Qiao Xin might not be sure about other aspects, but when it comes to agriculture, she has nothing to fear!
Anhua County is not a very big place, not even as big as the Yumancang Commercial Street she developed in Beijing.
Being small has its advantages. A small boat is easier to turn around. If things don't go well in one direction, there will be light in the other. If you can't play well, don't force it and just get together!
It was impossible for her to beg others for help; she had to make her own way.
"Madam, we haven't found a suitable house yet. How about we buy this house from President Meng at a reasonable price?"
Shunzi felt that this was the most appropriate solution at the moment, and believed that President Meng would not refuse.
Qiao Xin shook her head: "No, it's not gentlemanly to force someone to do something. Magistrate Wu, can you lend me your county's geomancer?"
Although Magistrate Wu was puzzled as to what Qiao Xin wanted to do with the geomancer at this moment, he was tactful enough not to ask any more questions and directly ordered the servant to go to the study to get it.
Xu Can asked casually, "Why do you keep looking for a geomancy map when buying a house?"
Qiao Xin smiled and said, "You'll know in a moment!"
......
Only Guan Guanze, Xu Can, Shunzi, Magistrate Wu, and Chairman Meng were left in the study. Even the servants were dismissed.
Qiao Xin pointed to a place ten miles southeast of Anhua County and asked Magistrate Wu: "How big is this piece of land? Is it owned by someone?"
Magistrate Wu thought for a moment and shook his head: "No, the total population of Anhua County is less than 20,000, and 60% of them live in the county town alone. This area looks big, but there are a lot of sand and gravel, and only grass grows. It can neither grow crops nor tea trees. No one is interested in it."
"Now someone has taken a fancy to it, but I wonder if Magistrate Wu can decide to sell it?"
Magistrate Wu was dumbfounded. "Sell... Who would be interested in this piece of wasteland where nothing can be done?"
Qiao Xin turned to look at him and said with a smile, "Just because wasteland cannot be used to grow crops doesn't mean that other things cannot be done! I just wonder if County Magistrate Wu is interested in moving to another place. You see, this county government office is old and shabby, and it's very small. The public security is also a problem. Why don't we build a new one?"
County Magistrate Wu did not dare to respond. He was so poor that he could not even afford to build the government office, let alone rebuild it!
“The county government office is a little old, but it can be used as a temporary residence and office space!”
"Just because it was okay before doesn't mean it will be okay in the future. In the past few days since Master Wu came back, don't you feel that there are many more things to do than before? We are short of manpower and energy!"
"That's true, but once this group of people leave, things will return to how they were before. Being busy is only temporary."
Qiao Xin leaned back in the chair and said frankly, "Once we build two new commercial streets and move the government office there, I'm afraid we'll have to face such a busy scene every day!"
Xu Can and the others were dumbfounded. "Rebuild... two streets? Madam, are you serious?"
Qiao Xin looked at him and smiled, "Do you think I'm joking? Instead of begging others to give us a piece of land, why not raise some money and build a new commercial district?
I am too lazy to deal with them. You can sell it if you want. If you don’t want to sell it, then forget it. We can use it to rebuild the county town.
When Fuzhuan tea is produced in large quantities in the future, the population of Anhua County will inevitably increase dramatically, and many departments will need to be established. Do you think this county government can meet the demand? Wouldn't it be in line with the times to change the place?"
Magistrate Wu blinked, and his cognition seemed to have been broken!
He spent so much time and energy dealing with the aristocratic families, said all the nice things and put on all the smiles, but in the end he got half the result with twice the effort and achieved little.
After hearing what Qiao Xin said, he suddenly realized that he had actually been following the rules set by others and was being led by the nose.
Now that I have jumped out of that circle and looking back, I feel so stupid. Why couldn’t I make some new rules?
Aren't you going to give up an inch? Then I'll gather a group of like-minded people to play, you play yours, I play mine, and we'll see who wins in the end?
"Madam, do you want me to move the county government office here?"
"Yes, I have been wandering around these days and have a general understanding of the surrounding situation. This place is the most suitable. There are civilians living in straw huts scattered around here. There are not many people, so it is easy to settle them. It is only ten miles away from the current county seat. If you want to come to Anhua County, this is a must-go place.
More importantly, this piece of land currently belongs to the government. I have bought all the land except the county government office and the county school!"
Qiao Xin drew a circle on the feng shui map and circled the land she liked.
While estimating the area and thinking about how much money he would need to raise, he spent money lavishly.
Magistrate Wu swallowed his saliva and asked in disbelief, "Madam, are you planning to build a second Yumancang Commercial Street?"
Qiao Xin stared at him and said seriously, "One Yumancang is enough. There is no need for Anhua County to copy the model in Kyoto. It's different."
Qiao Xin plans to build a tea distribution market here. Tea from the north and south can be traded here, and then consider whether to go to the border tea farm or go south or north!
With the establishment of tea-horse farms, the demand for tea has only increased. Behind this is the policy support of the court. Following the court's policy, you can always get the first batch of dividends.
The geographical location of Anhua County is not bad. It is only a hundred miles away from the official road often taken by the caravans.
Who can say that in the future our place won’t be favored by the imperial court and set up as a new transit point?
Qiao Xin rolled up the map and sighed, "Of course, this is just a plan of mine at the moment, and nothing has been done yet. I hope you can keep it secret for the time being.
But I have to get the land and build a house here to live in, so that someone else won't get there first.
Xu Can, aren't you going to donate to build a county school? Choose the land first so I can reserve it for you. Make a decision as soon as possible, or there may be no place left!"
"Isn't this the idea I just came up with? How come there is no room left?" Xu Can was shocked.
Qiao Xin glanced at him and said, "Once this plan is officially put on the table, do you think you are the only one thinking about it? My granddaughters and eldest grandson have long been asking me to find them new ways to make money. Do you think they will follow suit when the time comes?"
If a commercial street is really established, once more people come, they will need places to eat, drink, defecate and urinate. Then won’t service industries such as inns, restaurants, snack shops, clothing shops, etc. come along?
Look at the only inn in Anhua County. Not only is it shabby, but the service attitude is also extremely poor. Doesn’t it rely on the fact that it runs a unique business?
It's not that others don't want to open an inn, but here, the aristocratic families have already divided the doors. Except for the designated family, if anyone else dares to open an inn, they will close it down the next day.
Local merchants are afraid of their power, but Qiao Xin and Xu Can are not afraid!
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