Chapter 67: Her Spring Day in the City of Returned Princess Yan along the Qingshui River…
Guihua City, Princess Rouge Land along the Qingshui River.
It rained a couple of days ago, and the fields were filled with a damp, fishy smell of mud. Xiao Liu, who was dazed among the farmers, suddenly saw a little mud on the leg of his new indigo pants, and he immediately felt distressed.
Ouch! My finest new clothes made of coarse cloth have just been put on and already they are ruined by the mud.
These clothes were sent down by the farmer a few days ago, one for each person, and they were told that a distinguished guest had arrived, so they should make sure to clean themselves up, wash in the river, get rid of the lice in their hair, and then put on new clothes.
When they were getting the clothes, Little Liu said to Old Liu happily, "Dad, look, what did I say the other day? I planted the land for the princess, and I got a new coat. How wonderful."
"Is it good? It's good, but I'm afraid I'll have to pay the rent in the fall."
"No way," Xiao Liu hesitated for a moment and shook his head, "No, she didn't charge for the Huimin Well before."
They were the father and son who followed the wedding procession from a distance when the princess got married last year. After hearing that the princess was recruiting people to farm the newly acquired rouge land in Guihua City, they thought about it and decided to farm here instead.
Although land reclamation was a very tiring job, they were impressed by the princess and thought that the fields under the kind-hearted girl might be easier to cultivate, so they came here.
When they came to the rouge land along the Qingshui River, the village head and the eunuch in charge promised that the wages would not be lower than the standard of the official village, and the specific details would have to wait for the princess's order. They stayed there with doubts, and after a lot of effort, they finally leveled the land to the point where it could be cultivated.
Although their wages have not been finalized yet, the village head has not let them suffer a loss in terms of food. The buckwheat buns are enough to fill them up, and the porridge is thick, completely different from the kind of porridge that is used to wash the pot.
Early this morning, Xiao Liu was afraid of dirtying his new clothes when he was eating porridge, so he changed into them after he finished eating. However, after standing in the field for a while, he got mud marks on his clothes again.
He bent down to pick it out, but the mud came off, and the marks were still there. Feeling distressed, he was also worried about getting more mud on his pants, so he rolled up his trouser legs.
"What are you doing? What are you doing? Are you going to welcome the distinguished guest with your legs exposed? Put it down, quickly!"
Jiang Zhuangtou saw it from a distance and rushed over. He didn't wait until Xiao Liu put his trouser legs down obediently.
He returned to the front of the team and subconsciously looked at his trouser legs. Well, they were also covered with some dust.
The eunuch Zhuang next to him glanced at him and said, "Don't be startled. The master is probably coming soon."
In the distance, flags can be vaguely seen.
In the midst of the world, the princess and her entourage arrived on horseback.
When they were still some distance away from the field, Mu Xue suddenly tightened the reins and stopped the horse.
As soon as she stopped, all her followers reined in their horses.
Dorji was a little surprised: "What happened?"
"There are young crops in the fields ahead. Don't let the horses trample them." Mu Xue pointed her whip in the distance, motioning him to look.
The fields in front are green. They are newly planted crops. They are still weak and trembling slightly in the spring breeze.
After instructing someone to take good care of the horses in the grassland, Muxue and Dorji and their party walked along the fields.
The newly turned soil was already soft, and because of the rain in the past few days, it became even softer. Wherever the embroidered palace shoes stepped on it, it immediately left a footprint. By the time Muxue walked in front of the farmer at the head of the village, her silk pants were inevitably stained with mud.
Jiang Zhuangtou noticed it and quickly stepped forward to apologize: "It rained recently in the fields, and the princess's clothes were stained. I should have asked someone to spread more straw."
"It's okay," Mu Xue tilted her head to look at the farmers behind her, and saw that several of their trouser legs were also stained with mud. "Wounds on soldiers in battle are merits, and for us farmers, isn't the mud on our trouser legs also merits? Thank you for your hard work, clearing the land is a hard job, and you have done a great job."
These words made little Liu in the crowd feel as warm as if he had eaten some warm porridge, and the other farmers also straightened their chests and smiled unconsciously.
Old Liu is old and has hearing problems, so he asked, "What are you talking about?"
Xiao Liu leaned close to his ear and said, "Our land is very flat!"
So Old Liu also grinned.
The princess came to inspect the land, but she didn't just take a look and ask about the rent and leave. It was obvious that she really didn't know much about crops. For example, she couldn't tell what the green seedlings in the field were planted with.
But the princess was willing to ask, like a schoolboy following a private school teacher, what was being planted? Was the irrigation water okay? Were there any problems that needed to be solved?
It was rare to see a noble person so patient with farm matters, so all the farmers relaxed and talked to each other about the situation of the rouge fields.
