Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Harvest (Part 1)
Behind the dark, thin, and wizened County Magistrate Cai, there were as many as thirty farmers. Ten more than in Wuyin County.
In the past two days, Lu Cong arranged for everyone’s meals and accommodation, so busy that his feet didn’t touch the ground, and his waist was sore and legs weak. Even his throat was hoarse and almost unable to speak.
Suddenly seeing so many people, Lu Cong’s head swelled a circle, and his tone was no longer so tactful: "The document clearly stated, five to ten people would be enough. County Magistrate Cai brought thirty people, there’s really no place to settle them in the manor. Just leave ten, and take the rest back."
County Magistrate Cai quickly smiled and said: "I know I’m causing trouble for you, Lu Sheren. However, Li County is far, and traveling back and forth is not easy. These are selectively chosen from the people of Li County, each doing excellent work. In this way, ten are here to learn. The other twenty can work as temporary laborers on the manor. No wages needed, just food. It’s hot now, and there’s no place to sleep; even sleeping by the fields is fine at night."
After saying that, he turned to Lin Zhuangtou with a smile: "Lin Zhuangtou, I’ve brought twenty free temporary workers; would you like them?"
Lin Zhuangtou didn’t think too much and immediately laughed: "We’ll be harvesting grain in a couple of days, and we indeed lack manpower in the manor. Lu Sheren, why not let them all stay?"
Lu Sheren: "..."
No wonder the Commandery Princess values and elevates County Magistrate Cai so much. Just for his "flexibility" in doing things, it must be unique.
Lu Cong had no choice but to accept it: "Well, since County Magistrate Cai pleaded like this, let them all stay!"
How could they really let the people sleep by the fields? The Commandery Princess would arrive in a few days, and if she saw the people sleeping out in the fields, he would be out of a job as a housekeeper.
Lu Cong gathered his spirits and led the thirty people to settle down. There was really no spare room, so he set up some tents. Lu Sheren even specially sent people to the pharmacy to buy herbs to repel mosquitoes, which were burned at night—a bit choking, but effective.
After County Magistrate Cai came, he wouldn’t leave: "There’s nothing much happening at the county government lately; I brought the people here just in time to learn together."
Well, now he had to arrange accommodations for County Magistrate Cai as well.
After all, he was the County Magistrate, and could hardly be expected to live in a tent. Lu Sheren reluctantly cleared out an empty room in his own living quarters.
At night, listening to the thunderous snores coming from the next room, Lu Cong twitched his mouth and silently stuffed paper into his ears.
...
Two days later, Jiang Shaohua brought the officials and personal soldiers to the field manor.
With the reassurance of the previous corn harvest, everyone was even more full of anticipation for this sweet potato yield.
Endless fields of sweet potatoes, with lush green leaves fluttering in the gentle breeze. Everyone carefully dug the soil with hoes, like digging for gold nuggets, uncovering sweet potatoes one by one.
"One, two, three..." Jiang Shaohua personally entered the field, as usual with Cui Du. She uncovered a sweet potato vine, counting the sweet potatoes turned up from the soil, her face never ceasing to smile.
"One sweet potato vine yielded five sweet potatoes." Jiang Shaohua turned her head with a smile, her tone full of delight: "The sweet potatoes were planted densely, one right next to another; thus, the yield should surpass that of corn."
Cui Du wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and said with a smile: "Sweet potatoes should naturally have a higher yield than corn. This is the first year, so the sweet potatoes are too small, only the size of a child’s fist. But in the future, with selective breeding and nurturing, to grow larger sweet potatoes, the yield could at least double."
That proud, rooster-like demeanor was just so likable.
Jiang Shaohua smiled charmingly and continued to work diligently.
Not far away, bursts of exclamations could be heard.
Jiang Shaohua looked up and couldn’t help laughing. It turned out County Magistrate Cai was leading a group of people in digging sweet potatoes, and every time a few sweet potatoes were unearthed, the people burst into cheers. County Magistrate Cai was so overjoyed he even wiped the dirt with his sleeve and took a bite.
"County Magistrate Cai, wash it before eating." Cui Du laughed and quickly reminded him.
Crunch, crunch!
County Magistrate Cai chewed on the sweet, crisp sweet potato, delighted, his eyes narrowing into slits: "No need, no need, food grown from the earth isn’t dirty. This sweet potato tastes good."
Jiang Shaohua also laughed. Seeing County Magistrate Cai eating so heartily, she suddenly felt a craving too.
However, as the Commandery Princess and a young lady, she must remain reserved.
She smiled at Cui Du.
Cui Du immediately understood, pulled out a small dagger from his chest, drew out the sheath, revealing a thin and sharp blade: "This is a dagger specially forged for me by Minister of Industry Shen, it’s very sharp."
In any case, peeling sweet potatoes with it was swift and perfect.
Cui Du peeled a sweet potato and handed it to Jiang Shaohua. Jiang Shaohua naturally reached out to take it, tasted a small bite, and her eyes suddenly lit up: "This is delicious."
The texture of corn is coarser, while sweet potato is different, with a faint sweetness.
In Da Liang, sugar cane was extremely expensive and scarce, only the wealthy could afford it. Ordinary people had to be frugal with salt, let alone sugar. Sweet potatoes had such a taste when eaten raw, it was simply an unexpected joy.
"Once cooked, it’s sweet, glutinous, fragrant, and soft, even better." Cui Du said with a smile: "It can also be steamed, roasted with fire, deep-fried, or sliced and added to cornmeal porridge. You can dry them, grind them into powder to make noodles; in short, it’s delicious any way you make it."
Jiang Shaohua acknowledged with a sound, finished the sweet potato in three to five bites, and continued digging with her hoe.
Sweet potatoes had another great advantage, once unearthed, they could be weighed and counted. Much easier than harvesting corn.
"Are they weighed yet?"
"Don’t rush, there’s still two bamboo baskets left."
"This field alone yielded so much food."
"Indeed. Mr. Cui is like a deity sent from heaven!"
"Our Commandery Princess is the true deity. It was the Commandery Princess who took in Mr. Cui, gave him the field manor, and sent Commander Song to buy new grain seeds. And now she’s fully promoting this new grain. If Mr. Cui had gone to the court that day, could we have seen such prosperity today?"
"Exactly. The new plough Mr. Cui designed, in just one year, has been adopted by all Nanyang County’s people. How is it progressing with the court?"
"Shh, stop gossiping. Quickly, look at how much Mr. Cui has recorded in his booklet?"
With so many people crowded around, those qualified to stand by the Commandery Princess and look at the booklet could be counted on one hand.
Chief Historian Chen occupied the closest spot dominantly. Chief Historian Feng was also unreserved, standing near as well. Yang Shi wasn’t quite as close, but his height gave him an advantage.
Chen Jinyu was at a disadvantage, even tiptoeing didn’t help. Then, the excited voice of Ma Yaosong next to him shouted: "One thousand eight hundred catties!"
"Eighteen shi! A full eighteen shi!"
Chen Jinyu suddenly felt his eyes heat up and wiped them with the back of his hand.
Jiang Shaohua stood in the middle, amidst the excited clamor of everyone, her smile as brilliant as the sun: "Bounty of sweet potatoes! Spread the word of the Commandery Princess, tonight the field manor will host a banquet to celebrate!"