Yang Haiyan was entertaining Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Yang.
Although Lieutenant Lu and Lieutenant Yang were now of the seventh rank, the court did not allocate residences to Lieutenants of the seventh rank, so they had no house in Yunxiang County. Logically, they had to buy or rent one by themselves.
However, Lieutenant Lu and Lieutenant Yang were centurions before, with a monthly salary of only one or two silver coins. They also had children to raise at home, so it was impossible for them to save money to buy a house in the county. Therefore, Yang Haiyan separated two courtyards from the general's mansion for them to live in.
The general's mansion occupies a large area. In Yang Haiyan's opinion, it is larger than the village of the border manor. So even if two courtyards were separated for Lieutenant Lu and Lieutenant Yang's family, it would not affect them at all.
Because the courtyards were separated and surrounded by walls, they were equivalent to being independent. If Lieutenant Lu and Lieutenant Yang's family wanted to come to the General's Mansion, they had to go around the outer wall of the General's Mansion, which would take a quarter of an hour to walk. Moreover
, on the other side of the wall between Lieutenant Lu's family and Lieutenant Yang's family was the orchard and vegetable garden of the General's Mansion, and it was also far away from the courtyards of the masters of the General's Mansion.
Because the men in the family had returned, the two families had truly settled down, so they came today and brought some gifts to the General's Mansion to thank Yang Haiyan for letting them live in the courtyard. Otherwise, whether they buy or rent a house, it will be a big expense.
But they are happy when they think that their husbands are officials now and have a monthly salary of eight taels of silver.
Mrs. Lu brought her homemade bacon, which Yang Haiyan told her when she was in the Centurion Family District. Mrs. Lu said, "This bacon has just been made, so I brought it to you for your enjoyment. Please don't dislike it. To be honest, this method was taught to me by you."
Yang Haiyan asked Nanny Lian to take the bacon: "How could I dislike it? I was planning to make it, but I was busy these days and put it off for a while, so I forgot about it. To be honest, I also like eating bacon." Nowadays, there are very few people who don't like eating bacon.
Mrs. Yang said, "So it was you who taught me the method, but Sister Lu's cooking skills are really good. We have also tasted it, and my son kept praising the delicious bacon." Mrs. Yang didn't know how to make these things. She sent a set of clothes she made herself, from clothes to shoes. The material of the dress is also good. It can be said that Mrs. Yang herself would not wear such good material. "This is the dress I made myself. The weather is getting hot, and it is just right for this season. Please don't dislike it."
When Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Yang came to deliver the gifts, they knew each other. Their men all worked for Qin Fang, and the relationship between the two families was also good, so they would discuss before delivering the gifts. If the difference was too big, it would be embarrassing for both of them, so it was better to discuss.
The dress made by Mrs. Yang was a glass red long skirt. Not only was the color beautiful, but what surprised Yang Haiyan the most was Mrs. Yang's embroidery, which was better than hers. Her embroidery was inherited from the original owner, who was taught by a master in the Yang Taifu mansion. An embroiderer who could work in the Yang Taifu mansion could be said to be a famous master, so the original owner's embroidery was good.
But when she saw Mrs. Yang's embroidery, she knew what the master level was. "Your embroidery is at the level of a master." When she was at the border, she felt that this Mrs. Yang was different from the ordinary centurion wives. She understood more etiquette and manners than the ordinary centurion wives. After seeing her embroidery, Yang Haiyan was now convinced that Mrs. Yang's family must have some background.
Mrs. Lu also took a few glances and couldn't help but praise: "Sister Yang's embroidery is really good. For a rough person like me, let alone making clothes, even if I touch such soft materials, I am worried that the materials will be damaged."
The hands of the embroiderer are also very particular. The hands of the embroiderer must be soft and smooth, otherwise, as Mrs. Lu said, what if you damage other people's materials? If the hands are rough, once they touch the good materials, they will leave marks on the surface of the materials, such as pulling out the threads or something. Following
Mrs. Lu's words, Yang Haiyan looked at Mrs. Yang's hands. The hands were well maintained, and it was obvious that they were the hands of someone who didn't work.
This surprised Yang Haiyan even more.
Mrs. Yang seems to have a straightforward and quick personality, but she must have a meticulous heart. With such embroidery, the Yang family must have a good life. You know, in ancient times, if the embroidery was good, the embroidery products were very valuable. It seems that she overestimated herself and underestimated others before.
Mrs. Yang smiled and explained: "My mother used to be an embroiderer in a noble family, specializing in making clothes for the master. Later, when she was about the age, her age was a bit of a problem, so she returned home and was betrothed. After I was born, my mother taught me embroidery since I was a child, so I have been learning embroidery for some years."
