Chapter 137
Under the warm spring sun, the people of Moshui Valley are reclaiming wasteland. Located in a river valley, the soil is fertile, but the land still needs to be domesticated and reclaimed in order to grow crops.
Mu Yuanzhou, along with the county runners and some soldiers, were distributing farm tools to the people. The curved plow and hoe could already be mass-produced. After the craftsman demonstrated them, the people exclaimed in amazement. After trying them out, they found them to be very easy to use.
Chen Yuanrong took the clerks to measure the land from a distance, and then distributed the land to the people according to the registered population. This was also considered a benefit of migration. Land and farm tools were distributed, and the people reclaimed the land themselves, and the crops they grew belonged to them for three years.
Lu Fu was a scholar and his family was relatively well-off, so when the government issued the relocation order, it was like a bolt from the blue for his family. After all, their ancestors had lived a good life in the original county, and who would want to travel all the way to this hellhole to open up wasteland?
However, what he saw after he came here changed his opinion a little. Not to mention the houses built in the county, just the curved plow in his hand was something he had never seen before.
"Ah Fu, your family is rich, why don't you hire someone to come and reclaim the land?" Someone was turning the soil nearby and saw Lu Fu and spoke up.
"No matter how much money we have, we will have nothing left after renting the house. We must leave some for my family to eat and drink. But this curved plow is often used, and so is the hoe. Old Liu, you used to do a lot of work, so are they sharper?" Lu Fu asked.
"Of course. This curved plow is much easier to use. It plows the land quickly and effectively. Look, I plowed this field in the morning. If you ask me, our county magistrate is really good." Old Liu whispered.
Lu Fu looked at the officials who were helping the people move the curved plows in the distance. He had seen many petty officials who took advantage of their power to bully others in the past, but in Qingquan County, all the officials were good.
"I have been getting close to the local people these past few days. They say that although Lord Lin is young, he is experienced in handling matters. Outsiders don't know this. Have you seen those Qiang people? Lord Lin also has a share of the credit for subduing them. I heard that the Qiang people are cruel, but when I see those who are doing the work, they are the same as us, with two eyes and one nose. I thought they really looked like evil ghosts." Old Liu talked with Lu Fu while he was working. It can be seen that he has spent a lot of time with the people of Qingquan and learned a lot of information.
"I also heard that Magistrate Lin and the captain stationed here are brothers, and they have a very good relationship. The young general we met last time is one of them. Although he looks like a young man from a noble family, he slaughtered people from two Qiang tribes." After saying this, he clicked his tongue a few times.
After listening to this, Lu Fu didn't say anything for a long time. He pondered for a moment and said, "Just work hard."
Old Liu talked to him for a long time without getting a response, so he spat and cursed, "Why are you pretending to be so noble?" Then he turned around and talked to someone else.
After plowing an acre of land carefully, Lu Fu was exhausted and sat on the edge of the field to rest. He was the only male in the family. His mother and sister were unable to do the work, so he had to rely on himself. Unexpectedly, he heard his sister calling him. When he turned around, he saw that it was his mother and sister who came to find him.
"Brother, come and eat something first, I'll do the work." Lu Shu said after putting down the jar in her hand.
"No, I'm still here. What kind of work are you doing? Wait until I finish the spring plowing and go out to find a job. How can I let you do this job?" Lu Fu's face was slightly angry.
"Chunyan next door said that she was also helping her family reclaim land. She is not as strong as me, so if she can do it, I can do it too." Lu Shu was small but stubborn. She started working before she finished her words, and Lu Fu couldn't stop her.
"Brother, we are not like before. We don't have much money left at home and can't afford to hire anyone to help. I heard the news these days that Lord Lin said that the school in the county will recruit teachers. Brother, you can try it then." She thought for a moment and said, "I heard that the school also recruits female teachers. I also want to..."
Lu Fu stood up suddenly and said, "Ah Shu, have you forgotten what happened in the past?"
"Brother, I've asked around. Lord Lin is different. I want to give it a try." Her eyes were bright and her tone was firm.
"Mother, don't you care about her?" Lu Fu was so angry that he could not do anything about his sister, so he could only ask for help from his mother who remained silent.
Mother Lu smiled and said, "It's okay to let her try. I saw Lord Lin from afar last time. He had a clear vision and a generous manner. He is a good man. Before I came here, I thought the sky was going to fall. Have we seen the house we live in before? And have we seen the farm tools used to open up the wasteland before? Although I am not well-informed, I have read a few years of books. Lord Lin is ambitious."
Lu Fu's face turned red from holding his breath. He finished his meal in silence, snatched the curved plow from Lu Shu, and went back to work.
Mother Lu smiled and said to her little daughter, "Don't worry, your brother has agreed."
Lu Shu chuckled, put away the dishes and chopsticks, and ran over to help her brother hold the curved plow to plow the field.
…
Lin Shuge was busy checking the number of registered residents. After all, the fields had to be divided according to the number of registered residents. The clerks in the county government were extremely busy, and Lin Shuge was no exception.
"Sir, word has spread about the school. Chen Kuan took the initiative to donate money, and the other merchants naturally don't want him to take all the credit. The houses in Moshui Valley have been almost completed in the past few days, so I have transferred people here to build the school." Lu Yuechuan stared at the two circles of green grass.
Lin Shuge looked up and saw the dark circles under his eyes. He laughed and said, "Achuan, go back and rest early today. If you stay up longer, you can become a panda."
"panda?"
"Oh, it's the bear." Lin Shuge said casually.
