Lin Yiheng, Pan Qingfeng, and Wu Xingwang, father and son, took the initiative to go forward.
"I have long admired the name of Patriarch Chen. It is truly an honor for Longtan that you have come from so far away." Lin Yinan said with a polite smile.
Chen Xianming cupped his hands and laughed heartily, "Lord Lin, you're too kind."
"Longtan was able to recruit so many people entirely thanks to the strong support of Patriarch Chen." Lin Yinan always liked to speak directly.
The Chen family had lived in Yongqing City for generations. Although their family background could not compare with some of the powerful families in Nanzhou Prefecture, their strength was not to be underestimated.
With his help in connecting people, I believe Longtan will develop even faster.
Hearing her words, Chen Xianming secretly clicked his tongue in amazement; this woman's appearance was too deceptive.
If it weren't for the two jars of salt, the rice threshing machine, and the rice stalks bent under the weight of the rice in the fields outside the city that Gu'er brought back, he would have only seen her as more intelligent than the average woman based on her appearance alone.
The Chen family has been steadily and firmly established in Nanman Prefecture for generations, never looking down on anyone.
The old saying is true: the wise are taciturn, while the foolish are eloquent. Often, the most formidable enemies are those seemingly insignificant figures.
After exchanging pleasantries, the group took their seats.
Chika served tea and fruit to everyone.
Chen Gu understood his father's purpose in coming here. After drinking a cup of tea, he went straight to the point and explained their purpose.
"The north is in great turmoil, and the supply and demand of grain and salt are tight, with prices remaining high. Our Longtan has its own salt fields and can produce high-quality salt. My father and I have come here specifically to discuss cooperation with Lord Lin."
Chen Xianming nodded, "At this time, the price of salt has risen to 250 wen, and the salt in the south is completely controlled by the Yu family."
This price was unaffordable for many ordinary people. The government monopolized the mining and sale of salt. In addition to buying slightly cheaper smuggled salt, some people would also extract salt by drying it in the soil in places where people and animals frequently relieved themselves.
It sounds unbelievable, but it really is true.
Lin Yinan nodded slightly to Wu Xingwang and his son, indicating that they should discuss the matter with the Chen family.
She believed that they could secure the greatest benefits for Longtan.
Wu Xingwang said, "Our city lord has already set the price for salt: sixty coins per catty for coarse salt and eighty coins per catty for fine salt."
Chen Xianming gasped in shock.
So cheap? Did he overestimate the price of salt outside? Does she even know the current price of salt?
Even if they get their goods from the Yu family, the price will still be 180 wen per catty.
"I wonder how much salt can Longtan produce in a month?" Chen Xianming wondered, wondering if Lord Lin was planning a one-off deal.
Lin Yinan smiled slightly and said, "Currently, the output is not very high, about 800,000 catties per month."
Chen Xianming's eyes widened immediately. What did he mean by "current production is not high"? It meant that future production would exceed 800,000 jin.
The total population of the entire southern region is no more than one million. Adding the unregistered servants of the major noble families, the total population is one million two to three hundred thousand.
If Longtan can do a good job, the southern region can achieve complete autonomy in salt production and sell it to other areas in the south.
Thinking of this, Chen Xianming's eyes lit up. "I wonder how the City Lord wishes to cooperate?"
Lin Yinan took a sip of tea and smiled faintly. "I can entrust the entire Southern Region to the Chen family for management, but the areas outside the Southern Region will be handled by our Longtan people. I wonder if Patriarch Chen can accept this?"
Chen Xianming thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Lord Lin is benevolent and righteous, I have no objection to that, and I can accept it."
Thinking of the convenient and fast rice threshing machine, Chen Gu couldn't sit still when he saw his father remain silent for a long time.
"Lord Lin, how much does that rice threshing machine cost?"
Meeting his calm gaze, Lin Yinan said unhurriedly, "You must have already experienced the benefits of the foot-operated rice threshing machine. This thing was invented by Longtan and can also be sold by you. As for how you sell it, I don't care. I only want 40% of your sales profits."
Lin Yinan knew that agriculture was mostly controlled by powerful families at this time, and even if she wanted to sell agricultural machinery separately, farmers with land could not afford it.
Chen Xianming and his son exchanged a glance, both of them very interested in the proposal.
Finally, considering the low price of Longtan salt that Longtan gave them, Chen Xianming gritted his teeth and decided to take the major.
"Okay, I'll take the agency rights for this threshing machine."
Lin Yinan said with a smile, "Patriarch Chen is a very generous person. To thank you for your trust and support of Dilongtan, I have something else to give you."
"What is it?" Chen Gu looked at Lin Yinan with bright eyes.
After several encounters, he realized that anything Longtan could offer was bound to be of high quality.
"Qu Yuanli." Lin Yinan said.
Chen Xianming didn't hear clearly, "What?"
Wu Yuan quickly said, "Chen family, how about I take you to see it? This is definitely a good thing."
"Let's go take a look."
Chen Xianming was also a man of action. Upon hearing this, he stood up from his chair and followed Wu Yuan out of the council hall.
When the group arrived at the fields behind the county government office, they saw that large areas of rice fields had already been harvested, and farmers were plowing the fields with oxen.
Despite the muddy ridges, Chen Xianming didn't mind at all. He took off his shoes and, with the help of his son and housekeeper, walked towards the nearest farmer who was plowing the field.
The farmer was seen harnessing a plow to an ox, but this plow was different from the straight-shafted plows they were used to.
The farmer cracked his whip, and the ox began to pull the plow, easily turning over the soil wherever it went.
This thing plows the land incredibly fast. It was invented by Chen Xianming, and most importantly, it's not tiring at all.
"You call this a curved plow?" Chen Xianming asked Wu Yuan, pointing to something in the field.
Wu Yuan said, "That's right. The curved plow is lighter and more compact than the straight plow we usually use, making it easier to turn around and make turns."
Chen Xianming and his son also saw what he said.
With this, the time spent plowing the land can be greatly reduced.
After Chen Xianming and his son left, Lin Yinan went back to the backyard to breastfeed the baby. She was now a walking baby bottle; she could sense the baby waking up and crying.
The group returned to the council chamber and quickly finalized a cooperation plan for the foot-operated rice threshing machine.
Longtan provided the patent drawings, the Chen family was responsible for production and sales, and Longtan received 30% of the profits.
After everything was agreed upon, Chen Xianming hesitated for a long time before finally asking the question that had been bothering him.
"Lord of the City, how did you manage to achieve a bumper harvest in the very first season of planting in Longtan?"
Lin Yinan smiled and looked at Lin Yiheng, asking, "We used a new method to grow naturally high-yield crops. The last batch of millet that was dried yesterday has also been put into storage. Have the yield per mu been released yet?"
"It's out. 1,500 mu, with an average yield of almost 210 jin per mu," Lin Yiheng said.
The Chen father and son were both taken aback when they heard this; it was actually more than they had estimated.
"Then could you teach us this method?" Chen Xianming asked cautiously.
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