Yang Haiyan heard that being an embroiderer in a noble family must be of extraordinary level. And with such a level, even if she leaves the noble family, the family she is betrothed to will not be an ordinary person. Besides, Mrs. Yang's mother must have money on her side. Judging from Mrs. Yang's hands, she must have been well-fed since she was a child.
"Speaking of which, it was fate that I could marry my husband. Once, when I was out, I met a scoundrel, and my husband saved me, so we got engaged." He saved her, and she fell in love with him. Even though their statuses were very different at the time, she did not despise him. Mrs. Yang was good at embroidery, and she often sold her embroidery to supplement her family, so the conditions of the Yang family were actually good. Now that Captain Yang's conditions were good, she had also made it.
Yang Haiyan felt like she was listening to a story after listening to the story of Mrs. Yang and Captain Yang. She felt that Captain Yang was the hero in modern male-oriented novels, a poor boy who was favored by a rich girl and then had a smooth life.
Mrs. Lu said, "That's a really good story."
Yang Haiyan said, "That's right."
The three chatted for a while, and then Nanny Lian's voice came from outside: "Madam, Niu Da is back."
Upon hearing that Niu Da was back, Yang Haiyan was happy: "He's finally back."
Seeing this, Mrs. Yang and Mrs. Lu said, "If you have something to do, we won't bother you. Come visit another day."
Yang Haiyan didn't keep them, but asked Nanny Lian to prepare some homemade kimchi and pickled radish for them.
The pickled cabbage and pickled radish made by Yang Haiyan were delicious and went well with
rice. Mrs. Yang and Mrs. Lu had eaten a lot of them on the way from the border to Yunxiang County, and they happily collected them. After they left, Yang Haiyan went to the orchard. Niu Da had already called people to transport the fruit trees into the orchard. Seeing Yang Haiyan coming, Niu Da went over and saluted: "Hello, Madam."
Yang Haiyan said: "No need to be polite, you have worked hard all the way, but you still have to work hard for a few days to plant these fruit trees before you can rest."
Niu Da laughed and said: "It's not hard, I am happy to see them grow well." As a lifelong farmer, he likes to see the crops grow well the most.
Yang Haiyan knew that he was most concerned about his two sons, so she didn't say much about him and turned the topic to his sons: "Regarding your two sons, I have talked to the general. The general said that as long as they are in good health, they can go there. If they can't adapt to the training in the barracks, they can go to the vegetable garden of the barracks as logistics soldiers."
At this point, Niu Da became excited: "Madam, I have discussed this matter with Niu Yi and Niu Er. Niu Yi is willing to go to the general's barracks, but Niu Er wants to follow me to farm." His son did not want to join the army, and he had no choice.
Yang Haiyan said: "Then the general's mansion and the barracks' manor will be handed over to you and your son in charge. When you need to work on the land, the guards in the mansion and the soldiers in the barracks can be used. You just need to arrange their affairs."
Niu Da certainly had no objection to this: "I will follow Madam's arrangement."
Yang Haiyan thought about it and said: "Why not give Niu Er the title of the barracks vegetable garden manager, so that he can get a monthly salary. After he gets the hang of it, he can still be independent and it is also a decent job." It is better than running behind Niu Da.
Niu Da was touched and said, "Madam, you are so thoughtful. Niu Er, come here and thank Madam."
Niu Er was a simple and honest man. Except for the time when he chose between being a soldier and farming, he followed his father's arrangements. At this moment, he also heard Yang Haiyan's arrangement, the position of the manager of the military camp vegetable garden made him feel very face-saving, and he thought farming was really good. "Thank you, Madam."
Yang Haiyan smiled and said, "You don't have to thank me. In the future, you just need to plant crops in the military camp and feed the soldiers."
Niu Er: "I will work hard."
In the evening, during dinner, Yang Haiyan mentioned the matter of Niu Da to Qin Fang.
Qin Fang had no objection: "Then let Niu Yi go to the barracks, Niu Er go to manage the barracks' crops, and let Doctor Li check Niu Yi's body first."
After Doctor Li arrived in Yunxiang County, he lived in the General's Mansion. Yang Haiyan gave him a courtyard, and Doctor Li became the general's mansion's doctor. Originally, Yang Haiyan wanted to match him with a servant, but he refused. Now there are only him and Miss Li in his courtyard. Miss Li has learned some medical skills from her surroundings, and now she helps Doctor Li, which is equivalent to his medicine boy. Doctor
Li is not only the general's mansion's doctor, but he is also responsible for the physical examination of the soldiers in the barracks. Although Qin Fang didn't know what physical examinations and annual examinations were, because Yang Haiyan was more concerned about his health, he applied this to the soldiers in the barracks. He couldn't afford to give the soldiers a medicinal bath every year, but he could still give them a physical examination every year.