Overall, the land condition of this large piece of rouge land is very good. First of all, the terrain is open. There are no small hills or gravel mountains in this area. It is all plains. It is very convenient for oxen to pull the plow and harrow, and there is no need to go around in circles. Secondly, it is close to the Qingshui River, which is convenient for irrigation and water.
However, even if the soil is in good condition, the harvest of newly reclaimed land may not be very high in the first two years. The land, like people, always needs an adaptation process before the harvest can keep up.
As for the crops grown, wheat, millet, elm and alfalfa are the main ones.
"I've heard of wheat and the like, but what is alfalfa?" Mu Xue asked.
Jiang Zhuangtou explained: "Alfalfa is a kind of forage grass, and it can also be eaten as a vegetable. We planted it in some fields near the grassland. The cattle and sheep eat alfalfa, which is very good. There are also some Tumed herders here, and they will be happy to buy it. And planting this will help improve the fertility of the land."
Mu Xue nodded, roughly understanding it. She continued to look forward.
Dorji followed her and asked unhappily, "Why does this person keep calling your name?"
Mu Xue was stunned for a moment, then she thought it through and laughed, "Hahaha, you heard it wrong. The last word is pronounced as xu, not xue."
Maybe the pronunciations of these two Chinese words are somewhat similar, and Dorji was a little confused when he heard them?
It's quite interesting.
After laughing, Mu Xue said, "This alfalfa sounds like a very good crop. It is drought-resistant and cold-resistant, and it is also a forage grass. I will ask them to sort out some seeds. When we return to Mobei, we can bring them back and try. Maybe we can grow them."
When Dorji heard that it was pasture grass, he also laughed: "So that's how it is, of course it's good."
It is spring, the time when alfalfa is at its tenderest.
The vegetables for lunch included alfalfa soup, and Mu Xue ate a full bowl. On the Mobei grassland, meat is plentiful, but vegetables are really scarce! Basically, there are only green vegetables such as sand onions.
She seized the opportunity and gorged on vegetables.
Dorji, who was standing by, looked at her and laughed, "Princess, today the female eagle has become a little cow, just eating grass leaves."
Mu Xue sneered softly, thinking that she should just put on that Khalkha hat that looked like a cow's horn and push it against his head, and then she would know.
Without further ado, she took a handful of vegetables and stuffed them into Dorji's bowl: "So, do you want to eat it?"
"eat."
Dorji also followed and ate grass.
After the meal, Eunuch Zhuang and Village Head Jiang, who came in to lead the cleanup, were both stunned.
Why? I have almost finished all the vegetables, but there are still a lot of meat dishes left? Is it because they are not to my liking?
"The vegetables are fresh and sweet in spring, and I was just thinking about this." Mu Xue said, "These meat and vegetables are not touched much. If you don't mind, you can give them to the farmers as a reward."
Eunuch Zhuang and Head of Jiang Zhuang agreed immediately, thinking that they could prepare more fruits and vegetables later.
After the meal, Muxue closed her eyes and rested for a while in the house.
This farmhouse is a brick house built by Eunuch Zhuang and Zhuangtou Jiang. They lived here before when they were in charge of the land reclamation. Now that the princess has arrived, this is the only place that is suitable for reception. After cleaning inside and out, it is quite clean.
She leaned on Dorji's shoulder and took a nap. Then she woke up and rubbed her eyes.
"Awake?" As soon as she moved, Dorji immediately tilted his head with a little panic.
It looked like a student who was caught by the teacher. Mu Xue was puzzled and took a glance. There was a small braid on the shoulder, and the end of the hair was pinched in his hand.
Well, this guy played with her hair while she was sleeping.
She let her hair down because she felt uncomfortable with her headdress during rest. Unexpectedly, this guy got a good deal out of it.
Mu Xue yelled, "You? You're the one who's touching me."
"I'm sorry," Dorji smiled, revealing two small canine teeth, "but your hair is so cute, can you let me finish braiding it? There's still a little more to go."
Mu Xue turned her head away: "Okay, just braid my hair and make it look nicer. I have to meet someone later."
"Yes," Dorji asked. "Anything else you want to see this afternoon? Or maybe you should go back and rest for a while?"
In order to conveniently observe the spring ploughing situation of the Rouge Land, the tent was set up on the land not far from the Qingshui River. It was estimated that it was set up at this time.
"Well, let's take a look."
Spring is coming late, the window is green, and new seedlings are sprouting. Her lover is braiding her hair. Looking out the window at dusk, she can almost imagine the strong east wind blowing over the fields.
She had a premonition that the east wind that belonged to her was finally coming after the long and cold winter.
Good wind helps me soar to the sky.
"What are you thinking about? You look so happy." Dorji braided her hair and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Mu Xue stood up, raised her hands, stretched lazily, and smiled: "Nothing, I think spring is really nice."
