Chapter 3 The sarcastic farmer
"This crop is called corn. Do you know what the yield per mu of this seed can be?"
An old farmer in his 50s below said in a hoarse voice, "Maybe two stones?"
Zhao Yingluo smiled and shook her head.
The old farmer thought for a moment and stretched out four fingers, "It can't reach three stones, right? If we can really achieve this output, we will be able to have enough food and clothing."
But she shook her head anyway.
The old farmer held out five fingers in disbelief, "Is the girl playing tricks on the old man? Can she reach five stones?"
Zhao Yingluo glanced at them and said confidently, "The yield is six stones per mu!"
In later generations, the yield of corn per mu can basically reach more than 1500 kilograms, and with better management it can reach 2000 kilograms, which is more than ten in this era, due to factors such as farming technology, she had to be conservative and say six stones.
But even six stones is enough to shock people of this era.
Sure enough, as soon as she said these words, almost everyone's eyes widened in disbelief, and they even suspected that there was something wrong with their ears.
The old farmer shook his head in disbelief, "The girl must be joking. I have been farming all my life and have never seen a crop yielding six shi per acre."
Zhao Yingluo did not give any more explanation. After all, the only way for people of this era to believe her words was to rely on the results, "Old man, if this kind of seed can really yield six stones per hour, will you plant it?"
The old farmer smiled coquettishly, "If we can really produce six stones, then we will definitely plant it, but... if there is no production, how will the little old man survive in the second half of the year?"
"what about you?"
The rest of the people all shook their heads. Their long-term planting habits made each of them dare not take risks. There were too many uncertainties in this new crop. Who knew if the owner would tease them with this.
At this time, Jiang Laosi, who had been silent all this time, smiled and said, "Girl, please don't blame them. Even if it's them, I can't believe that this little seed can actually produce six stones per mu."
Zhao Yingluo was not impatient, "If as usual, you will all plant soybeans and millet in the second half of the year, the average yield will be more than one stone per mu. So, if any of you are willing to switch to this kind of crops, if it can't exceed one stone and a half, I’ll make up for it, how about it?”
After she released this condition, some people soon swayed, but this accounted for one-fifth of all farmers.
She was very satisfied with this result. One-fifth of the people were like a spark, which would soon set the entire Central Plains on fire.
After instructing Jiang Laosi to distribute ten bags of corn to the farmers, Zhao Yingluo led the farmers to the fields.
At this time, part of the wheat in the field had been harvested. Seeing that there were traces of fire in the harvested field, she felt a pang in her heart.
The low wheat yield in this era is largely due to the fact that farmers do not know how to maintain the soil and only know how to burn it, resulting in a decrease in soil fertility. If straw can be returned to the fields on a large scale, the wheat yield in the coming year will increase a lot.
"Don't plant corn on those burned plots because they are not fertile enough."
"Don't plant corn in these fields with sandy soil. The soil moisture is not ideal. You can plant potatoes and sweet potatoes."
"That low-lying field needs to be leveled and planted after the soil moisture is suitable."
……
Zhao Yingluo led dozens of people through the fields. She would sometimes grab a handful of soil and crush it to check the soil moisture. At another time, she would plow the ground with a shovel to check the degree of soil desertification.
Jiang Laosi, Feng Jing and others recorded every key point she said.
……
Seeing Zhao Yingluo's extremely serious look, those who didn't believe her began to make sarcastic remarks. "It's really a big joke that a group of people who have been farming for decades are learning to farm from a little girl who has never been in the fields since she was a child."
"That's right, I've never heard of any crop that can match the yield of soybeans and millet."
"Although she promised to make up for it, she is not the Lord's daughter after all. When they leave Tokyo City one day, who will they ask to compensate?"
"We should just keep planting what we need. When October comes, we can pay the land rent and have something to eat."
……
Their sarcastic words spread to the ears of Zhao Yingluo and others. Zhao Yingluo didn't care, but the other farmers were a little worried.
There is a helpless feeling of being on a pirate ship but unable to get off.
After running for a whole afternoon, she finally finished walking the nearly [-] acres of land. According to the records of Jiang Laosi and Feng Jing, the field suitable for growing corn is about [-] acres, and the remaining fields are only suitable for growing potatoes and sweet potatoes.
"Use a shovel to dig a hole, put three or four corn kernels into the hole, then cover it with soil and bury it. The distance between each hole is one foot, and the distance between two rows is two feet..."
It wasn't until the sun set and the fields were misty that she taught them how to grow corn.
After a long day of work, she was so tired that she just wanted to find a comfortable bed to lie down on and never get up again.
According to the original plan, Zhao Yingluo was going to live in the farm for a while until the corn sprouted, but the news from the mansion forced her to return to Lu Mansion overnight.
As soon as she got off the car at the door of the house, she saw Lu Haowen walking anxiously around the door of the house, like a headless fly.
When Lu Haowen saw His Highness coming back, he subconsciously bowed and saluted, "Your Highness..."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
When Zhao Yingluo coughed, Lu Haowen instantly remembered that she was now his niece to the outside world, so he hurriedly changed his words, "You're back, you've missed me so much."
"What does uncle want to do with me?"
After working all afternoon, she had big blisters on the soles of her feet. With the help of Huang Tao and Luo Luo, she grinned and said.
"It's nothing serious. You haven't eaten yet, right? Dinner has been prepared. Come to my study after dinner."
After entering the house, Zhao Yingluo first went back to her room, washed herself, put on the skirt she had not had the chance to wear in the morning, and then headed to the dining hall.
……
After entering the hall, she discovered that there were many more people in the hall. Sitting facing south was a kind-hearted old lady in her seventies. Needless to say, this must be the old lady of Lu Mansion, Lu Haowen. mother.
Next to the old lady is a woman who is about fifty years old. Judging from her clothes, she should be the mistress of the house, the real wife of Lu Haowen.
As for the ones further down, they should be his two concubines. They are also beautiful in appearance, at least they have an age advantage compared to the eldest lady.
Finally, in the seat next to the door, sat a young lady of similar age to her. According to what Chuntao had told her before, this woman should be born to my concubine Liu, named Lu Yao.
After a quick glance, she saluted, "Wanshu has met the old lady, the eldest lady, Liu Xiaoniang, and Zhang Xiaoniang!"
"Without courtesy, please sit down quickly." The old lady said with a smile in her eyes.
The old lady had asked Lu Haowen earlier about how he had gained a distant relative, but her son only said that it was related to the life of the whole family and that she should not ask any more questions.
Now after meeting this relative, I finally see the light in my heart, it turns out to be her! (End of this chapter)