It must be said that the barracks' arrangement for this has attracted more men to apply for soldiers, because ordinary people don't have the opportunity to see a doctor once a year. The barracks can provide soldiers with a free physical examination every year, which is a benefit that ordinary people can't ask for. Therefore, they are willing to come just for this benefit.
Yang Haiyan said, "Well, I'll talk to Niu Da. If Niu Yi is in good health, let him report to the barracks tomorrow."
Qin Fang: "Okay. The barracks will be fully built in half a month. When will the construction of the barracks manor start?"
Yang Haiyan: "I don't know about this. You have to ask Niu Da and see what he arranges. At present, the food that the soldiers eat is purchased from the countryside. Not to mention, the people of Yunxiang County eat a lot of food. Some of it is eaten up year after year, and if they can't eat it all, they dry it." Food that can be preserved for a long time after being dried, such as dried sweet potatoes and potatoes.
Qin Shoucheng listened to them and interrupted: "Then when the military camp purchases food this time, can't they buy back the food accumulated by the people?"
Yang Haiyan said: "Yes. But it's only one year. In the second half of the year, the crops in the military camp's manor will be harvested, and then no one will buy the food of the people."
Qin Shoucheng was curious: "Then can we buy the food of the people and use the manor for other purposes?"
Yang Haiyan smiled and shook her head: "Your idea is good Yes, but it’s cheaper for us to grow our own food than to buy it. And this is not just for one or two days, or one or two years. In the long run, it doesn’t make sense to buy it. Besides, they have to find a way to sell the food they can’t sell themselves. They can’t wait for others to find a solution for them. After all, they have to live their own lives, the food is theirs, and the money they receive is also theirs. "So, they can’t expect others to find a solution for them.
Qin Siya was puzzled: "Brother, why do you think so much? This is not our family’s business." Qin Siya didn’t think so much. She was a person who was particularly easy to satisfy. As long as she had food to eat, it was fine.
Qin Shoucheng didn’t say anything. He was a man, and of course his ideas were different from Qin Siya’s.
Qin Fang glanced at Qin Shoucheng and said, "If you want to change this situation, there is a way."
Qin Shoucheng asked hurriedly, "What way?"
Not to mention Qin Shoucheng, even Yang Haiyan looked at Qin Fang curiously. It was rare that he would think about this.
Qin Fang said, "When you have the ability, you can change this situation. You don't have the ability now, you can only rely on others to change, but why should others help them change? So you can work hard on your own. When you have the ability, you don't have to rely on others, you can change yourself. You study hard, take the exams for scholars, judges, and Jinshi, and then become a local official. When you become a local official, you have the responsibility and ability to change for everyone."
Yang Haiyan understood that this was Qin Fang's method of education.
Qin Shoucheng nodded heavily: "Well, I will work hard."
After dinner, Qin Fang called Niu Da, and the two discussed the military camp and manor. It is already the end of April, and the military camp and manor cannot be delayed, so after discussion, the 800 soldiers in the military camp were divided into pairs to work in the manor.
In a blink of an eye, a month passed, and it was the end of May.
Not only was the military camp in Yunxiang County built, but the 1,000 mu military camp and manor were also planted with crops. Because for soldiers, food is more important, and vegetables and the like are secondary, so of the 1,000 mu of land, except for 200 mu of high-quality land, the remaining 800 mu are planted with sweet potatoes and potatoes. Potatoes in May can be harvested in August. Sweet potatoes in May can be harvested in October. Because of the location, these two hundred acres of prime land were converted into paddy fields by Niu Da, which were just right for growing rice in May. Rice in May, a good harvest in October.
In total, a thousand acres of paddy fields were taken care of by several hundred soldiers in the military camp, and they were all completed in just three or four days. It must be said that the speed was fast enough.
In addition to Niu Er's family living in the military camp manor, the soldiers also took turns to guard the thousand acres of land. Each group of people guarded for ten days, and a group of people was a hundred people.
Although no one dared to act recklessly in the military camp manor, it also needed people to work, so the soldiers took turns to work while guarding it.
Niu Er was in charge of the military camp manor, and Niu Da was in charge of the manor of the general's mansion. When the apple and pear trees were transported to the General's Mansion, there were more than 160 trees in total. However, after a month, only more than 120 trees survived, and more than 40 died. In addition to apple and pear trees, watermelons were also planted in the General's Mansion orchard. The watermelon seeds this time were divided into two batches. One batch was provided by Yang Haiyan, which was the leftover seeds from last year, that is, platform seeds, falsely claimed to be peddler seeds. Another batch was collected by Niu Da himself. Whether it was watermelon, cauliflower, broccoli, or tomato, Niu Da collected seeds. No one knew whether these seeds could be successfully planted, but seeds did need to be collected and then slowly figured out.