She went out with the long braid that Dorji had braided for her.
If Nanny Wu were here, she would probably frown, thinking that this was unbecoming of a princess.
But Mu Xue would pretend not to see it and continue on her own.
Here, she didn't need to consider Tushetu Khan's thoughts and dress like a Khalkha wife. She didn't need to comb her hair or wear clothes in a certain way because of the strict palace rules. In this place that was neither her husband's home nor her father's home, her status was the highest, and no one could really control her, not even Dorji.
So what? Whatever makes you feel comfortable? Come on.
She just walked out, and no one said anything. They still surrounded her respectfully. She could go east if she wanted to, or west if she wanted to.
After seeing the cultivated land and the unleveled land in the distance, Eunuch Zhuang reported that they had not recruited enough people because of the tight schedule. Mu Xue went to see where the Yanxing people lived.
There are not only tents, but also small houses made of simple rammed earth walls. The four sides are rammed earth walls, and the top is a felt roof like a yurt.
Mu Xue pointed at the rammed earth wall and asked, "Is this house newly built?"
"To answer your question, Princess? It was newly built not long ago." Jiang Zhuangtou answered quickly.
"It hasn't been long since it was built. How was it built?" Mu Xue asked.
Jiang Zhuang was speechless, and glanced at the crowd: "This was built by □□. Old Liu and Little Liu, come out and tell us about it."
Little Liu knelt on the ground in fear and said, "Princess, ah, no, we...we are thinking that this business of reclaiming wasteland will take at least three winters and two summers. My father and I, no, we must stay here for a while. I asked the manager, and then I dared to tamp the earth and build the beams."
He spoke hesitantly and incoherently, and one could tell he was in a panic.
Mu Xue was afraid of scaring him, so she spoke in a softer voice, "Stand up and talk. It's okay. I just thought it was a good idea and wanted others to learn from it. Don't talk like a commoner anymore. Just talk like you normally do."
Jiang Zhuangtou glared at him: "You? Speak properly."
"Hey, hey, I learned the method from my hometown in the countryside. I first sandwiched the soil with boards on the ground, made it tight, and then pulled it up." Xiao Liu gestured and said, "It can be lived in even if it's just a rough way."
"Yes, we can live here," said Jiang Zhuangtou, "It's the same thing as what they call Bansheng."
Mu Xue seemed to be thinking about something. This Bansheng building was a mix of Mongolian and Han styles.
She thought for a moment and said, "We can build more of these boards. After all, the farmers all came from outside the country and are used to living in houses. It will be easier for you to manage them."
"Yes, we have made note of it." Eunuch Zhuang and Head of Jiang Zhuang nodded in agreement.
After walking around for a while, Mu Xue called Eunuch Zhuang and Head Zhuang Jiang over to talk separately.
"I have thought carefully about how these farmers can make a profit. I think we should follow the practice of the palaces and manors in and outside the capital and rent the land to them for cultivation on an annual basis. They pay a certain amount of public grain, and the rest belongs to themselves. This will motivate them to work harder."
This practice was common in all palaces and manors inside and outside the capital, and the eunuch and the head of Jiang Manor readily agreed.
"So, how much is the rent?" Eunuch Zhuang reported, "I have also privately communicated with the village heads of the Eight Banners official villages. Several of their villages also want to change to this system of collecting money and grain for renting land. But the rent has not been decided yet."
"How much is the rent for the land near the Tiger Killing Pass now?"
Eunuch Zhuang had obviously made preparations in advance. He handed over a booklet from his sleeve, which listed the land rents of some places in northwestern Shanxi.
Mu Xue flipped through the pages of paper. The land rents in different places were not the same. Fertile fields in large counties could receive a maximum rent of one tenth of an acre, while ordinary fields could receive six and a half cents. The wasteland near the inner side of the Great Wall pass was cheaper, at around two and a half cents.
Since they want to recruit people to farm outside Kouzi, and it is uncultivated wasteland, the rent must be cheaper to be attractive.
Mu Xue thought, "Let's set the price at the beginning of the year. Let's charge 1.3 cents per mu of land. The rent will start from three years. Since it's wasteland, no grain or grass will be required for the first three years of reclamation. The rent doesn't need to be paid immediately. One year's rent can be paid at the end of the year."
Eunuch Zhuang agreed. But Jiang Zhuangtou opened his mouth slightly, a little surprised. What? So, these three years were like farming for free, and all the harvest belonged to them?
But after all, it was the princess's words, so he didn't dare to say much. He just nodded and retreated with Eunuch Zhuang.
Eunuch Zhuang had worked with him for some time and had come to understand Mr. Jiang's personality. He was not a bad person and had good farming skills, but he was a bit petty.
