Chapter 179 Who is his brother? Is he worthy?
Xu Yu walked into the experimental field under her nervous gaze. He took the tape measure she handed him and wrapped it around the green stalks of the rice seedlings. He looked up and asked, "Is this the measurement?"
Sang Zhixia nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, yes."
"The length and width of the rice leaves, the thickness and increase of the rice stalks, and the daily growth of the rice ears all need to be measured and recorded."
Xu Yu moved quickly and measured accurately. He walked around each separated rice field, found four locations in a field, and took five rice seedlings at each location. In total, he measured and recorded twenty samples.
Sang Zhixia squatted on the ridge and wrote down the numbers he said. When she closed the book in her hand, her eyes curved with a smile.
“It’s growing better than I initially expected.”
"Xu Yu, do you believe that during this autumn harvest, these two plots of land will yield a big surprise?"
Not to mention doubling the grain harvest, at least it can be doubled.
After the harvest here, we will store all the crops as seeds and then go to the fields to cultivate the second generation. If all goes well, the harvest will definitely double or even increase.
Sang Zhixia smiled and thought to herself that the yield per mu would increase from 200 catties to 400 catties, and then from 400 catties to 600 catties...
In three years at most, the Xu family's existing more than 200 acres of rice fields will be able to match the output of an ordinary family's 700 to 800 acres of land, and the output will be even better.
His thoughts gradually drifted away, and Sang Zhixia even thought about finding another wasteland next year, and then reclaiming it to expand the area and continue to increase production.
If all the ideas come true, within five years the Xu family will become the largest granary in the northwest wilderness.
The more Sang Zhixia thought about it, the happier she felt. She didn't know when a smear of mud appeared on her face. She didn't realize that she was smiling like a cat that had caught a small fish. If she could see her tail, it would probably be shaking from side to side.
Very proud.
Xu Yu put away the tape measure, his brows softened, and he chuckled softly, "I believe it."
I believe everything you say.
Sang Zhixia grinned. Xu Yu walked over and wiped the dirt off her face, then whispered, "Do you like these things from the fields?"
"Don't you think farming is hard work?"
"What is not hard?"
"Didn't Grandfather say that all living things suffer in this life? Aren't they all the same?"
Sang Zhixia stretched herself and stood up, slapping the data record booklet into Xu Yu's hand and putting it away. She said slowly, "Working in the fields is simple and efficient. You get what you want as long as you do it. I like this kind of simple and effortless work."
"And just think about it. In a few months, the fields will be covered in golden waves of rice, and every grain will be white after being harvested and threshed. The fragrant rice will pile up into small mountains. Wouldn't that be a beautiful sight?"
Without waiting for Xu Yu to answer, Sang Zhixia said firmly, "It's so beautiful."
"It's so beautiful that my heart is bubbling."
Xu Yu chuckled softly, helped her straighten the straw hat on her head, and slid his big hand down to take her hand: "I think she is incredibly beautiful too."
Sang Zhixia said proudly: "Isn't it?"
"I just said no one could resist this temptation."
Xu Yu didn't explain whether he truly found beauty in people or objects. He took her hand and slowly walked home. "Are you hungry after your trip? I'll make you some porridge when I get home, okay?"
Sang Zhixia: "No, I'm full."
"Then I'll go to the city and bring you some cheese and sesame candy. Didn't you say they were delicious last time?"
"And the crabapple soft cake we bought once before. You ate two pieces last time. Would you like to buy some more this time?"
Xu Yu turned into a master of reciting recipes and kept talking non-stop, as dedicated as if he were a lobbyist sent by the boss, fearing that Sang Zhixia would nod too slowly and buy less.
Sang Zhixia grabbed the back of his hand, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "How much hidden money do you have that allows you to squander like this?"
"What are you buying? I helped my mother-in-law and the others keep accounts the past two days. The money I secretly gave to my grandfather last time is not much anymore. There will be many places to spend money in the future, and..."
"That won't hurt your mouth."
Seeing that the discussion was fruitless, Xu Yu made his own decision: "Don't worry about how much I have hidden, as long as it's enough for you to eat. A few more bites is better than anything else."
"Zhizhi, if you lose any more weight, I'll give you some tonic."
"There's no point in making a fuss. Just pinch her chin and pry open her mouth to pour it in, just like I did with Xu Jinxi."
Sang Zhixia felt a pang of fear when she thought of the miserable scene of Xu Jinxi being drugged some time ago. She pursed her lips and said nothing, not quite confidently, "The crabapple soft cake is good. I want to eat two more pieces of the sour one."
Xu Yu was satisfied: "Okay."
The rice borer that suddenly appeared was silently subdued by its natural enemy attracted by the mulberry branches in summer, and the area of rice fields affected by the pests no longer expanded out of control.
The sorghum and soybeans that should have been planted are gradually being planted. With the waterwheel that was built with great effort for irrigation, the hot weather does not affect the growth of the crops in the fields. Now we just have to wait for the weather to be favorable for them to grow slowly. There is not much to do for the time being.
In addition, Xu Yu had issued a clear ban, so after he went out, Sang Zhixia was supervised by many people and was not allowed to go to the fields when the sun was high. Apart from completing the calligraphy and reading tasks assigned by the old man every day, he suddenly had more free time.
People who are used to being busy can't sit still.