"Sir, have you ever been to Shu?" Lu Yuechuan obviously knew what a panda was and looked at Lin Shuge curiously.
"No, I've seen it in a book." Lin Shuge explained quickly.
Lu Yuechuan said "Oh" and lowered his head to continue working.
"Sir, there is a foreign merchant outside the city who calls himself Dabu. He says he is familiar with you and wants to meet you." An officer came in to report.
"What?" Lin Shuge stood up from his chair excitedly, "Quick, let him in."
"Because they are foreign merchants, the guards at the city gate dare not let them pass..." the officer replied.
"Have someone bring him here." Lin Shuge was excited. There has been no news about Dabu for such a long time. I hope he can bring some good things this time.
"What is this, sir?"
"Achuan, do you still remember the cotton I asked you to see? The seeds were found by me, Todabu. I also asked him to pay more attention to other seeds and bring as many as he can. If you bring more cotton seeds this time, we can arrange for the people in the county to plant them. It doesn't matter if the quantity is small in the first year. In a few years, the people in the county will plant a few acres of it at home, which will be another source of income." Lin Shuge's voice could not hide his excitement. It was not just cotton. If potatoes could be found, it would bring more vitality.
A moment later, the officer came in with Dabu.
"Sir, please forgive me for not having any news for such a long time. Some seeds are really hard to find, so I asked the merchants in my tribe to look everywhere for the seeds you mentioned." As soon as Dabu came in, he opened his arms, as if he wanted to hug her.
Lin Shuge was unmoved, his eyes only focused on the seeds he mentioned, "Where are the seeds? Let me see."
"Sir, I haven't finished yet. I went to Ganzhou to look for you, but Lord Zhou said you were transferred to Qingquan County. I had no choice but to come here with great difficulty, but I was stopped outside the city."
Lin Shuge listened to his complaint with amusement, "Qingquan is not like Ganzhou. There are customs markets set up there for trading with the countries in the Western Regions. You can enter as long as you have the permit, but you can't enter here."
"That's a shame."
"Stop talking nonsense. Where are the seeds you mentioned?" Lin Shuge really didn't want to play witty games with him. He just wanted to see the seeds.
"Okay, sir, follow me." Dabu walked in front with his head held high. Lin Shuge smiled and sighed, and he and Lu Yuechuan followed behind him.
There were several trucks of goods parked outside the county government office. Dabu pointed to one of the lanes and said, "Sir, these are all seeds."
Lin Shuge felt a little nervous for some reason. The officer came forward and opened a few cloth bags. Lin Shuge leaned over and saw the potatoes at a glance. Except that they were a little smaller, they looked almost the same as those in later generations.
He picked up a potato and said excitedly: "Achuan, this yield is very high. If we plant more, the people can also fill their stomachs."
Lu Yuechuan also picked one up, looked at it left and right, and could only see that it was the rhizome of a plant, but seeing Lin Shuge so excited, he nodded.
"And there are the cotton seeds that the adults mentioned. This type of seeds is the most common. These big bags are full of them. There are some others that I don't know what they are. I have also found them all according to the adults' instructions." Dabu said proudly.
"Dabu, you've worked hard, thank you." Lin Shuge asked people to unload all the seeds, and said sincerely.
"Your Excellency is too polite. If you really want to thank me, you might as well arrange a place for me to stay so that we can have a good rest and then have a meal." He winked at Lin Shuge and hinted.
Lin Shuge immediately asked someone to take Dabu and his party to the post station, and asked the county government's cook to accompany them. The cook had learned a lot of skills from Lin Shuge, which came in handy.
After Dabu left, Lu Yuechuan, who had been holding back from speaking, asked Lin Shuge. Lin Shuge was in a good mood and told him the benefits of potatoes one by one. Lu Yuechuan was so excited that he wished he could plant them in the soil immediately to see how they grow.
"Achuan, take a few home and try planting them. Remember to cut them into small pieces after they sprout. Make sure each piece has a sprouting point. Soak them in water for four hours before planting, then dry them before planting. The soil should also be..."
Lin Shuge talked a lot, and Lu Yuechuan smiled and said, "Why don't you write a note so that I can try planting according to your instructions."
"Okay, then you'll know why I'm so happy." His mind was full of various ways to cook the potatoes after they were grown. Unfortunately, there were only so many of them, not even enough to use as seeds, and he couldn't eat them lavishly.
"How do you plan to test-plant cotton and potatoes, sir?" The two returned to the county government office. Lu Yuechuan looked at Lin Shuge and asked the question that was in his mind.
"Zhongxuan is also having people cultivate the land in Pingxiang. I plan to find some fertile land in Pingxiang and Moshui Valley to try planting. I'll hire experienced farmers and county officials to manage it, and have them report to me on the growth situation every few days." Lin Shuge regained his composure now, thought for a moment and replied.
"Sir, are you not going to try it in the county?"
"Achuan, the people are used to growing wheat and millet. It is difficult to ask them to give up a few acres of land for growing grain to plant these crops that we don't know how they will perform. Pingxiang and Moshui Valley are both being reclaimed for the first time, so it is easier to promote. Besides, there are not many seeds. I will release the news after they see the benefits this year, and they will naturally be willing by then." Lin Shuge said earnestly.
The popularization of cotton in later generations was also forcibly promoted by the highest rulers of the dynasty. In ancient times, grain was not easy to obtain, and the people's acceptance of new grain was not high.
Lu Yuechuan nodded, then stared at the potatoes in his hand in a daze. Can this thing really produce two or three hundred kilograms per mu? I really want to see it.
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