Meng Huaining is no stranger to eating spicy food.
He has eaten the Mo family's cold rabbit many times. Not only that, when he came here in the past, the food at home would also have such an addictive spicy taste.
However, this was the first time he had seen this green and spicy ingredient.
Mo Chuhan interacted with him the most on weekdays, so he naturally had to take care of him more.
He took the initiative to explain Meng Huaining's doubts.
"This is the chili pepper we grew at home. The nine younger sisters said that the chili pepper is green when it is just ripe, and will slowly turn red in a few days. When it is dried, it is the chili seasoning in the cold rabbit."
In Meng Huaining's understanding, the chili peppers used by the Mohists were obtained from foreigners.
Unexpectedly, they actually grew such vegetables in the northwest.
Thinking of the livelihood of the people in the northwest, Meng Huaining couldn't help but speak out.
"Since peppers can grow here, we people in Yuncheng are blessed."
As soon as he finished speaking, He Zhiran's voice came from the door.
"Brother Meng means that he plans to promote the cultivation of peppers?"
He Zhiran was preparing to eat when he heard from Yu'er that Meng Huaining had come to the main room.
She put down her bowls and chopsticks and followed Mo Jiuye over to take a look.
As soon as she walked to the door, she heard someone thinking about her chili.
Meng Huaining is a shrewd man. It is not difficult to judge from He Zhiran's tone that he is unwilling to promote the cultivation of peppers.
Besides, he also knew the situation of the Mo family, and it was Ninth Brother and Ninth Sister-in-law who had always made the decision.
Even if he had this idea, he would have to get the consent of both of them. It was true that he was too excited and spoke rashly just now.
He stood up quickly.
"If Sister-in-law Jiu is not willing, brother, I will never force you."
It's not that He Zhiran is stingy. Although she has endless wealth in her hands, in order for the money to be used openly, she must have a few profitable businesses in her hands.
Food made from chili peppers is one of them, so naturally she would not want to promote chili peppers prematurely.
She also knew that Meng Huaining was a good official who was devoted to the people, and she also knew the hardships of life for the people in the northwest.
"Although this pepper is delicious, it can be said to be just a dispensable item. Unlike some other high-yielding grains, it can be grown to keep people full."
Meng Huaining really wanted to make the people under his rule rich. At least it would be good if they could not go hungry.
He also knew in his heart the preciousness of this chili pepper. If something with this taste was placed in a restaurant and sold in dishes like Mojia's, he would definitely make a lot of profit.
The reason why he couldn't restrain himself from speaking out was because he thought of the value of peppers. If the people in Yuncheng could grow peppers and sell them at a high price when mature, they would definitely earn a high income.
Now that the people have money in their hands, is it still difficult for them to have enough to eat?
It's just that the Mo family now relies on these to make a living. Once the pepper cultivation spreads, wouldn't it cut off other people's ways of making money.
The more Meng Huaining thought about what he had just said, the more guilty he felt.
"Brother Ninth and Sister-in-law Ninth don't need to take my words to heart. It's just because the chili is so delicious that I couldn't help but talk nonsense."
He Zhiran wanted to laugh a little when he heard his tone.
She was supported by Mo Jiuye and sat at the sister-in-law's table.
"I know Brother Meng is a good official who is devoted to the people. Don't worry. It won't take long for the sweet potatoes and potatoes in the fields to mature.
I have said before that sweet potatoes and potatoes are easy to grow, have high yields and are very filling. If you want the people to be fed and clothed, growing them is much more affordable than growing peppers.
Not only that, there is also corn during the autumn harvest season. Corn is dried and can be ground into corn flour and corn grits, which is good for cooking porridge and making pancakes. "
He Zhiran really didn't say any big words.
Compared with the coarse flour buns and pancakes eaten by poor people in this era, food made from corn is much more delicious.
In fact, when the Mo family planted those strange crops, people in the village often talked about it behind their backs, and Meng Huaining also heard some of it.
But based on his understanding of Mo Jiuye and his wife, they are not random people.
Therefore, after He Zhiran carefully explained the benefits of these crops, Meng Huaining began to look forward to them.
"If Ninth Brother and Ninth Sister are really willing to promote such good food, you will be great benefactors to the people."
You must know that the northwest region is barren and snows in winter. If the weather is bad, many people will starve to death every year.
The reason why the Mo family had never heard of people starving to death in Yuncheng was because of Meng Huaining's arrival.
Last winter, many people had no food at home, and their families took to the streets to beg.
At that time, Meng Huaining made an important decision to use the small amount of grain stored in the grain depot to relieve the people who were about to starve to death.
At the same time, he went to the state capital many times to seek help from the prefect. The prefect was so helpless that he had no choice but to allocate some grain from the granary to him.
But the food was simply not enough, so Meng Huaining ordered people to do the work of the rich, hoping that they would help.
After many efforts, Yuncheng ushered in the first winter in which no people starved to death.
But this is not a long-term solution at all. Winter will come when Yuncheng is short of food and clothing. All the food in the granary was used up last year. This is Meng Huaining's biggest headache.
He knew that this was something that he, the county magistrate, should worry about, and he could not destroy such a harmonious atmosphere in the Mo family.
No matter what, Sister-in-law Jiu said that she would provide high-yield food, and he finally saw hope.
"Brother Ninth, Sister-in-law Ninth, on behalf of the people of Yuncheng, I would like to thank you for your benevolent act. As long as this cold winter is successfully passed this year, and with crops like this next year, the people will no longer have to worry about going hungry."
Talking about the Mo family's crops was just a small episode when Meng Huaining arrived. After the matter was simply settled, everyone changed the topic.
Of course, this topic will naturally shift to the marriage between Meng Huaining and Mo Hanyue.
This kind of thing naturally requires the elders to mention it, and Meng Huaining will explain the details.
Although the Mo family gave Mo Hanyue a courtyard house as a dowry, Meng Huaining still purchased a house in Yuncheng.
The house is not very big, and the location is not far from the county government office.
Meng Huaining has already arranged the wedding room there. On the day of the wedding, he will bring an eight-carriage sedan to Xiling Village to pick up Mo Hanyue and go to Yuncheng to worship.
The young couple stayed there for two days, and when Mo Hanyue returned home in three days, they moved to Xiling Village.
I have to say that Meng Huaining is really Zhou Xiang when he thinks about it this way.
He didn't want Mo Hanyue to suffer any grievances and let outsiders think that the person she married was not even willing to prepare a new house, and even the house was provided by her mother's family.