Xu Wenxiu and her two aunts were as busy as ever. The number of orders sent to the embroidery shop only increased instead of decreased. Once the three of them picked up their needles and threads, they were reluctant to put them down. The wages were much higher than at the beginning, so they were busy willingly and were happy every day.
Sang Zhixia really couldn't get involved in such delicate work. In addition, the work of expanding the wine cellar was temporarily forced to be put on hold because Xu Yu, the laborer, was not at home. So she simply started to tinker with the small vegetable garden in the backyard and even wanted to build a grape trellis and nail a swing in the yard.
This proposal was warmly supported by the little ones. They found some support boards and started working under the guidance of Uncle Xu.
Before Xu Yu left, he said he would be back in three to five days, but he was gone for ten days.
The old man has been teaching for several days with his hands behind his back and humming a tune, but there is still no sign of him returning.
In a dilapidated temple two hundred miles outside the county town, Xu Minghui looked at Xu Yu who arrived as promised, and the heart that had been hanging in his throat suddenly fell back into his stomach.
Xu Minghui said sincerely, "You're still alive and haven't been crippled. That's great."
It was the first time that he felt that Xu Yu looked so pleasing to the eye with his whole body.
Very pleasing to the eye.
Xu Yu dismounted and glanced at him subtly: "Why, do you sound regretful?"
Xu Minghui smiled wryly: "Who said it wasn't?"
"I'm so sorry."
Xu Yu, exhausted from days of running around, was barely breathing. He stretched out his long legs and sat on the ground covered with dry straw. Facing Xu Minghui's furrowed brow, he said in a hoarse voice, "The bet was right."
"The Northwest Camp just sent out a batch of weapons before the New Year. Chen Nianhe checked it out as I asked, and half of them are the same type that appeared in the Battle of Hongbei."
Weapons and ironware are the lifeblood of the army. On the battlefield, what matters is the sharpness of the blade and who can cut off the enemy's neck the fastest with the sword. When the number of people is equal, the quality of the weapons can be regarded as one of the keys to victory or defeat.
The court has always attached great importance to this, and a huge amount of money is spent on military weapons every year. However, when no one knew about it, big problems arose with the weapons.
When the Xu family got into trouble, one of the charges was embezzlement of military equipment and silver. Weapons, armor and ironware were inferior and went wrong. The weapons in the hands of the soldiers on the battlefield broke when they were bent, and the blades curled without being cut. They were worse than the farm tools used by farmers.
Marquis Jiaxing died in the Battle of Hongbei, and the army he led was completely wiped out.
Everyone said that the crime was that Marquis Jiaxing colluded with the enemy and committed treason, deliberately defeating the enemy army and causing damage to the mountains and rivers of the Central Plains Dynasty and heavy losses on the border.
Those who say such clichés have never thought about how many details that people dare not look into were hidden in the tragic defeat that cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and no one has ever cared.
Xu Yu swallowed hard, swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth. He lowered his eyes and said, "If the Northwest Camp is like this, the situation in other camps is likely to be similar. This matter has far-reaching implications and is definitely not something that a few small fry can pull off."
The shadows of several princes, the civil and military officials of the Kyoto court, the armory, and the garrison troops in various places can be found everywhere.
A brief glimpse of the corner of the abyss reveals the unspeakable horror hidden deep within.
Xu Minghui reacted very quickly, frowning fiercely and suddenly saying, "The last time you went out for several months under the pretext of escorting, did you go to Hongbei?!"
Xu Yu hummed nonchalantly, and Xu Minghui gritted his teeth in anger: "You are so bold!"
"Hongbei is such a dangerous place. There are so many people watching it openly and secretly. How dare you..."
"Oh my, why are you so angry, Second Young Master?"
Outside the deserted temple, Chen Jingan, dressed in a dazzling red dress, walked in with a smile on his face, fanning himself with joy. "Isn't it just Hong Bei? What's the big deal if I go there?"
"Besides, isn't he alive and well?"
"If you don't believe me, look, the head is still hanging on his neck. There's no mistake."
Xu Minghui is not familiar with Chen Jingan, but they know each other.
He was extremely perceptive and in a short time he figured out many of the mysteries that had previously puzzled him.
"Did Xu Yu ask you to check?"
Chen Jingan sighed bitterly and said quietly, "What else?"
"If the Xu family shows up, there will be a bloody storm. I am the only innocent one left and can be ordered around. If I don't run errands, will Xu Yu really lose his head?"
However, Xu Yu was responsible for making plans and he was only responsible for moving around.
After all, no one has as many twists and turns in their mind as Xu Yu. There are many decisions that only Xu Yu can make, and only he dares to make them.
Chen Jing'an sighed in self-pity for a while, then turned his gaze to the livid-faced Xu Minghui and smiled playfully.
"But then again, I'm also surprised to see Second Young Master Xu here."
Aren’t these two cousins eager for the other to die immediately?
How can this be considered a brotherhood formed by sharing hardships?
Chen Jing'an thought so in his heart and said so out loud.
Unexpectedly, as soon as the words fell, Xu Yu and Xu Minghui's faces darkened at the same time. They said with disdain and tacit understanding, "Who is his brother?"
"Is he worthy?"
Chen Jingan: “…”
After a long silence, Chen Jingan clapped his hands in amazement, "Amazing!"
Xu Yu gave him a disgusted look and said, "Shut up."
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