Chapter 877: Buying a Sloping Ranch
On the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, Daohua took a carriage out of the city and went with Yan Shouhou to see the fields and pastures that they liked.
Ganzhou Wei is located in the westernmost part of Xiliang, with a large jurisdiction area and diverse landforms.
There are plains suitable for farming, sparsely populated Gobi deserts, deserts with yellow sand all over the sky, and vast green grasslands, but the most common are barren mountains.
There is a general water shortage in Xiliang, and Ganzhouwei has the least rainfall among the nine guards.
Ganzhou City is located on a plain, and almost all the good farmland has been designated as military land, with only a few being the property of the garrison officials.
People like Daohua, who just moved here, basically can't buy any good land.
Daohua followed Yan Shouhou to visit two fields and was not very satisfied with either.
The reason why she liked Zhuangzi was because Zhuangzi was generally large in area and could be uniformly planned and centrally managed. The two fields that Yan Shouhou took her to see were considered medium-sized fields, but their area was too small, only about a hundred acres.
"Let's go and take another look at the ranch!"
After hearing that the largest of the plots of land was less than 200 acres, Daohua didn't want to continue and went directly to see the ranch.
Renxin Ranch.
When the ranch manager saw Daohua and his group coming, he immediately greeted them warmly.
When Yan Shouhou came to examine the ranch, his master happened to be there. After learning that Yan Shouhou was a new servant who came to pacify Lord Xiao's family, he immediately ordered him to make sure to sell the ranch to the other party.
The ranch manager glanced at Daohua, who was wearing a veil hat and a white fox fur cloak, and guessed that this person should be the mistress of the Xiao Mansion. The attentiveness on his face became more intense.
"Our ranch is the largest in the entire Ganzhou City area, covering an area of 50,000 mu. At its peak, we raised tens of thousands of cattle and sheep."
Daohua did not negotiate with the ranch owner, it was Yan Shouhou who talked to him.
"Since it's the largest ranch around Ganzhou City, why are you still selling it?"
The ranch manager sighed and said, "It's because the owner's family is in urgent need of money. There's nothing we can do."
Before coming here, Yan Shouhou had done his homework and said immediately, "It looks to me like your ranch has been abandoned for quite some time."
The ranch manager's smile froze, and just as he was about to think of a way to smooth things over, Daohua suddenly spoke.
"Is there a river flowing through this pasture?"
The ranch manager nodded instinctively: "Yes, the Dan River at the foot of the Yunlian Snow Mountain flows through this ranch." After saying that, he was surprised to realize that Mrs. Xiao in front of him knew so much about this place.
Rice Flower: "Since there's a river running through it, why is the pasture so barren?"
"Well"
The ranch manager didn't expect the Xiao family to be so well prepared and to have inquired about the ranch's situation. Knowing that he couldn't hide it, he could only tell the truth:
"Madam Dissatisfied, ever since the upper reaches of the Dan River were occupied by the Western Liao people ten years ago, the water flowing through Ganzhouwei has become less and less. Without the nourishment of water, the pasture has become less and less every year, and naturally it has become barren."
Daohua frowned: "Danhe?"
She remembered that the Ganzhou Wei geographical records mentioned that the Dan River could be said to be the mother river of Ganzhou Wei. Its source was cut off by the Western Liao people. No wonder this land became drier year by year.
"Yunlian Mountain belongs to Xiliang territory, so how come it was occupied by the Xiliao people?"
The ranch manager couldn't accept this.
Why else? Because Xiliang couldn’t defeat Xiliao!
Daohua didn't expect a ranch manager to answer her: "I want to see where the Dan River flows."
The ranch manager was a little unhappy: "Madam, the Dan River is to the west of the ranch. It's a long way to go."
Daohua: "Then take a carriage."
Now, the ranch manager was silent.
Yan Shouhou waved towards the ranch gate. When Cao Chuan saw him, he immediately drove over with his bald head in a carriage.
Daohua, Meilan, Meiju and others sat on it directly.
Yan Shouhou looked at the ranch manager and said, "Please show us the way, Manager. Since we want to buy this ranch, we naturally want to take a good look. After all, your asking price is not low."
The ranch manager had no choice but to bring the horses and accompany Daohua and his group on a trip.
The carriage was not moving fast. Daohua sat in the carriage and looked at the pasture carefully. The edge of the pasture was surrounded by wooden stakes and iron wire. The houses and barns where the herdsmen lived could be seen at a distance.
Although it is a bit old, the infrastructure is still good.
A quarter of an hour later, Daohua and his group stood in front of the dried-up Dan River.
At this time, the ranch manager said with a hint of anger, "The Western Liao people are so despicable. After occupying the upper reaches of the Dan River, they cut off the flow to Ganzhou Wei. There may still be some water flowing near Yunlian Mountain, but Ganzhou City is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Dan River. The river disappeared four or five years ago."
