Ling Jiheng also got up early today, made preparations, and went to the government office to explain the situation.
Chi Xingyue and I went downstairs and ordered a bowl of vegetarian noodles. Before we finished eating, Chang Wan arrived.
The innkeeper looked at the men in uniform and thought Ling Jiheng had done something wrong.
Seeing that the yamen runners acted gently and used the word "please", I realized that the two people living in the upper room had a certain status and background.
Ling Jiheng invited Chang Wan and others to have noodles, went upstairs to get the flower tray, and then went to the government office with Chi Xingyue.
Chi Xingyue was still dressed like a young man today, but his face was cleaner and he looked more energetic.
She kept her presence so low that when Yu Tingzhang saw the two of them, he focused all his attention on Ling Jiheng and didn't notice that there was a girl in the corner.
Yu Tingzhang put down his brush and said with a smile, "Mr. Ling is here, please take a seat!"
Ling Jiheng bowed and said, "Greetings, Lord Yu!" Then he sat down without any hesitation.
Yu Tingzhang got straight to the point: "I wonder how Master Ling learned about Ji Han's coming?"
Ling Jiheng said calmly, "I learned about it by chance. I experienced various natural disasters on the way from Jiangning Prefecture to Youzhou City, so I was very nervous and took the news of the extreme cold to heart.
I'm not sure whether it's true or not. But the weather has been a little unusual lately."
Yu Tingzhang had heard that the matter was confidential, so he didn't expect Ling Jiheng to reveal any key information.
One thing is certain, that is, the news of extreme cold is true, and they really need to prepare.
He gave Chang Wan a wink, and Chang Wan nodded, left the government office, and rode on horseback with his brothers to inform several village heads in the surrounding area.
He was too far away to reach anything further. I would send him a letter later, but whether he could grasp its deeper meaning or not was up to fate.
Yu Tingzhang asked Ling Jiheng about his methods for coping with the extreme cold, and Ling Jiheng smiled and recounted the actions of the Ling family. Inevitably, they mentioned folding flower stands and mushrooms.
"I've heard about the flower stand. My wife even built one in the house. What about the mushrooms? I heard from Chang Wan that you cultivated them?"
Ling Jiheng opened the package and revealed the flower trough inside: "Yes, my wife had an idea and dug some mycelium in the mountains. Who knew that she could actually grow little mushrooms.
Fungi require very little sunlight and can grow as long as they are kept at room temperature. It can be considered a new dish to enjoy during the cold winter."
Yu Tingzhang looked at the chubby, white mushroom and nodded: "It can also save some food."
He hesitated after saying this, feeling that his idea was not very kind. But there were so many people in Youzhou City, he couldn't just let them fend for themselves.
In the end, emotion overwhelmed reason. Yu Tingzhang closed his eyes and explained his purpose: "Ji Heng, you also know the current situation of the Great Yong Dynasty. Natural disasters and man-made disasters have caused Youzhou City to accept tens of thousands of refugees in just a few months.
In addition, the harvests have been poor in recent years, and even the capital city is struggling to make ends meet.
Tens of thousands of people, that's not a small number. And they all have families and are penniless.
We distributed a lot of relief food at the beginning. If there is another disaster, we really can't survive.
Ling Jiheng also asked the little beggar on the street last night. Although Lord Yu is not highly regarded by the emperor, he has a very good relationship with General Zhou.
Perhaps it's just that birds of a feather flock together? Lord Yu is highly regarded by the people and has done a lot of practical work.
"So, what conditions do you need to tell the people of Youzhou how to grow mushrooms?"
Ling Jiheng raised his eyebrows and acted awkwardly.
After a moment, he sighed, "Master Yu, it's not that I don't want to, but growing mushrooms has certain risks. If you don't handle it properly, you will get mushroom lung, which is almost a terminal illness."
Yu Tingzhang didn't know what mushroom lung was, so Ling Jiheng gave him a brief explanation.
The main idea can be summed up in one sentence: mushrooms are not suitable for home cultivation, so be careful about this idea.
Yu Tingzhang was horrified after hearing this and asked in disbelief, "Then you still plant it?"
What can Ling Jiheng say about this? It's all for life. If you have money, who would be willing to take such a risk?
Yu Tingzhang realized that he had spoken out of turn and hurriedly tried to correct himself, saying, "That's not what I meant, it's just..."
"I understand, but Yunrou County is bitterly cold, and the people of Qingshan Village don't have any special skills, so they can only use these means to earn some money to supplement their family income. So, sir, have you made up your mind? Do you still want the recipe?"
Yu Tingzhang wanted to do it, but was afraid of being blamed if something went wrong. After thinking for a moment, he decided to let the village heads decide for themselves.
"If I were to requisition your recipe, would one hundred taels of silver be enough?"
Ling Jiheng smiled and said, "Qingshan Village has signed an IOU for fifty taels and handed over the sales rights of the village's mushrooms to the Ling family. The Ling family will take 10% of the proceeds as commission."
Yu Tingzhang was stunned, thinking about how huge the assets would be in the future. He was a little worried about whether the village heads around the prefecture would accept this offer.
Ling Jiheng offered a suggestion: "Actually, we can raise funds to start a factory."
Yu Tingzhang raised his eyebrows and asked Ling Jiheng to continue.
"We'll build a mushroom cultivation base in the village, explain the situation to everyone, and let those who are willing to take the risk take charge of the mushrooms. After they make a profit, they will receive a certain amount of compensation.
Then, the profits will be distributed to the villagers according to their investment ratio.”
Yu Tingzhang thought it was great, as it would prevent most people from coming into contact with mushroom seeds, while also allowing the plan to be implemented and improve the lives of some people.
"What about you? What are your terms? It can't be another fifty taels of royalties plus a ten percent commission, right?
This place is not like Yunrou County. In the former case, if you try to persuade them, the village chiefs might agree. But in the latter case, they probably won't agree!"
Ling Jiheng nodded, expressing his understanding, but that was not his purpose.
After a moment of silence, he looked up at Yu Tingzhang and said, "May I ask, Lord Yu, if I may buy a house or land around the prefectural city?"
According to Ling Jiheng's status, he is indeed not suitable for buying property, but if he is, what if he gives the recipe to him for free?
Both parties understood each other tacitly, and the moment they raised their glasses and looked at each other, the corners of their lips slightly curled up.
Chi Xingyue stood in the corner, almost screaming with excitement.
Oh my god, buying a house in the capital city and buying land nearby, what’s the difference between this and living under the imperial city?
This is Youzhou, the capital of future generations!
Chi Xingyue never dreamed that the dream that he could not realize hundreds or thousands of years later would actually come true at this moment!
Although this is the border of the Great Yong Dynasty, it does not affect Chi Xingyue's position in his heart at all.
Since it could develop into something everyone yearns for in the future, then it wouldn't be bad in the present. Moreover, with the Zhou family army in charge, there would be no chaos no matter what.
Ling Jiheng's strategy was to strike first and gain the upper hand. He secured the prime location before anyone else could react. Perhaps it would bring blessings to three or five generations.
If you are lucky, you can even find a hot spring. Building a village is so cool.
The more he thought about it, the more beautiful it became. Chi Xingyue was almost drooling!
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