freenovelworld Chapter 204 Luck
Chapter 204 Luck
"Potato?"
Seeing that Gu Lin knew her, Lin Xiaoyao's eyes flashed with surprise.
He said to Gu Lin, "I bought this from a vegetable farmer's stall. He said it was called 'mountain stone.' I was curious, so I bought some to eat. The mountain stone doesn't look very good, but it tastes great. It's powdery, sweet, and fragrant. So I bought all the mountain stones from the vegetable farmer's stall."
"The landlord said this thing is called potato. Do you recognize it? I heard from the vegetable farmer that he found this potato by chance on the mountain. Apart from the people in his village, no one else eats it."
Listening to Lin Xiaoyao's explanation, Gu Lin did not dismiss it. He asked carefully, "Does that vegetable farmer grow potatoes himself?"
Upon asking this question, Gu Lin clenched his fist. If someone in the Great Qian Dynasty really knew how to grow potatoes, the food shortage problem in Youzhou Prefecture could be solved.
As Gu Lin was thinking this, he saw Lin Xiaoyao shake her head at him: "Every household has limited land and grows proper grains. Why would they grow these wild animals? No matter how delicious potatoes are, they can only be used as wild vegetables to fill our stomachs and taste something new."
Seeing that the landlord called the mountain stone a potato, Lin Xiaoyao also changed her way of speaking.
Gu Lin belatedly realized that the grains grown by the people of Daqian in the fields were mostly staple grains such as wheat, rice, and millet. These grains could not only be used as food for the people, but also be used to pay taxes to the government. If potatoes were planted, although they could be used as food for the people, the farmers did not know how much they would produce, and they could not use them to pay taxes after the autumn harvest. For the farmers, planting potatoes was indeed not worthwhile.
Nevertheless, Gu Lin was pleasantly surprised to learn that no farmer knew how to grow potatoes.
He and Zheng Hao thought it would take them more than ten years or even a lifetime to find high-yield grains, but Lin Xiaoyao brought back a pleasant surprise.
He looked at Lin Xiaoyao, his face and eyes full of joy: "These potatoes are good stuff, Xiaoyao, you've been a great help to us!"
Seeing the young man's surprised and excited reaction, Lin Xiaoyao also came to her senses and realized that the potatoes she had brought back must have some great use.
He asked Gu Lin, "Master, is there anything special about these potatoes?"
Gu Lin first shook his head, then nodded, and said under Lin Xiaoyao's puzzled and curious gaze, "Youzhou Prefecture has barren and arid land, and grain production has always been low. But potatoes are different from wheat and rice. They do not require strict planting conditions. They are not only drought-resistant and barren, but also have a higher yield than wheat and rice. If potatoes can be successfully planted, the people of Youzhou Prefecture and even the entire Daqian will not go hungry."
No need to go hungry?
What an absurd five words!
Even after being rescued by her employer and going from having nothing to managing a restaurant and caravan, Lin Xiaoyao still couldn't forget the life she used to live.
In his memory, when he was a child, the harvest in the fields was better, and after paying the grain tax, they could eat about 50 or 60 percent full. This was already the best of times, so how could they possibly not go hungry?
Hunger is a common occurrence, regardless of gender or age.
If, unfortunately, natural disasters such as floods or droughts occur, resulting in a complete crop failure in the fields, these farmers will truly suffer the loss of their families and lives.
Let alone being full, there are countless cases of people selling their children and even exchanging children to eat.
Lin Xiaoyao was unlucky, experiencing two natural disasters firsthand. The first, because she had reached a certain age, her own parents sold her to another family as a groom in exchange for food to survive. The second time, during their escape, her husband's family's food was stolen. Everyone else was family, but she was an outsider. Unsurprisingly, Lin Xiaoyao was sold to a slave trader by her husband's family…
Food is the lifeblood of the people. If, as the landlord says, a high potato yield can really solve the food shortage problem...
Lin Xiaoyao closed his eyes, suppressing the burning sensation between them, and said to the young man, "Master, let's hurry up and plant the potatoes."
Looking at the intact potatoes in his hand, Gu Lin shook his head and said, "Don't rush, we have to wait a while. These potatoes can only be planted in the field after they sprout. I'll go back and write down some things to pay attention to when planting potatoes. But for the specific operation, we'll have to ask an experienced farmer to try it out."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaoyao volunteered, "Master, leave this to me."
Gu Lin has many things to do, but seeing that Lin Xiaoyao volunteered to take on this task, he won't be overwhelmed with other matters.
Gu Lin instructed, "Go back and rest first. I'll call you after I've written down the precautions for planting potatoes."
Lin Xiaoyao agreed, and then followed the servants to the courtyard that Gu Lin had prepared for him.
Gu Lin instructed the guards to carry the wooden box down and to put the potatoes away carefully before returning to his own courtyard.