If the Dan River had not dried up, the ranch would not have needed to be sold.
Daohua looked towards Lianyun Mountain and murmured, "We will get it back."
The ranch manager didn't hear clearly: "What did the lady say?"
Rice Flower ignored him and instead cast her gaze towards the barren slopes across the river, riddled with gullies. "Isn't anyone farming over there?"
After hearing this, the ranch manager couldn't help but sneer in his heart. He was indeed from the capital and didn't even know that the mountainous areas were barren and unsuitable for farming.
However, in order to sell the ranch, the ranch manager smiled and explained: "There are only barren hills over there, with steep slopes, dry and arid, and difficult to manage. Even if you plant crops, you won't get much."
Daohua: "Let's go and take a look."
Hearing this, the ranch manager was speechless.
Of course, no one cares what he thinks.
The stones at the bottom of the Dan River are exposed, and you can reach the other side by stepping on the stones.
After Daohua arrived at the other side of the Dan River, she checked the conditions of the slopes there. It was a bit dry, but she didn't mind. It was just right for growing drought-resistant corn, potatoes and cotton.
After looking around, Daohua and his group returned to the ranch.
The ranch manager glanced at the expressions of Daohua and the others, but unfortunately he couldn't see anything. He could only smile and ask, "Madam, this ranch is really good. Spring is coming soon, and it's the perfect time to raise cattle and sheep. Now is the perfect time to buy."
"If the master had no interest in animal husbandry, he wouldn't have sold such a good ranch. This ranch is a bit deserted now, but the lady has so many capable people under her, she will definitely be able to manage the ranch well."
Daohua was too lazy to argue with the manager, so she left the bargaining to Yan Shouhou and got in the carriage to leave the ranch.
It didn't take long before Yan Shouhou came out.
After years of polishing, Yan Shouhou's eloquence and negotiation skills have long been honed, and it is still easy for him to negotiate with the ranch manager who has never been to other places.
"Miss, the final price of the ranch is 25,000 taels of silver."
Daohua nodded. In Xiliang, an acre of inferior land would cost about three taels of silver. Twenty-five thousand taels of silver for a fifty-thousand-acre ranch was considered very cheap.
"Tomorrow when I go to the garrison to register and get the land deeds, I'll buy those five barren hills on the other side of the ranch."
Hearing this, Yan Shouhou was stunned: "Buy all five seats together?"
Rice Flower: "Yes, just do as I say."
Yan Shouhou nodded, then suddenly thought of something and spoke again: "By the way, young lady, the owner of this ranch seems to be Xia Jianren, the commander of the garrison."
Daohua was stunned for a moment: "Who? What was the name of the Tongzhi you just mentioned?"
Yan Shouhou: "Xia Jianren."
Daohua was speechless: "You lowly person, you really know how to come up with names!"
After Daohua agreed to buy the ranch, the ranch manager came to the Xia Mansion and told Xia Jianren the news.
After hearing this, Xia Jianren was very happy: "Finally, I got rid of the ranch."
The situation of Renxin Ranch, no, it should be said that the ranches around Ganzhou City are almost deserted because there is no water source and the grass does not grow well.
If the pasture cannot be used for grazing, what is the point of using it?
Nowadays, few people raise cattle and sheep on a large scale. The reason is simple: they can no longer afford it.
Nowadays, herders only raise dozens or hundreds of sheep at most.
People who have lived in Ganzhouwei for many years know the situation of the ranch, so no one would buy it. Only people like the Xiao family who came from the capital, did not understand the actual situation of Ganzhouwei, and were wealthy would buy it.
Xia Jianren shook his head and said, "Xiao Yeyang is a bit arrogant, but judging by his military training, he actually has some ability. I didn't expect him to marry such a stupid wife."
"Fifty thousand acres of pasture, I want to see what Xiao Yeyang's wife plans to do with it."
"Xiao Yeyang is so pitiful for marrying such a spendthrift woman!"
Because they spent some time at the ranch, it was already mid-afternoon when Daohua and his group returned home.
As soon as I entered the mansion, someone came over to tell me, "Madam, Master Dong has arrived and is now talking to the old master."
After hearing this, Daohua's face lit up with joy and she walked quickly towards Gu Jian's yard.
In Gu Jian's room, Dong Yuanxuan sat below, responding to Gu Jian's words with a respectful look.
He knew Sister Yan's master when he was in Zhongzhou, but he didn't have much contact with him.
It was on his way to Ganzhouwei that he heard Bu Gandang mention it and learned that Sister Yan's master was the emperor's uncle, and was recently conferred the title of Duke of Fuguo by the emperor.
This news really shocked him for a while.
“Master!”
