Two days later was the day for planting sweet potatoes.
Xu Hengyan came early to call Xie Jiang to the fields together.
Xie Jiang, wearing a large straw hat, tilted her head to look at the newly cultivated land that stretched as far as the eye could see.
"Are we planting sweet potatoes on all of this? Aren't you afraid I'll trick you and we'll get nothing?"
"I believe you won't lie to me about this kind of thing." She had no reason to deceive him in this matter.
Hearing his unwavering words, Xie Jiang couldn't help but break into a wide smile, "In five months, you will surely get your wish."
Xu Hengyan looked at the sweet potato seedlings, as if seeing a glimmer of hope, and his whole body was filled with strength.
The old farmers in the fields had already begun planting.
In the past month or so, Qiu Gang and Li Ping had trained a group of people who understood how to plant sweet potatoes. From seedling cultivation to the issues to pay attention to during growth, the people Xu Hengyan had chosen had already grasped it all.
However, Qiu Gang and Li Ping still came to the site today. With them watching, everyone felt more at ease.
"Uncle Hu, Uncle Zhang, like me, just planting them casually so they can live, you don't need to be so careful..."
Qiu Gang and the others were scattered around, giving guidance. Seeing the old farmers planting with such trepidation, as if afraid of startling the sweet potato seedlings, Qiu Gang couldn't help but feel amused.
"These are all precious treasures being planted, how can we not be careful?"
"They are ordinary crops. Plant them the same way you plant your other crops."
"Nonsense, how can these be ordinary crops..." Lord Xu had told them that the yield was extremely high. If they could really grow them, how many fewer people would starve to death in the future.
The children from Lan Yong obviously had never gone hungry.
Seeing that planting sweet potato seedlings was simple, Xie Jiang became interested and wanted to try her hand.
Before long, Xu Hengyan pulled her away.
Didn't he see the two old farmers looking at her with longing in their eyes?
"I planted them correctly, they're no worse than theirs..." Looking at her dangling legs, Xie Jiang was unconvinced.
Xu Hengyan's long arms wrapped around her waist, and he dragged her to the side, "You haven't gone hungry, you don't understand their feelings..."
For a moment, a question flashed through his mind: her waist was so thin? She was too skinny, not eating properly every day and being so wasteful, truly the rich feast while the poor starve.
"How have I not gone hungry?" She had also been a pitiable child.
"That's different."
Xu Hengyan simply took her hand and they walked slowly along the edge. "In these old farmers' families, almost everyone has starved to death. Not just these people, almost every household has starved to death."
Xie Jiang was silent for a long time. "Lately, I've often gone to the countryside and indeed seen the people living in poverty. With Da Yu having such vast land, there are still so many people starving to death."
"Yes, Da Yu has such vast land, yet so many people starve to death. It's hard to imagine without seeing it with your own eyes. Natural and man-made disasters are endless year after year, and the grain yield is also not high."
Xu Hengyan suddenly remembered a question he had wanted to ask but hadn't: "Lan Yong shouldn't be short of food, right?"
"It's better than Da Yu's situation, but it's far from being well-fed and clothed. It's only gradually improved in recent years." Xu Hengyan's palm was warm and dry, and he could feel a few calluses.
"You probably don't know the situation in Lan Yong. Apart from the local indigenous people, most of Lan Yong's inhabitants are people who fled from Da Yu. And whether it's the indigenous people or the descendants of Da Yu, their lives were not good to begin with. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Some Western barbarians, relying on their superior ships and cannons, have been constantly exploring and expanding eastward, and their steps have never stopped for many years. In the early years, the entire Nanyang fell into their hands."
Xu Hengyan's footsteps paused when he heard this, and then he suddenly turned his head to look at her. "You're saying Nanyang was once occupied by Westerners?"
"That's right," Xie Jiang nodded.
"Originally, due to Nanyang's geographical environment and climate, the lives of the local people and the Da Yu descendants scattered overseas would not have been too difficult. But after the barbarians arrived, it was different. Even living with dignity and filling their stomachs became difficult."
That was also when she had just arrived in this world and was drifting to Lan Yong.
Xu Hengyan thought of a damaged map he had seen before, and combined with what Xie Jiang had just said, he felt a chill down his spine despite standing in the sun.
Xu Hengyan looked deeply at Xie Jiang beside him.
Xie Jiang was only up to Xu Hengyan's shoulders, and she had to tilt her head to look at him. "Are you also thinking of a possibility?"
The ultimate goal of the barbarians' continuous eastward expansion has always been the mysterious and ancient land of the East.
"What is the current situation in Nanyang?" Did the Xie family suddenly want to submit to Da Yu because their situation in Lan Yong was difficult? But judging by Xie Jiang's appearance, it didn't seem so.
"There are no more barbarians in Nanyang now. With the Xie family there, it's not the turn of Western bandits to run rampant, although they were caught off guard at first."
Xie Tangqing should really come and listen to how righteous she was, keeping the Xie family's dark history well hidden and polishing the family's reputation until it shone brightly. Marquis Jinghai, resting in peace, would have to be grateful to her.
The Xie family, as descendants of Marquis Jinghai Xie Caijin, were actually beaten so badly by the barbarians that they had to retreat ashore, and finally dared not utter a sound.
Xie Caijin, who had a handful of ashes sprinkled into the sea, almost didn't come back to life from the sea to drag his unworthy descendants down one by one.
Xu Hengyan then silently breathed a sigh of relief. "Although Marquis Jinghai had no choice but to lead his entire clan to flee overseas, he has always protected this land."
At this moment, Xu Hengyan was extremely grateful that the Xie family had blocked the enemy in Nanyang!
Otherwise, with the Western bandits' superior ships and cannons, and the entire Nanyang as a transit point, it would only be a matter of time before Da Yu was bullied.
Although Da Yu was militarily strong and had almost no rivals on land, its coastal defense was vulnerable!
He feared that the bandits would attack before they could even react.
Xu Hengyan sincerely hoped that the Xie family would submit, so that a strong defense could be established for coastal defense as soon as possible.
He heard that His Majesty had already sent Yi Yangu to Lan Yong to investigate the Xie family's background there.
He hoped for good news to return soon.
Xie Jiang said with great pride, "Da Yu will not lose by accepting the Xie family."
Xu Hengyan, giving her full face, said, "The submission of the Xie family is a blessing for Da Yu."
Guessing that she probably wouldn't go back to cause trouble in the fields, Xu Hengyan subtly let go of her hand.
Who knew that after they had chatted for a long time, Xie Jiang's attention had actually been on their clasped hands. As soon as he let go, her eyes widened, and she looked at her abandoned hand in disbelief, feeling wronged.
The moment Xu Hengyan saw her expression, his scalp tingled. Why would she feel wronged? Wasn't it strange for two grown men to hold hands? Wasn't it normal to let go?
"I still want to hold hands."
Xu Hengyan did not want to argue with her, so he raised his hand and grabbed her sleeve, "How about we just hold hands like this?"