With the banditry eliminated, Pei Han decided to put spring plowing on the agenda as soon as possible.
It's already mid-March, and normally rice planting should begin in early April. Before that, the mountain people still need to prepare the land, so time is very tight.
Back in the courtyard at noon that day, Pei Han brought up the matter of spring planting with Min Yueqing. "Madam, now that the bandits have been eliminated, the mountain people can finally farm in peace. I plan to distribute rice and vegetable seeds to them in the next few days. As for potatoes, the quantity is relatively small, and the mountain people have never grown them before. What do you think about us finding someone to try planting them ourselves?"
It has to be said that Pei Han's idea was exactly what Min Yueqing wanted. There was only one box of potato seeds, and no one had ever planted them before. If they were wasted, there would be no more.
Min Yueqing agreed, "You've thought this through very well. I think this is a good approach."
Seeing that Min Yueqing also agreed, Pei Han immediately said, "Then after we finish eating, I will have someone come and carry the seeds. We should let the mountain people know this good news as soon as possible so that they can prepare to plant rice."
At this point, Min Yueqing said, "It's time to plant potatoes. First, find a suitable plot of land nearby. It should be sunny, have loose soil, and good drainage. After you've chosen the land, have someone loosen the soil."
Pei Han immediately agreed, saying, "No problem. The prison has just received a large number of prisoners, some of whom are not guilty of capital crimes. It's a good opportunity to let them farm and experience the hardships of mountain people, so that they can repent and reform."
A smile flashed quickly in Min Yueqing's peach blossom eyes. This was just the Great Gan Dynasty version of the labor camp. Pei Han was indeed talented.
Once the plan was finalized, Pei Han got busy.
That afternoon, he took out his agricultural book and carefully read through all the specific methods and precautions for rice cultivation. He then meticulously recorded them on paper and made more than a dozen copies.
The next morning, Pei Han dispatched more than a dozen teams of soldiers, some carrying gongs and others carrying seeds, to various villages.
As soon as the soldiers arrived at the village, they beat drums and gongs to announce the good news: "Fellow villagers, good news! Lord Pei led his soldiers to arrest all the bandits the day before yesterday. Those bandits who committed all kinds of evil deeds will be executed soon. Our Sanping County will be peaceful from now on!"
The good news would be shouted in turn by the loudest soldiers, and wherever they went, the mountain people would welcome them warmly. Many of the mountain people who had suffered greatly from the disaster would weep with joy.
Pei Han personally led the team to a nearby village. When he appeared before the Wu clan chief, the sixty-year-old Wu clan chief bowed down to him without hesitation, and the surrounding villagers also performed the most solemn bows.
Pei Han helped the Wu clan chief up and said, "Old man, there's no need for that. As an official, one should bring benefits to the village. Now that I'm here, I will naturally help you solve your problems."
The Wu clan chief wept bitterly, choking back tears, and said, "Lord Pei, how can our Wu clan ever thank you enough? I am sixty years old this year, but those damned bandits have been committing evil deeds for more than sixty years. Since my ancestors, they have been coming to rob us of our things, our women and children, and killing our clansmen. It was only after you came that we were able to have a few days of peace."
The other villagers were mostly members of the Wu clan. Upon hearing the clan chief's words, they all burst into tears, some even calling out the names of their murdered relatives. The scene was extremely tragic, and even the soldiers brought by Pei Han couldn't help but wipe away their tears.
They were all locals and members of the Wu clan. They were instantly moved by the scene and their determination to follow Lord Pei became even stronger.
Pei Han couldn't bear to see the old man so grief-stricken, so he beckoned to the soldiers carrying boxes behind him to come over.
As the soldier walked forward, he wiped away his tears with his sleeve and respectfully placed the box he was carrying on the table in front of Pei Han.
Pei Han said to the Wu clan chief, "Old man, open it and take a look."
Upon hearing Pei Han's words, the Wu clan chief managed to suppress his excitement, walked to the table, and opened the box.
As soon as the box was opened, the Wu clan chief's wrinkled hands trembled involuntarily. He looked at Pei Han with disbelief and asked tremblingly, "Lord Pei, what is this?"
Pei Han looked into the old man's eyes and replied, "They are rice seeds and some vegetable seeds."
The boxes mainly contained rice seeds, as the quantity of vegetable seeds was limited, and even less was distributed to each village. However, vegetables grow quickly and are easy to save seeds for, so the quantity gradually increased.
Moreover, for the mountain people, rice seeds are the most important thing. Because rice is a truly precious and valuable grain, it can fill their stomachs and even save their lives.
After receiving Pei Han's confirmation, the Wu clan chief could no longer stand and, leaning on the table, slumped onto a stool.
His tears, which had just stopped, welled up again like a spring. He solemnly instructed the clansmen standing in the house: "Lord Pei is a great benefactor to our entire clan. He not only helped us catch the bandits, but now he has also brought us grain seeds. These are not ordinary grain seeds, but rice seeds. This has saved the lives of all of us!"
At this point, the clan chief of the Wu clan glanced around at everyone present and then said firmly, "From now on, if anyone in the clan disobeys Lord Pei, you don't need to report to me. Just arrest them yourselves and send them to Lord Pei. This person and their family will be removed from the clan register and will never be allowed to appear in our Wu clan's territory again."
All the clansmen present answered in unison, "Yes!"
The Wu clan chief then turned to Pei Han and said, word by word, "We have no way to repay your great kindness. From now on, the lives of so many of us are in your hands."
The old man's expression and words were so solemn that he exuded a convincing aura. Pei Han wanted to say a few words of comfort to them, but under the old man's piercing gaze, he couldn't utter a word and could only remain silent.
Pei Han chose to come to this village because of the Wu clan chief in front of him. He was the most respected person in the hearts of all the mountain people in the area, since the vast majority of people in Sanping County were members of the Wu clan.
Once you explain the rice planting to this old man, all the mountain people of Sanping County will spontaneously come here to ask him for advice and follow his instructions.
Pei Han took out his handwritten planting method and explained it clearly to the Wu clan chief, point by point. Everyone present listened attentively. This was a matter of life and death for them this year, and no one dared to take it lightly.
When Pei Han left, everyone in the village saw him off at the village entrance. They wanted to continue seeing him off, but Pei Han stopped them.
Although Pei Han forbade them to continue seeing him off, they did not leave, standing at the village entrance watching him go. Only when Pei Han's carriage had driven far away and was completely out of sight did they return to the village.
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