Daohua walked into the house with a smile. After greeting Gu Jian, she looked at Dong Yuanxuan beside her and said, "Brother Dong, it's been a long time since we last met. You're still as charming as ever!"
Looking at the bright smile that was exactly the same as in his memory, Dong Yuanxuan also smiled: "I can't compare to Sister Yan. I am much more vicissitudes and rough."
Daohua smiled and said, "I haven't seen any signs of ageing, but he has become much darker. But as a man, it's okay to be a little darker."
As he spoke, he walked over and sat down next to Gu Jian.
"Brother Dong, are the old man, old lady, uncle and aunt all okay?"
Dong Yuanxuan smiled and nodded. "Everything is fine. Thank you for your concern. I came here first. They should be here in a few days. Are the old lady, Uncle Yan, and Aunt Yan all okay?"
Daohua: "Hello everyone. By the way, I received a letter from Yuan Yao before I came here. She said she was pregnant. I calculated that you will be an uncle in May next year."
Hearing this, Dong Yuanxuan's eyes lit up: "Really? That's great."
Daohua: "Sun Changze also said that he would be responsible for the business in Xiliang in the future. I think we will be able to meet in Xiliang soon."
After chatting with Dong Yuanxuan for a while, Daohua said, "Xiao Yeyang won't be back until the evening. Brother Dong must be tired after coming from Jinweiwei. Let's go to the guest house to freshen up and rest for a while."
Dong Yuanxuan nodded: "Okay."
As soon as he left, Daohua and Gu Jian talked about buying the ranch and Huangpo Mountain.
Gu Jian: "I don't really understand these things either. Just do it if you want to."
Daohua smiled and nodded.
When Xiao Yeyang heard that Dong Yuanxuan had arrived, he returned home early in the evening.
The two of them gathered in the study and talked for a long time until dinner was ready. Daohua came to call them, and then they left the room.
"Starting tomorrow, Yuan Xuan will be in charge of refugee resettlement. It's difficult for me to assign him a position right now. His public identity is to be my advisor."
In the evening, after washing up, Xiao Yeyang helped Daohua wipe her hair while talking to her about refugee resettlement.
"Yuan Xuan and I have discussed it. Refugees who are willing to stay will have their household registration directly registered in Ganzhouwei. Anyone who reclaims wasteland will be given free grain and seeds."
"Refugee resettlement is simple to say, but it's actually quite complicated. Fortunately, Yuan Xuan has learned a lot about handling government affairs from Governor Dong, so I think I can handle it more easily now."
Daohua asked, "How do you arrange for the officials in the garrison?"
Xiao Yeyang: "I lack available people around me, and I don't have time to bother with the garrison officials. They are still doing what they did before. As long as they don't get in the way of my business, I don't bother to bother with them."
Daohua: "Qin Xiaoliu should be here soon. He has brought all the grain produced at Four Seasons Villa here. You can use it all for seed."
Xiao Yeyang nodded.
Daohua suddenly thought of the Dan River and mentioned it to Xiao Yeyang: "The source of the Dan River was occupied by the Western Liao people, so the Dan River that runs through Ganzhouwei is now dry."
Xiao Yeyang said in a deep voice: "I also know about the Dan River. It is because the Dan River was taken away that there was not much reaction from the Xiliang side, which led to the Xiliao people becoming more and more presumptuous." As he said that, he snorted.
"Since Danhe is under the jurisdiction of Ganzhouwei, I will take it back sooner or later."
Daohua smiled and said, "I believe you."
Xiao Yeyang was training his troops, Dong Yuanxuan was resettling refugees, and Daohua was also busy.
"Girl, what is this?"
Yan Shouhou took the drawing handed to him by Daohua, looked at it carefully for a while, and looked at Daohua in a daze.
Daohua explained, "According to the diagram I drew, transform the five barren hillsides we purchased into terraced fields. It's not spring plowing season yet, and many people are idle at home. You can hire some temporary workers and complete the transformation of at least one hillside before the spring plowing."
Yan Shouhou knew that his daughter was good at farming, so he nodded in agreement without asking any questions.
After he left, Daohua called Cao Chuan and handed him a blueprint as well.
"This is the ranch reconstruction plan. From now on, the ranch will be called Qingyang Ranch."
"I collected some grass seeds earlier. When you get them, plant them on the pasture."
After she came to Xiliang, she planted a lot of the grass seeds she bought on the road in the space. The grass growth period is short, and the grass seeds she took out now are all produced in the space.
"The ranch is too big. If we rely on humans alone to guard it, it would be too labor-intensive. I heard that the herders here like to use sheepdogs. You can ask around. If anyone has them for sale, I'd buy a dozen or twenty to look after the ranch."
"After the grass seeds are planted, we will go to the herders around Ganzhou City to buy a batch of lambs and calves. The number is temporarily set at 100."
(End of this chapter)
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