As soon as Gu Lin entered the room, he saw a young man sitting behind a desk, head down, reading a book.
Zheng Hao has keen senses; before Gu Lin even entered the house, he heard footsteps outside that belonged only to the other person.
Lin Xiaoyao arrived with the caravan's guards. The servants not only informed Gu Lin but also Zheng Hao. Therefore, Zheng Hao did not immediately go to see them after returning from the government office.
Uncle Gu and Lin Xiaoyao chatted for a long time, which Zheng Hao knew, but he did not have anyone eavesdrop on their conversation.
Since he and Uncle Gu became of one mind, Zheng Hao has become increasingly restrained in his desire for control. Although he still has people following Uncle Gu around, he no longer sends anyone to eavesdrop on Uncle Gu's conversations with others.
This change did not mean that Zheng Hao realized his previous behavior was wrong. Zheng Hao believed that he had the right to know and be aware of any developments around Uncle Gu.
What was right for a son in the past is now even more natural for a husband.
The reason for making concessions...
Zheng Hao softened his gaze as he looked at the young man not far away.
Gu Lin approached the table and, seeing the young man holding a book, casually asked, "What are you reading?"
Zheng Hao placed the book on the table. Gu Lin glanced down and saw the four characters "Da Qian Nong Shu" on the cover. He looked up at Zheng Hao in surprise.
He had assumed the other person was reading history books or military books, since these were books Zheng Hao often read. Unexpectedly, the other person had changed his taste and was reading agricultural books.
Seeing Gu Lin's surprise, Zheng Hao stood up, stepped forward, and took Gu Lin's hand. Gu Lin did not refuse and followed Zheng Hao's lead to the only chair behind the table.
Zheng Hao changed from sitting to standing beside the young man, and flipped through the agricultural book on the table, saying: "If we want to increase the crop yield in Youzhou Prefecture, we must not only improve the facilities, but also change the geology so that the fields in Youzhou Prefecture are suitable for cultivation."
Zheng Hao continued, "Back when I was in Yueming Prefecture, I remember seeing a method for cultivating fields in an agricultural book. The field conditions mentioned in it were very similar to those in Youzhou Prefecture. If we can find this method, it should be able to improve the fields in Youzhou Prefecture."
Upon hearing Zheng Hao's words, Gu Lin momentarily forgot to tell him about the potatoes.
He said to Zheng Hao, "I'll search with you."
Zheng Hao didn't want Uncle Gu to trouble himself with his affairs, and was about to ask him to have dinner with him when he saw the young man look up at him with a determined expression. He sighed inwardly, feeling a mix of helplessness and joy.
Zheng Hao said in a low voice, "Then I'll have to trouble Uncle Gu."
Gu Lin waved his hand: "Many hands make light work. If the two of us search together, it will be faster than if you search alone."
Zheng Hao nodded obediently and with utmost conviction, as if he would believe any absurdity or outrageous statement the young man before him made.
Zheng Hao turned his head and instructed Da Zhuo, who was waiting outside, to go to the front yard and bring over the remaining agricultural books that he had not yet read.
After the agricultural books were brought in, Gu Lin casually picked up the top one, turned his head and saw Zheng Hao standing next to him, and said, "Why don't you go sit on the soft couch and read it?"
Zheng Hao shook his head slightly: "No need to trouble yourself, I've already had someone bring in an extra chair."
As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Lin saw a servant carry in a chair that was exactly the same as the one he was sitting in. Then the young man moved his feet slightly and placed the chair next to him.
After the servants left, Zheng Hao sat down, picked up a farming book, and then turned to Gu Lin and said, "This matter is not urgent. Read one or two books first. I have someone prepare some snacks. When Uncle Gu gets hungry, the snacks will be served soon."
Gu Lin was slightly speechless upon hearing this. Although he enjoyed eating while reading, that was only when he was leisurely reading novels. When dealing with serious matters, he never ate snacks.
Seeing the embarrassment and annoyance on the young man's face, Zheng Hao guessed what the other was thinking and explained softly, "I know that Uncle Gu is focused on his work and doesn't like to be half-hearted. I was worried that Uncle Gu would forget his hunger when he was busy, so I had some snacks prepared."
Gu Lin wasn't really angry to begin with, but seeing the other person shifting the blame onto him, he urged, "Hurry up and read the book, or it'll get dark soon."
Zheng Hao lowered his eyes and nodded, without mentioning the fact that the sky outside was clear and sunny.
The two sat together, their heads bowed as they began to read agricultural books, and they no longer exchanged words.
The room was quiet and comfortable. Servants tiptoed in to bring snacks and change the tea. Zheng Hao's eyes flickered as he noticed something. The young man beside him was completely absorbed in his agricultural book. Zheng Hao raised his eyes and gestured for the servants to leave after they had finished putting down the snacks. There was no need for them to serve him here.