Otherwise, Yang Haiyan can't always use traveling merchants as an excuse. They didn't go to the Yongzhou market this year, so they couldn't come up with other fancy seeds.
East Suburb Barracks
"General, one hundred people have been arranged and can set off immediately." Captain Yang gathered a hundred soldiers. Today Qin Fang is going to go up the mountain to investigate the situation. Every winter, the wild beasts will go down the mountain. If this situation is not resolved, the city wall of the county will be repaired in vain.
Qin Fang hummed: "Everyone get ready and follow me." As he said, he jumped on the horse, "Let's go... marry..."
He has a horse, but the soldiers don't have horses. Qin Fang set out from the Yongzhou Barracks in March, and he was only allocated fifty ordinary horses there, so horses are very important in the barracks. An ordinary horse costs sixty taels of silver. If a thousand people are equipped, it will cost six thousand taels of silver.
"Drive..." Tao Shan followed Qin Fang.
Captain Yang led his men and ran behind him: "Everyone, get ready to go."
"Let's go."
The remaining 900 people stayed in the barracks, watching the figures of Qin Fang and others getting farther and farther away.
Captain Lu said: "Everyone, stand guard. Even if there are no enemies here, we can't relax. The general said that if they come back with a big harvest, everyone will drink meat soup."
"Drink meat soup...drink meat soup..."
The soldiers were excited.
Beast Mountain
I don't know why, the closer Qin Fang got to Beast Mountain, the more he felt uneasy. This was an intuition, and this intuition was hard to explain. He felt at the foot of Beast Mountain, as if he was being monitored.
There is actually a large field at the foot of the Beast Mountain. These fields originally belonged to someone. But now they are abandoned because the owner does not have the courage to grow crops here, for fear that wild animals will run down the mountain and eat people.
When Qin Fang was about to dismount, Wu Shuai called out uneasily. Qin Fang touched its head: "Don't worry, I won't go up the mountain, I'll just check nearby. You should go a little further away and come back when I call you."
Wu Shuai called out a few more times before he calmed down.
Qin Fang got off his horse: "Go ahead, go a little further away and come back later."
Wu Shuai called out a few more times, rubbed his head against Qin Fang, and refused to leave.
Tao Shan: "Wushuai is really smart."
Qin Fang hummed, took out a handful of soybeans from his bag, put them on a plate, and then put them on the ground: "Eat it, and stay aside after you finish eating. I'll give you corn when there's corn in the second half of the year." Wushuai is usually well-fed, because horses have a poor digestive system, so they are very particular about their food. Not only Wushuai, but in fact, all the horses in the barracks are raised more meticulously than humans. It's better to let people go hungry than let horses go hungry.
Wushuai smelled the soybeans, then opened his mouth and ate them.
Qin Fang began to investigate nearby, and during this investigation, he found some clues. At the foot of the mountain, you can see some animal excrement, which shows that these animals often go down the mountain. Then, Qin Fang approached the mountain again. The grass on the mountain was very dense. Such dense grass could easily hide dangerous wild animals, so Qin Fang was not in a hurry to go up. He drew his knife and cut the grass in a few strokes.
Seeing this, Tao Shan also took out his sword and began to cut the grass: "General, the grass is so lush, this Beast Mountain must have been uninhabited for a long time."
Qin Fang said: "Yes, if people came here often, the grass and trees at the foot of the mountain would have been picked up by the common people as firewood. But, this is not important. What is important is that since no one has set foot in this Beast Mountain for twenty years, and there are so many prey here, why do the beasts attack the county town in winter instead of eating these weak animals? Shouldn't it be like this for these beasts?"
Tao Shan smiled innocently: "General, what you said makes sense. Why didn't I think of it at first? Then General, they must have a reason for doing this."
Qin Fang stopped talking and cut all the lush grass in the nearby area.
"General..." Captain Yang arrived with a hundred soldiers.
Qin Fang said, "Take them to check at the foot of the mountain. I found some wild animal feces nearby. Judging from the dryness and wetness, they should have been left in the past few days. Therefore, wild animals may come down the mountain at any time. Be careful that they will attack you."
Captain Yang: "Yes."
Captain Yang divided the hundred people into ten teams, with ten people in each team. If anything happened, they would send a signal bomb. The well-trained soldiers went out for patrol separately.
On the first day, everyone found nothing special except cutting grass, because the weeds that were taller than people blocked their vision too much. When they heard some noise, they didn't find anything when they passed by.
The quick soldiers did manage to shoot pheasants and rabbits with their bows, and some even found quite a few pheasant eggs, but nothing else.
At the end of the day, they had cut down a large area of grass nearby, and the foot of the mountain looked clean. Captain Yang said
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