"Oh, is that so? We'll help you buy them later. I wonder what the price is for dried mushrooms?"
"One hundred and twenty coins per catty, we'll buy as many as you have."
"Okay, we understand. But we don't have many copper coins left, and we've run out of silver. We won't have money to pay for the mushroom harvest later."
Qin Yingying manages the family finances. Apart from the banknote, all the money is in Qin Yingying's hands and is managed and disposed of by her. Therefore, she is very clear about the family's financial situation.
"No need to rush. If someone delivers ground mushrooms, you can accept them and keep a record of the transaction. I'll go to town to exchange the banknotes, and then we'll have money to use."
Zhao Xian didn't want to use the silver note, but it seems he has no choice. Even if Xiao Sheng and Xiao Shan bring back the silver after delivering the kimchi, it probably won't be enough to pay for the dried mushrooms.
As they were talking, they saw the village head walking towards them, accompanied by Magistrate Cao and his advisor.
The magistrate and his advisor have come to the village so early; is there something important going on?
"Greetings, Magistrate Cao. Greetings, Advisor." Zhao Xian stepped forward to greet them, and Qin Shiyu and Qin Yingying also went over and bowed in greeting.
“Young Master Zhao, there’s no need for formalities. I’ve come here to ask you for a favor,” Magistrate Cao said, getting straight to the point without any pleasantries.
"Your Excellency, please speak freely. Zhao Xian will do his utmost to assist you."
"Then thank you, Young Master Zhao." After saying this, Magistrate Cao looked at his advisor, who immediately spoke up.
"Young Master Zhao may not know this, but Xinkou County is located in the westernmost part of Qing'an Prefecture. The county is mostly mountainous, so it would be difficult for the waterwheel you invented to be promoted in Xinkou County."
Due to the unique terrain, waterwheels made in the area could not reach the water at all. If waterwheels were made to be too long, they would be difficult to drive by manpower and would also be prone to malfunction.
All officials in Xinkou County are extremely anxious, as any further delay will result in a complete crop failure this year.
The county magistrate, surnamed Gao, sought help from our county, saying that we had capable people who could certainly help them solve their problems, and therefore requested that Young Master Zhao travel to Xinkou County to assist them.
Zhao Xian understood; Magistrate Cao wanted him to go to Xinkou County to conduct an on-site inspection and help local farmers solve the problem of irrigation.
Since Magistrate Cao had come all the way from the county seat to Shuixian Village early in the morning to ask for my help, it meant that Magistrate Cao was a diligent and benevolent official, and I should definitely help him solve the problem.
"Yes, Your Excellency, please wait a moment while I make arrangements at home."
“Then go and make the arrangements. We will set off immediately,” Magistrate Cao replied.
Zhao Xian returned to the house and gathered his family together to arrange some specific matters.
"I am about to go to Xinkou County with Magistrate Cao. I have important matters to attend to. If all goes well, I will be back that day, or at the latest, tomorrow."
We have enough sugar at home right now, so we don't need to produce any more for now. We'll deliver it when I get back.
I was planning to go to town to exchange the banknotes for silver, but it seems it's too late. The mushroom purchase will take place in a couple of days, at 120 cash per mushroom, and we'll buy as many as we can get. I need to explain this clearly to them so they won't be in a hurry.
Also, Mr. Zhang will be coming today to collect a debt. Mother, just give him the silver note and let him give us our change. Remember to get the house deed and the IOU back.”
"What if Master Zhang doesn't want the banknotes but wants the silver?" Li Chun'e asked with some concern.
“Government-issued banknotes are treated as silver and cannot be refused. Zhang the wealthy man doesn’t have the guts to do that. If he really refuses, it would be a challenge to the government, and if word gets out, it won’t be good for him.”
“When the patriarch goes to Xinkou County, I will go with you to protect his safety,” Zhao Cheng said.
After thinking for a moment, Zhao Xian realized that there was nothing serious at home, and that he could take Zhao Cheng with him so they could look after each other. So he nodded in agreement.
Seeing that things at home were mostly settled, Zhao Xian led Zhao Cheng into Magistrate Cao's carriage.
The carriage sped along, heading towards Xinkou County.
The weather is getting hotter and hotter, and it hasn't rained for almost twenty days. The rice in the fields has already started to head, and this is a crucial time for farmland management. Field management is extremely important.
Farmers were working everywhere in the fields, most of them irrigating the rice paddies. It was clear that waterwheels were being used extensively.
"Although this year is dry, there is sufficient water in various places. This is the case in previous years. Even with sufficient water, the rice fields will still lack water if it does not rain, which will affect the harvest."
But this year is different. Young Master Zhao invented a waterwheel, which solved the problem of irrigation for the rice paddies. This year is sure to be a good harvest.
Currently, only Xinkou County in Qing'an Prefecture is experiencing drought. Young Master Zhao's trip to Xinkou County will surely resolve the problem, and he will undoubtedly receive commendation from the Prefect.
Magistrate Cao looked at the farmland on both sides of the road and said confidently.
"According to the magistrate, Xinkou County should undertake a major overhaul of its water conservancy facilities to overcome the terrain problem."
However, large-scale water conservancy projects cannot be completed overnight; they need to be carried out during the off-season for farming. It's too late this season. We'll see how things go when we arrive.”
Magistrate Cao nodded. He felt that Zhao Xian's words made a lot of sense. He would also carry out water conservancy projects in Zhengyang County during the off-season this year in order to prepare for years of disasters.
Although the carriage traveled very fast, it still took more than two hours to reach Xinkou County.
Upon entering Xinkou County, the group noticed a significant increase in mountainous terrain, making it difficult to find large areas of farmland. Instead, the fields were scattered in patches, some far from water sources, making irrigation extremely inconvenient.
In response to this situation, the paddy fields should be converted into dry land and planted with crops such as wheat and sorghum, which would be much better. However, this is just my own idea.
The carriage traveled for nearly half an hour before arriving at the county government office, where Magistrate Gao was already standing at the entrance to greet them.
After getting off the carriage, Magistrate Cao began his introduction.
"Magistrate Gao, this is Young Master Zhao, a scholar from our county, a man of great talent, who invented the waterwheel."
"Greetings, Magistrate Gao." Zhao Xian bowed to Magistrate Gao.
"I have long admired Scholar Zhao's reputation, and seeing him today, I can confirm that it is indeed well-deserved."
The group had traveled for what felt like five hours in a carriage, and were exhausted. It was already noon when Magistrate Gao invited them into the county government's dining room and instructed the servants to serve them food.
"Thank you all for your hard work in helping to alleviate the drought in Xinkou County. I am extremely grateful. Let's have a meal first, and the middle-aged man can rest for a while before we go to check on the farmland."
Magistrate Gao is giving us a high-level reception today. The meal is quite plentiful, but it doesn't taste as good as what I make at home.
This is mainly because the food I cook at home uses seasonings purchased from the system.
In those days, there were virtually no seasonings, so it was extremely difficult to make dishes that were perfect in color, aroma, and taste.
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