"During the early autumn harvest, did I tell you that you should leave eight inches of rice piles, but what did you say? You all thought it was unnecessary, you all thought it was adding unnecessary trouble, and you were all afraid of delaying work and affecting the food supply. Entering the warehouse... I thought it was troublesome at first, but now you ask me what I can do to increase the yield per mu. I didn't leave rice piles, so it's useless even if I know!"
Magistrate Shen held the tea cup and took a leisurely sip.
In previous years, when everyone sat together, he was always the one serving tea to everyone. No matter what happened, he could not get in the middle of the conversation.
Now that the situation is changing, he will not save face for these people.
Magistrate Zheng grinned and said: "Brother Shen, I heard you say it as if you had been studying for ten years. At that time, you issued a decree to let the villagers remember to leave rice piles. However, the decree was issued a little late, and only 80% of the farmers left rice piles. I wonder what the pile is for?"
County Magistrate Shen put down the tea cup and spoke slowly: "There is a kind of rice in the south called regenerated rice. I don't know if you have heard of it. It doesn't matter if you haven't. I will tell you about it now..."
He talked eloquently, first describing the scenery of Dahe Village, then describing the farming in the fields, and even showed off his son. After all, his son invented the stone roller. This can be regarded as a moderate achievement, and it can be included in the book. A brief mention, finally mentioned the sprouting of axillary buds from rice piles.
"Now that the weather is good and there are no locusts infestation, the yield per mu of regenerated rice should be about 150 kilograms. Including the previous ones, the yield per mu of land in Ping'an County is almost 350 kilograms. If it is a normal year If the first crop of rice and ratoon rice are combined, the yield per acre can reach four to five hundred kilograms." County Magistrate Shen beamed, "I must report this matter to the prefect immediately, excuse me!"
He hurriedly got up and left. This matter really couldn't be delayed. Not only did he have to report it to the magistrate, he also had to write a government order and have the officers go to each village to read it.
He sat in his study, kicked out all the grinders, and meditated alone, slowly considering each word and writing it down.
First of all, we need to write about the total grain output of Ping'an County's autumn harvest, and then write down clearly the taxed grains collected, and also list some of the government decrees on grain... Then we bring the topic to ratoon rice. This is something that cannot be explained in countless words. Regarding the Qing Dynasty, Magistrate Shen thought of the locust eradication manual presented by Cheng Zhao, which used pictures instead of words to make it clear at a glance. Therefore, Magistrate Shen also drew rice piles and axillary buds on the brochure, describing the length of the rice piles in detail. , and the current specific growth situation of axillary buds...
Naturally, he did not dare to take credit for such an important matter, and carefully explained who, when and where the regenerated rice was discovered...
At the end of a thousand words, County Magistrate Shen naturally did not forget to ask for credit for his son. He drew a picture of rice milling with stone rollers and restrainedly used three short lines to describe it, fearing that writing too much would offend the prefect... He was about to close the book, but when he thought about it, he still felt that something was wrong. What kind of virtue his son had, the adults in the nearby towns and counties knew it. Will they say that his son took the credit from others?
His son's success on the road was not unrelated to the Zhao Cheng family, but also had Cheng Zhao's influence. These two people contributed the most.
Another thing is that the stone roller was made by someone sent by Qian Hui, so this guy’s name must be added as well.
While Magistrate Shen was thinking about this, Magistrate Zheng sat on the carriage on the way back and sighed deeply.
Although there is also regenerated rice in Fenghuang County, it has no direct relationship with him, and he can only be regarded as having no merit or demerit.
His son Zheng Wangfeng has always been his pride. This time, that bastard Shen Zheng has developed the Stone Roller. Why doesn't his son make more progress?
If the Shen family and his son make progress together, they will definitely be rewarded by the prefect. In the promotion assessment in two or three years, Brother Shen will definitely be promoted.
He...hey, that's what happened to him in his life. He had to pave the way for his son.
Magistrate Zheng said: "Go to Nanfu Academy."
The coachman obeyed the order and diverted to Hekou Town. The carriage got on the road and sped towards Nanfu Academy.
It happened that school was out at Nanfu Academy. Zheng Wangfeng, Qian Hui and others made an appointment to go to a restaurant for dinner. They were tired of the food in the cafeteria. Basically, they would go to a nearby restaurant every few days to have a meal, and they would take turns to entertain guests. , those who cannot afford the treat are not qualified to enter their circle.
Seeing his son hanging around with Qian Hui, Magistrate Zheng looked very unhappy. The Qian family was engaged in big business, and they didn't expect Qian Hui to come back with any honors, but his son was different. His son Zheng Wangfeng had to pass the exam. Scholars, passed the examination, became Jinshi and became officials, and carried forward the lintel of the Zheng family.
As soon as Zheng Wangfeng looked up, he saw his father walking over with a serious face. His heart skipped a beat and he quickly went to greet him: "Dad, why are you here?"
"You still want to have fun on the street? Do you know that Shen Zheng has made great achievements with a stone roll? Magistrate Shen is about to ask the prefect for credit." Magistrate Zheng said coldly, "Shen Zheng and Cheng Zhao are together , influenced by it, he invented the stone roller, a farm tool, and showed his face to the prefect even before the scientific examination. You were not as diligent as Shen Zheng in Nanfu Academy. I will send you to Dahe Village to follow Cheng Zhao and Shen Zheng study and write together, and I hope you can make progress as well."
Zheng Wangfeng was in disbelief: "Dad, my articles are among the best in Nanfu Academy. The principal said that I will most likely come out on top in the academy examination..."
"Hey, let's not talk about this for now." Qian Hui couldn't help but say, "Sir, you just mentioned the stone roller, is it something like a wheel made of stone?"
Although Magistrate Zheng didn't like Qian Hui, the Qian family's business was spread across major counties and towns, and they paid a lot of taxes every year, so they really couldn't offend him. He said quietly: "I heard from Magistrate Shen that the wheel is indeed made of stone. , but it is larger and wider, used for threshing rice, and is a good agricultural tool."
"Damn it, I asked someone to make this stone roller!" Qian Hui cursed, "This is the credit of our Qian family. How could it be snatched away by a bastard like Shen Zheng? Sir, I'm going to go first. Excuse me. !”
Magistrate Zheng was shocked: "Is Shi Kui related to Qian Hui?"
"Shen Zheng asked Qian Hui to make it and send it to Dahe Village." Zheng Wangfeng frowned, "Can something made of just a stone really get credit from the prefect?"
"I see that your books have been read into the stomachs of dogs. As a matter of fact, shouldn't you also care about the life and death of the people?" Magistrate Zheng said, "Agriculture is the foundation of a country, and farming is the top priority of those in power. Rice threshing can be replaced by tools, which is indeed a merit worth mentioning. Now, not only Shen Zheng has the merit, but Qian Hui also has the merit. All you know is to study hard, go back, pack a change of clothes, and go to Dahe Village tomorrow Come back after a few days of practice.”
Zheng Wangfeng didn't refute, not because he didn't dare, but because he wanted to see if Shen Zheng was really that powerful.
On this side, Qian Hui also hurried back to the Qian family in Baiyun Town.
