Chapter 249 Harvest
"This year's harvest is good, and the farmers can all fill their stomachs." Yuan Hongqu looked at the grain covering the fields and felt a surge of joy for no reason.
Although crops can be harvested every few minutes in this space, none of them can compare to the spectacular harvest of this time.
"Master, it's more than just good!" Wu Tian excitedly reported to Yuan Hongqu:
"In addition to these bumper harvests, the rice we planted for the first time this year is also doing very well. Other people's fields can't grow rice well, but in our fields, it grows just like normal rice."
“You told us that this kind of rice was difficult to care for and would die easily. We assigned five people to guard those two acres of land, taking even better care of them than we would of our ancestors. But to our surprise, nothing happened to them, and they grew even stronger than ordinary rice.”
Wu Tian led Yuan Hongqu into the courtyard, where all the green rice grains were drying. Even if birds pecked at some of the grains outside, or children secretly took some, it didn't matter. But this kind of rice, even when being dried, required two people to stand by with long bamboo poles to scare away birds, not even allowing sparrows to get close.
Inside the courtyard, golden rice paddies revealed tiny, jade-like grains peeking out from within.
Yuan Hongqu had put a little thought into the seedling cultivation process. She deliberately soaked the green jasmine rice in the pond in her space for one minute, fearing that it would sprout directly if placed in the field. She only dared to soak it in the water for a short while before quickly taking it out for breeding.
In that one minute, the characteristics of the rice were completely changed. Not only was it less prone to dying than before, but the yield was also on par with that of normal rice.
Yuan Hongqu had also planted Bijing rice several times in the space. Although the rice grown outside was incomparable to that in the space, Yuan Hongqu felt that this was the real achievement.
The green glutinous rice has been drying for several days and is about to be stored in the warehouse today, just as Yuan Hongqu arrived.
The two mu of green japonica rice yielded a total of about ten shi (a unit of dry measure), or about a thousand jin (another unit of dry measure), which is about the same as the yield of most rice fields here.
The yield of the green japonica rice that Yuan Hongqu planted in the space was incalculable; the rice ears were so numerous that they could weigh down the rice stalks to their limit.
Some of the rice went into the warehouse, while the rest was hulled, carefully sifted, and sent to the Lin family.
"Master, the autumn harvest isn't over yet, and our warehouse is only 30% full. Based on this year's harvest, our warehouse will be completely full by the end of the harvest." As the accountant, Xiangling followed Yuan Hongqu, carrying the account books and saying this.
Compared to when she was in the Rongguo Mansion, Xiangling was slightly darker and more robust. Although Furong's face was not made up, it had a healthy rosy glow. Her eyebrows were not finely drawn and seemed to have been shaped, but her natural, light and dark eyebrows added a touch of heroism to the girl.
In the past, the first thing people would notice about Xiangling was the beauty mark between her eyebrows. Now, the first thing that attracts people is the girl's confident and bright eyes.
Yuan Hongqu nodded after hearing Xiangling's words.
"I heard your father has come to the village too?"
"Thanks to the landlord, my father came to the village last month. It just so happens that after the autumn harvest, our Goose Village is going to set up a village school, and the village chief said that my father should go and teach the children." Xiangling said a little embarrassedly, "It's all because of the landlord that my father was able to get this job."
"This is a good thing. Your father's knowledge is somewhat wasted on being an elementary teacher..."
“Master, this is already very good. My father’s health is not good. He has only gotten a little better after resting for a while. He can’t do heavy work, and he doesn’t know how to do anything else. Although my mother and I earn more than enough to support the family, my father said he wants to do his part for the family.”
After saying that, Xiangling curled up the corners of her mouth and smiled, "Master, my father said that my real name is Zhen Ying and my nickname is Yinglian. The name Xiangling is not good, so we will not use it from now on. We will revert to my real name Zhen Ying."
“Zhen Ying? That’s a good name.” Hearing her say that, Yuan Hongqu suddenly remembered a book of analysis she had read, which said that “Zhen Yinglian” and “truly pitiful” are homophones, implying that Yinglian’s fate is truly pitiful. Thinking of this made Yuan Hongqu feel uncomfortable, and she couldn’t help but say something…
"You're all grown up now, so you should stop using that nickname if you don't have to!"
“Hehe,” Zhen Ying laughed, “My father said the same thing, that I shouldn’t tell anyone my childhood name anymore. But the master is not an outsider, so it doesn’t matter if I tell the master.”
"After the autumn harvest, we'll hold a harvest feast at the manor so everyone can have a good time. Then we'll formally introduce you to the villagers. You're Zhen Ying, not Xiang Ling. You're the manor's chief accountant."
Zhen Ying's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Thank you, boss."
Zhen Ying excitedly ran home to tell her parents about it.
After Wu Tian saw that she had walked away, he turned around and came out.
"Master, Wu Tian has something he'd like to ask you to act as a go-between."
"Don't say anything, I won't make that connection for you." Yuan Hongqu refused before Wu Tian could speak.
“Master, I sincerely wish to marry Miss Zhenying. If you are worried about having both of us on the estate at the same time, I will go and look after the shop for you and run errands for you…” Wu Tian said hurriedly.
“Wu Tian, it’s not because of that. The reason I didn’t let you speak is because if I went to the Zhen family and asked, regardless of Zhen Ying’s feelings, she would agree.” Yuan Hongqu gave Wu Tian a deep look.
"Since you've made up your mind, go and get to know her properly, truly win her heart, and then marry her."
“Master, I know about her past. I feel sorry for her. Even now, when I think about the person who kidnapped her, I want to stab him a few times.” Wu Tian always had a kind face, but Yuan Hongqu had never seen such a ruthless expression on his face before.
"No need, that person is in jail, he's already been beaten to death," Yuan Hongqu couldn't help but remind Wu Tian.
"Then, boss, please teach me how to make Miss Zhen like me."
“They don’t have any able-bodied men in their family, so you should help them with lifting and carrying things whenever you have free time. Make sure you show your face at Master Zhen and Madam Zhen’s place, so they get used to your presence. Over time, they’ll naturally notice you,” Yuan Hongqu continued after explaining the plan.
"As for your relationship with Zhen Ying, if things don't work out naturally, don't force it. Zhen Ying is a good person, but there are so many women in the world. If she's not willing, you're not allowed to make things difficult for her or harass her!"
Wu Tian nodded, "If she's unwilling, it must be because I haven't done a good enough job..."
"If you dare to expect Zhen Ying to have a good impression of you just because you've done some things for the Zhen family, then you don't need to do them at all!" Yuan Hongqu was somewhat displeased. If Wu Tian had any intention of moral blackmailing her, it would be better to stop now.
“Master, I won’t force you. I work for the Zhen family willingly,” Wu Tian said hastily. “I promise I won’t make things difficult for Miss Zhen.”
The two had just exchanged a few words in the warehouse, and when they came out again, the sky was already slightly dark.
"Master, how about we make do at the estate tonight?"
"The girl is still waiting for me at home, so she won't be here."
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