He reminded her, "Don't act so petty. Princess, do you still need this little money? In the long run, it is always beneficial to rest and recuperate. It takes people to cultivate this wasteland and produce a good harvest."
Jiang Zhuangtou agreed, but he didn't really care.
If it was his land, he would have to charge two cents per mu anyway. He could just take care of himself and take care of the land. What was that? How could it be worth the money? Besides, the farmers might not appreciate it.
He gathered the farmers and announced the news sourly: "You are so lucky. The princess said that it only costs 1.3 cents to rent an acre of land, and you don't need to pay grain for the first three years of reclamation. Are you willing to plant it?"
Xiao Liu scratched his ears and said, "How much? Manager, how much do you want to tell me?"
"One cent and three cents of silver, but no grain!"
Jiang Zhuangtou yelled, "You are so young, you are as hard of hearing as your father, right?"
Xiao Liu slapped his thigh in excitement: "I'll rent it, I'll rent it!"
Other farmers also rushed up and surrounded Jiang Zhuangtou.
"Is this really the price?"
"I want to rent it too! I want the five acres of land by the river."
"You want five acres of land by the river? I, your grandfather, leveled it. Don't think I didn't see you being lazy when leveling the land on the west side! You didn't even pick up the small gravel!"
"You? Which eye saw me being lazy?!"
"I saw it with both my own eyes! Jiang Zhuangtou, you are going to expose this lazy asshole to the princess! Don't rent the land to him!"
"What the hell are you talking about!"
…
They almost started a fight.
The quarrel lasted until the night, and finally there was a preliminary agreement. Jiang Zhuangtou angrily scolded them: "We agreed to pay you before, why are you lazy? Ah! I tell you, if you want to rent, you can only rent the land you have prepared yourself. Otherwise, don't rent it at all!"
Xiao Liu and the others were scolded like quails and rolled their eyes behind their backs.
Isn't it normal to be lazy when you are hired to do something? You get the same salary no matter how much you do, as long as it passes the inspection. You are so indignant, as if you, Jiang Zhuangtou, have never been lazy.
It went in one ear and out the other. After getting scolded, I went to eat.
Maybe it was because the princess was there, there was meat soup to eat today. After eating two bowls of meat soup with rice, Xiao Liu completely forgot about being scolded.
He was thinking about the acres of land that would soon become his rented land.
When he was plowing the field, he seemed to be a little lazy. I wonder if it will affect the harvest.
It was a dark night, and he quietly walked out of the board house, carrying a hoe and heading to the field, preparing to loosen the soil.
At such a night, everyone should be asleep, except for those who are outside going to the bathroom in the dark.
But he heard a sporadic sound, looked up, and saw that the two shadows were startled by each other. Xiao Liu looked and saw that it seemed to be the black-faced strong man who exposed the lazy man Donkey Egg.
Hey, it seems you've been slacking off too.
The two sides understood each other tacitly, turned their heads away silently, and walked towards their own areas.
Xiao Liu used his peripheral vision to peek at the man. The land was indeed good, and it would be great if he could get a share of it. He also didn't know where he was being lazy, maybe he didn't weed thoroughly enough?
However, after the dark-faced sturdy man walked into the field, the first thing he did was to untie his belt and squat down.
Xiao Liu's eyes widened.
Great, that's a great idea.
He carefully tended to the fields once more, rushed back to wake up his father, and solemnly instructed him:
"Dad, I'm telling you, next time you go to the bathroom, remember to walk to the end of our field."
…
Muxue did not interfere in the farmers' small disputes.
She believed that they would have their own simple philosophy of survival and would handle things well.
She is a complete layman when it comes to agriculture.
With this understanding, Muxue is also very clear about her own positioning. She should avoid being an amateur instructing professionals, as they are experts in farm work such as watering and plowing the fields.
The most urgent task is to cultivate and maintain the rouge land well in order to gain long-term benefits. Once such a low rent is offered, I believe farmers will be recruited to cultivate the land soon, and all the rouge land can be cultivated well.
There was only one thing she did have some foresight about.
The candlelight was bright. Muxue found an empty booklet, picked up the wolf hair brush used for writing small regular script, dipped it in ink, and wrote an order to Yunqi and Cuigu who were busy in the capital.
They were asked to collect three crops as quickly as possible that every time traveler would look for: corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
These crops are really good news. They are drought-resistant, barren-resistant and high-yielding. Even places as far north as Tsarist Russia can grow them. They can definitely grow them here. Once they are popularized, they can save many people who are short of food.
Now it is the reign of Emperor Kangxi, and logically these crops should have been introduced into the country. As long as one looks carefully, it should not be difficult to find them.
There just happened to be some vacant uncultivated land, which would be perfect for growing these crops.
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