Seeing that Chenxi was listening attentively, the woman continued, "Moreover, there is a four-word formula for judging whether a crop grows well or not: 'White roots mean strength, yellow roots mean survival, black roots mean disease, and gray roots mean death.'"
What is liquid fertilizer application? How do you accumulate fertilizer? How do you judge the quality of seeds? How do you breed seeds?
Shenxi carefully examined the woman, her curiosity piqued. When she paused, she asked, "Auntie, did you only farm before?"
The woman lowered her head to think for a moment, then looked up with a determined gaze: "To be honest, my late husband worked for the Ministry of Agriculture and Industry."
Shenxi continued, "As far as I know, the Ministry of Agriculture and Industry was a department established during the reign of the late emperor, and it only exists in the capital."
The woman nodded, her voice choked with emotion: "My late husband was Zou Hong, the Minister of Agriculture and Industry. However, because he developed a hybrid rice variety that was superior to the current rice varieties, he was resented by the Xiao family, who controlled the rice varieties."
"Oh?" Shen Xi had never heard of this before. She only knew that the previous Minister of Agriculture and Industry, Zou Hong, was a true scientific research talent.
He bred many excellent seeds, including the wheat varieties we have today, which were all bred under his leadership and yielded 20% more than before.
Unfortunately, fate was cruel to this talented man, and he died suddenly at the young age of thirty.
He was also awarded the posthumous title of Wenzheng by the imperial court.
How did his widow end up here, a refugee?
The woman introduced herself: "My name is Bai Qiao, and I was once the second daughter of Bai Rui, the head of the Bai family in the capital."
Shen Xi was even more surprised.
The Bai family was once a renowned and prestigious family in the capital a few years ago.
Later, it is said that their entire clan was wiped out because they were involved in the death of the former crown prince.
Yelü De once issued a court bulletin: "These traitors who framed the imperial heirs deserve to die! Their entire clan should be exterminated."
The once glorious Bai family was wiped out overnight.
Bai Qiao grieved for a long time, and Chen Xi did not disturb her. Perhaps, life had already worn away her former pride, and suffering had erased her image as a daughter of a noble family.
Bai Qiao finally calmed down and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Please don't be offended, Chief. After years of living in the countryside, I am no longer the noblewoman I once was. I have long heard that you are no ordinary person, which is why I dared to speak out."
Shenxi nodded, signaling her to continue.
A waiter handed her a handkerchief, and Bai Qiao thanked him and took it to wipe her face clean.
Then he continued, "The leader should know that the Bai family was destroyed overnight, but the disaster did not extend to married women, and I was not implicated because of this."
"But my late husband lost his support. The hybrid rice variety was controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture and Industry. After it came out, it became very popular because the yield increased by 30%. However, this variety needs to be purchased every year and cannot be replanted."
Shenxi knew that some second-generation hybrid rice varieties were unsuitable for planting as they would reduce yields; only the first-generation hybrid seeds from professionals were the best.
"The Xiao family, who control the rice seeds, is the maternal clan of Consort Tai. They have repeatedly hinted and suggested that my late husband hand over the hybrid rice seeds to them for sale, but my late husband refused."
Bai Qiao said with some resentment: "The Xiao family's rice seeds are sold at an extremely high price, twice as expensive as hybrid rice seeds. My late husband knew that farming was not easy. Because the seeds were expensive, farmers didn't have much grain left after paying taxes."
Chenxi listened quietly.
Bai Qiao was no longer reserved: "My late husband just asked the Emperor to lower the price of hybrid rice. With the support of the Bai family, the Emperor did not make things difficult for us. The price of hybrid rice is half that of ordinary rice."
A few years ago, the court was indeed relatively stable, but since the death of the former crown prince and the destruction of the Bai family, the court has become chaotic.
"After the Bai family was destroyed, all the close male members of the clan died, and the more distant relatives were afraid of being tainted by the misfortune and dared not handle the funeral. I could only carry the coffins of my parents, children and nephews back to the Bai family's ancestral home in Qi County, where they had ancestral fields to bury them."
Bai Qiao's eyes reddened again, and she pursed her lips with a sorrowful expression.
"But before I could finish burying the Bai family, news came from the capital that my late husband had died suddenly."
Shenxi had a rough idea of the reason: "Could it be because of rice seeds?"
Bai Qiao wiped away her tears: "After the hybrid rice seeds were sold by the Xiao family, I knew that this matter was related to the Xiao family."
The unrest began not only because of the severe drought in the north, but also because the south, which was not experiencing drought, still experienced unrest from time to time in recent years, due to the high cost of rice seeds.
The imperial court strictly forbade individuals from saving seeds, let alone new hybrid rice varieties, which would be useless for individuals to save seeds.
Hybrid rice seeds became even more expensive after they reached the Xiao family's hands. Although the granaries across the country were full, the people were not the ones who benefited.
It wasn't the imperial court either.
The wealthy and powerful families were the ones who had plenty.
The lives of ordinary people became even more difficult after the Xiao family sold their expensive hybrid rice seeds.
And because production was high, the imperial court also levied higher taxes.
As a result, in some areas, people are no longer able to maintain even the most basic standard of living.
Local governors and generals were busy suppressing uprisings in various places.
Officials in various parts of the south, especially those who took advantage of the suppression of the uprising, exploited the imperial court, demanded military pay, and ruthlessly plundered the people's wealth.
The imperial court is heartless, treating all things like straw dogs. The officials are heartless, treating the people like fish and meat.
Shenxi sighed softly, "Lord Zou is also a man of unyielding integrity."
Bai Qiao nodded in agreement: "But my husband's family was so afraid that by the time I rushed back to the capital, my late husband had already been buried by the Zou family. The Zou family said that I had no children and that Zou Hong had been cursed to death by me. My mother-in-law divorced me in place of her son. Helpless, I had no choice but to return to Qi County."
"Who knew that the world would fall into chaos, and my mountainous area was not spared either. Not only did no crops grow, but the village was also robbed by bandits."
Recalling the bandits' ferocity, Bai Qiao still felt a chill: burning, killing, and looting, no one survived under their swords.
“I was lucky to escape with the protection of several loyal servants of the Bai family. However, most of the servants died at the hands of bandits. Only two of them followed me and we have traveled all the way here.”
Shenxi could also see the vicissitudes of Bai Qiao's life, which must have been caused by her escape.
Because Bai Qiao's hands did not show any signs of years of hard work.
What are your plans for the future?
Bai Qiao lowered her head slightly and said somewhat nervously, "I wonder if you could take me in as your subordinate?"
She raised her head, her gaze hardening: "To tell you the truth, the hybrid rice and improved wheat varieties researched by my late husband were all created by me."
Shen Xi was utterly astonished. The merit of Zou Hong, the Minister of Agriculture, who was hailed as the ancestor of agriculture, was actually due to his wife.
In this era, although the constraints on women were better than in previous dynasties, the restrictions on women were much lighter under the rule of foreign tribes.
However, with the rule of several generations, the people in power in the court had become largely Sinicized, and the restrictions on women became much tighter again.
It is extremely difficult for a woman to achieve anything, especially in scientific research.
If Bai Qiao discovered all of this, then this woman is truly a person of extraordinary talent and brilliance!
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