Chapter 246: I Just Want to Do Something For The Commoners
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Ling’er thought that when she grew up and had the ability, she would try to find her birth parents.
But it didn’t matter much to her now. She was as happy as a princess, and searching for her past had little significance.
In the golden autumn month of October, the war and the additional tax for grain had quieted down.
The three tenant farmers of the Qiao family had already come to deliver their grain. They were living quite comfortably as tenants of the Qiao family.
Besides delivering grain, they requested to meet with Qiao Mai, which puzzled her.
She received them in the main hall and was surprised that all three tenant farmer families knelt before her. Qiao Mai quickly had them helped to their feet.
“If you have any requests, I will help as long as I can fulfill them.” “Madam, could we follow you in planting greenhouse vegetables?”
“So it’s about this.”
“We want to become prosperous, have our fields, and learn from you. Can you teach us?”
“Of course. Why not?”
The farmers were thrilled. “Thank you, Madam.”
“Are you planning to plant vegetables on all your land?”
“No, we want to start small, testing the waters. Grains are still our primary crops. We’ve heard that one acre of land for growing vegetables has a high cost, and we don’t have much extra money.”
“I see. It’s good to be cautious about the investment.”
“Please, Madam, be kind to us.”
“Alright, I’ll provide you with materials at cost price, but you’ll have to prepare the rest yourselves. I’ll send a few maids to teach you in the fields.”
“Thank you, Madam. Thank you.”
The first group of people to plant greenhouse vegetables with the Qiao family
appeared. She never said anything as she wanted to see if there were any
intelligent individuals.
Each of the three tenant farmer families set aside five acres to grow vegetables while continuing to cultivate wheat on the rest of their land.
They earnestly learned from the maids. They quickly grasped the essentials of planting winter vegetables, pest control, and various methods for dealing with insects.
Qiao Mai provided them with high-quality seeds and allowed them to sell their produce in Qiao’s Small Eatery. This resolved their supply problem and saved the customer’s trouble from fighting over it.
As the weather grew colder, the vegetables in the greenhouse gardens started to sprout.
Chinese chives grew the fastest, and the tenant farmers’ crops thrived. The sight of the green and thriving vegetables gave them hope.
These families were working hard, learning diligently from the maids. They weren’t entirely unfamiliar with vegetable planting, but they realized they needed to put in effort to match the quality of the Qiao family’s produce.
They saw the sprouts growing in their fields and were elated, wiping away tears of joy.
The landlord is kind. Not only did Qiao Mai not keep any secrets, but she also provided them with materials to build greenhouses and allowed their vegetables to be sold at Qiao’s Small Eatery.
This solved their marketing problems, saved their effort, and they didn’t have to go around shouting and selling their produce.
However, Qiao Mai didn’t do this for free. She took a 10% cut from the sales, meaning the farmers received the rest. The prices of the vegetables varied, keeping the tenants prepared for fluctuations.
All three families were appreciative and quickly agreed to the arrangement without hesitation.
After Yuan Jiaqi had settled the soldiers, the frequency of his visits increased. By the end of June, the pine trees were fully planted.
Apart from the soldiers, the others also gradually returned home.
They had to wait until the following spring to start work. Pruning, watering, and fire prevention would all be necessary.
Yuan Jiaqi had been away from home for months, but when he returned, he spent a night intimate with his wife.
“I’m sorry, my dear. I was too busy on the other side. You’ve been through a lot these past months. Without your support, I wouldn’t have been promoted.” “Even if you get promoted further, you’ll still be just a county governor.” “I don’t want to climb the ranks further. I’d like to spend my life in County She.”
“Why is that?”
“I’ve achieved something there, and I don’t want others to benefit without contributing.”
“Just so you know, if you get a higher position and have to go to the capital or elsewhere, I won’t go with you. I’ll stay in Tianshui Town.”
“In that case, I’ll come back to visit you. Don’t worry. I won’t be seduced by anyone.”
Qiao Mai pouted, “Not seducing others doesn’t mean others won’t try to seduce you. Has the Qu family contacted you?”
“No, they seem to have been pressured from above and haven’t caused any trouble lately. I haven’t seen Miss Qu for months.”
Qiao Mai took a thick notebook from under the mattress and placed it beside him.
“Let’s deal with it when we return to County She.”
“What’s this?”
“It’s a plan for the workshops. We need to prepare for them now. The pine trees will be ready soon, and we’ll need workshops for the fat extraction, pine resin collection, and pine nut roasting.”
“You’re amazing, my dear. I’m lucky to have a wife like you. It’s a blessing from my past lives.”
Qiao Mai rolled her eyes at him. “It’s getting late. Let’s go to sleep.”
The next day, Qiao Mai had the kitchen prepare a table full of delicious dishes to celebrate Yuan Jiaqi’s return. Old Master Wang sighed. “Jiaqi.”
“Yes?”
“I never expected you to be promoted so quickly, jumping two ranks at once.
You’ve done well.”
“It’s all thanks to my wife’s support. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity.”
“Indeed, it’s good that you understand. There aren’t many officials’ spouses who do as well as your wife. Without her strong support, providing medicine and money, I doubt the Emperor would have noticed your achievements.”
“I only wish to do something for the people. Whether I rise in rank or not doesn’t matter much to me. It’s convenient to stay in the north and avoid the political maneuvering and intrigues of the court.”
“I agree. No matter where you are, it’s good as long as you can benefit the people. Being in the capital doesn’t guarantee you can do practical things for the people; it’s better here.”
“Yes.”
Qiao Mai interrupted, “Enough talk; let’s finish our meal.”
“Haha, let’s not talk about it anymore. Eat your food.”
After only three days at home, Yuan Jiaqi returned to County She. When he left, there was a light snowfall in the sky.
County She had more snow compared to Tianshui Town, with snow covering everything. It had become a kingdom of snow.
Yuan Jiaqi didn’t rush back to the court. Along with six guards, he went to the forest for an inspection.
Those pine trees stood tall in the snow, unaffected by the wind. The white snow and the green pines created a striking contrast.
In this rare winter scenery, he could see the truth in what his wife said, that pine trees are suitable for cultivation in the north.
Upon his return to the court, he didn’t do anything else. He first reviewed the plan his wife had prepared.
As he read, he nodded in approval. The plan was incredibly detailed. If executed as Qiao Mai had outlined, it could provide jobs for several hundred people in County She.
Establishing the workshops would also boost the local economy.
If his wife could solve the issue of the local’s annual grain cultivation, it would be great. This way, there would be no need for people to migrate to the south.
Retaining the population would naturally boost the economy.
He sighed. Qiao Mai wasn’t a goddess; she couldn’t know everything. The climate and soil here were different, and there was no way she could be knowledgeable in all these aspects.
Having three sheep in the family, Qiao Mai frequently visited her space for cultivation.
She was now close to reaching the Nascent Soul Realm.
As snow fell for several days, she spent time cultivating in her space. Have you ever seen thunder during a heavy snowfall?
The residents of Tianshui Town experienced it today. It was a rare phenomenon.
This was because Qiao Mai was forming her nascent soul. As for what happened outside, she did not know of it. After successfully forming her nascent soul, her aura was more ethereal than before.
Her movements were like a fairy descending from the heavens, immaculate and graceful.
According to the cultivation books, the life expectancy at the Foundation Establishment Realm was a hundred years, and it would extend to five hundred years at the Nascent Soul Realm.
Thinking about living for five hundred years, she couldn’t help but worry that her children would become bones by then.
She had to raise the level of her elixirs and create high-grade longevity pills to let her children live longer and enjoy life..
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