless us and our branch of the family prosper.
Nersu instructed his wife, Zhenjia, to stay at the estate with the children, and then took Mingrui back to the capital by carriage.
If it weren't for his cousin's health, Nersu would have loved to ride his horse back to the capital.
The next morning, he dragged Mingrui into the palace to submit a memorial. After reading the memorial, Kangxi remained silent for a long time.
Nersu became anxious: "Your Majesty, seeing is believing. My cousin's corn and sweet potatoes have only been harvested in a small portion."
If you don't believe me, you can send a reliable person to the field to check if what this servant said is true.
Emperor Kangxi immediately ordered the Fourth Prince to take the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Princes to Xiaotangshan to investigate. The Ninth Prince, a money-grubber, felt that this matter was very promising and immediately stepped forward to say that he also wanted to go and see.
The young attendant, the Tenth Prince, quickly followed, but Kangxi waved his hand and said, "If you want to go, then go with me."
If this is true, such a superior variety should not be kept secret; it should be promoted nationwide. Anyone who wants to see it should go see it.
Then a large group of princes went to the outskirts of the capital and stayed at the estate for a day. The fourth prince led his men back to the capital overnight to report the news.
As for the ninth and tenth, one's eyes lit up as if he had seen silver when he saw corn, and the other couldn't move when he saw food, thinking about the next meal after finishing this one.
The next day, Emperor Kangxi traveled lightly to the estate in Xiaotangshan. When he saw the golden cornfields and the piles of sweet potatoes, his eyes welled up with tears.
May our ancestors bless us with so much grain; we will never fear famine again.
Since he ascended the throne, floods have been frequent, the Yellow River has overflowed many times, and droughts and earthquakes have never ceased, forcing him to issue several edicts of self-reproach.
The remnants of the White Lotus Sect are stirring up trouble, spreading rumors that Maitreya Buddha will descend to earth to save all living beings and establish a world of light, and that believers can obtain protection simply by cultivating themselves.
Now that the descendants of the Aisin Gioro family have cultivated high-yield and superior varieties, let's see who dares to say he is not a wise ruler in the future. His achievements will be recorded in history for all time.
An excited Emperor Kangxi, along with his princes and officials, personally went down to pick two rows of corn and dig up a ridge of sweet potatoes.
Jia Hui asked Zhen Jia, the wife of Prince Ping, to use these two ingredients to have the cook prepare ten farm-style dishes.
Sweet potato and corn stewed chicken, sweet potato and corn steamed pork, Northeastern stew, crispy corn and sweet potato meat rolls, colorful stir-fried chicken cubes, corn and pork sausage, golden braised pork, milky sweet potato balls, candied sweet potatoes, steamed sweet potato leaves and other farm-style dishes.
The staple foods are multigrain steamed buns, boiled tender corn, steamed sweet potatoes, and corn and sweet potato porridge.
There weren't so many formalities when eating out anymore. Emperor Kangxi led his princes to sit at one table, while the officials sat at several tables, enjoying a lively farm-style meal.
By the afternoon, the initial yields of corn and sweet potatoes were also in. Emperor Kangxi was overjoyed and immediately bestowed upon Mingrui the title of Duke of Feng'en, a leap of several ranks, from the lowest rank to a higher rank close to that of a Beile or Beizi.
Nersu wanted to be promoted to Prince, but this achievement was not enough. However, Emperor Kangxi changed his title back to the hereditary Prince Keqin and rewarded him with double salary. Nersu was so moved that he knelt down to express his gratitude.
In addition to being granted the title of Duke of the State, he was also awarded one hundred taels of gold and one hundred bolts of silk and satin.
After the harvest, they could keep one-tenth of the grain and hand over the rest to the Ministry of Revenue.
When Emperor Kangxi left, he took with him several baskets of the best-looking tender corn and sweet potatoes, as well as a stack of various ways to eat corn and sweet potatoes.
He also took the planting manual written by Mingrui with him, intending to have it printed by the Ministry of Revenue and distributed to various prefectures along with the improved seeds.
When Kangxi left, the other princes didn't. They swarmed around like locusts, taking away most of the remaining tender corn and sweet potatoes.
Nersu was both angry and anxious. Mingrui comforted him and took him to several side courtyards. There, he saw that the courtyards were full of tender corn. Some of them were already edible, while others would have to wait a few more days before they could be eaten.
By that calculation, they can eat tender corn for a long time. The cunning Ninth and Tenth brothers cornered the two brothers in the yard: "Well, well, you, Mingrui, you even secretly hid some tender corn!"
"You must give me half, otherwise I'll send the tenth brother to call the others right now. Once those locusts arrive, your tender corn will most likely be ruined."
Mingrui quickly pulled him back: "Chengcheng, my goodness, don't yell, there's only this much left."
"Doesn't Ninth Master own a restaurant? We could collaborate and sell tender corn before it becomes widely available. It'll definitely make money. What do you think?"
Brother Jiuqian was just waiting for those words, so of course he could. But he still needed to clarify: "You only have this much tender corn; it's definitely not enough to sell!"
“Things are valued for their scarcity. Besides, who said there are only so many? See that little estate over there? That’s also my estate. It has hundreds of acres of late-maturing varieties planted there, and they’re at their freshest right now.”
Of course, we can't just think about making money. Every few days, we should send some money to the Emperor, Empress Dowager, and Consort Yi as a token of our respect.
My wife also grows peanuts. The yield isn't high yet, but they're delicious whether boiled or fried.
After a brief discussion, the two finalized their cooperation agreement: Mingrui would provide the raw materials, while the Ninth Prince would be responsible for processing and sales, with each taking a 30% cut.
The Tenth Prince and Nersu were the errand runners, each making up 20%. The Tenth Prince was used to eating meat and drinking soup with his Ninth Brother, so he didn't think anything of it.
Nersu felt he had gotten a great deal and was embarrassed, so he went back and discussed it with his wife, Zhenjia, and sent Mingrui and Jia Hui a large estate in Fangshan.
The news that Mingrui and his wife had successfully grown high-yield grains on their estate spread like wildfire throughout the capital.
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