Seeing this, the servants retreated from the house even more quietly.
With his mind returning to the present, Zheng Hao shifted his attention from Nong Shu to Gu Lin. The two were not far apart, with their arms about a fist's width apart. If viewed from a distance, it would appear as if they were shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm, their posture intimate despite the silence.
Zheng Hao shifted his gaze slightly upwards, landing on Gu Lin's face. The table was positioned right by the wooden window, and even without candles, the sunlight streaming in through the window illuminated the room and the person before him clearly.
With his dark eyes fixed on the young man's face, Zheng Hao realized for the first time that Uncle Gu was exceptionally handsome. From childhood to adulthood, even before he had grown into a man, countless women had pursued Uncle Gu.
When he was a child, the young man was thin and sickly. His slender and delicate appearance was very much in line with the aesthetic standards of the young men in Daqian. However, Zheng Hao did not like Uncle Gu's sickly appearance.
With years of care, from the water he drank to the medicine he took, Zheng Hao kept a close eye on him, not letting Uncle Gu treat his body carelessly. After several years of recuperation, the young man gradually gained weight, and his chin became a little rounder.
But Zheng Hao still felt this wasn't enough; he hoped Uncle Gu would eat more so that he could get better.
"I found it!"
Suddenly, Gu Lin, who had been looking down at his agricultural book, raised his head, turned to the young man beside him, and exclaimed in surprise.
As the young man turned his head, Zheng Hao withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes slightly. Gu Lin did not notice anything amiss. He held the agricultural book in front of the young man and urged him urgently, "Take a look. Is this the pit-field method recorded in this book that you are looking for?"
As Gu Lin spoke, he read aloud from the book: "Dig a square pit eighteen feet deep in the field, lay river sand at the bottom, fill the middle layer with decomposed sheep manure and loess, and finally cover the surface with fine sand to improve the barren land."
Zheng Hao didn't take the book. Instead, he leaned forward slightly and sat close to the young man. Gu Lin's attention was entirely focused on the agricultural book, so he didn't notice this.
Using the young man's hands to read the agricultural book and listening to him read the method of pit farming, Zheng Hao confirmed, "This is the method."
After scanning the agricultural records with his eyes, Zheng Hao confirmed that his previous idea was correct. He explained to Gu Lin, "I have read many agricultural books. There are more methods than this one that can improve the fields in Youzhou Prefecture, but most of those methods require huge sums of money, which is not something that the Youzhou Prefecture government and the people can afford. Only the pit field method is adapted to local conditions. Youzhou Prefecture raises cattle and sheep, and the cow and sheep manure is mostly used as fuel, which can also be used as fertilizer for the fields."
Seeing that the problem had been solved, Gu Lin felt a surge of joy. At the same time, he remembered the potatoes that Lin Xiaoyao had brought back.
Today is truly a day filled with good news.
After Gu Lin told Zheng Hao about Lin Xiaoyao's discovery of potatoes while traveling as a merchant, he said, "If Youzhou Prefecture can successfully cultivate potatoes, the local people will no longer need to worry about food shortages in the future."
Listening to Uncle Gu's description, Zheng Hao gained a basic understanding of potatoes. Seeing the worry in Uncle Gu's eyes, he pondered for a moment and said, "Is there any difficulty in planting these potatoes? Uncle Gu, tell me and we can think of a solution together."
Upon hearing this, Gu Lin paused for a moment and said, "There's no problem."
Seeing that the young man was still looking at him with his dark eyes unmoving, Gu Lin helplessly confessed his worries: "Although I remember the general method of planting potatoes, I don't know how to do it in detail. Xiao Yao brought back a limited number of potatoes. If all the experiments fail, I don't know when we will be able to successfully plant potatoes."
Hearing Uncle Gu's concerns, Zheng Hao did not take them lightly.
He hesitated for a moment, then said seriously to Gu Lin, "Uncle Gu, don't worry. Tomorrow I will send someone to the prefecture where Lin Xiaoyao found the potatoes to collect them, and then ask a professional farmer to study how to grow them."
"Uncle Gu has done a lot for me and for Youzhou Prefecture. You can leave the rest to me."
Seeing that he had taken on all the work, Gu Lin felt helpless and said, "You don't need to do that. You're already busy enough. I've handed over the potato planting to Xiao Yao. You can just arrange for a few old farmers to help."
Although Gu Lin did not express it verbally, his concern for young people was revealed between the lines.
Looking at Uncle Gu beside him, Zheng Hao was unaware of how well other people's wives and husbands treated them, but his Uncle Gu did his best to help him resolve his troubles both inside and outside the home.
Meeting Uncle Gu was his greatest stroke of luck.