The climate in the south of the Yangtze River is mild. In July, the summer harvest is approaching.
There are two crops of rice grown here in Dagou Town. The rice is sown in April and the first crop can be harvested in early July.
As the summer harvest approaches, Zhang Heng, as the patriarch of the Zhang clan, naturally becomes busy.
Of course, he was pretending to be busy. He mainly followed the elders to look around and pretended to say: "Well, the crops are growing well this year." Just like the leaders who went to the countryside to inspect.
In fact, he has never farmed at all, and it is unclear whether it is good or bad. He is a complete layman.
Everyone said that the banker's growth this year was good, so he nodded along.
If you ask him to tell you whether it's good or bad, he won't be able to tell you why. After all, few young people nowadays know how to farm. Most of those who have land at home rent it to others, and few know how to farm it themselves.
"Clan leader, look."
The clan elders were wearing black mandarin jackets and holding golden canes, pointing not far away: "This area is planted with rice, and it is indica rice that is unique to our south. After being shelled, it becomes indica rice."
"Indica rice is a type of rice. The rice in the north is japonica rice, the rice in the south is indica rice, and the rice in the two river basins is glutinous rice. They are all rice, but the taste and appearance are slightly different.
"That patch is planted with wheat, which will be used to make flour in the future."
"The area on the east side is made of corn, which is millet. This is what millet is used for."
Visit along the way.
Unlike the north, everything can be grown in the south, which is a geographical advantage.
There are three main types of crops grown here in Yangjiang County: rice, wheat, and millet.
Among them, rice is for urban people to eat, wheat is the raw material for making flour, and millet is the ration for farmers in the countryside.
As for corn and sorghum, I dare not say that no one grows them, but they are grown in relatively small quantities and people in the south are not used to eating them.
Moreover, the purpose of corn and sorghum is to resist drought. There is a drought in the north, so drought-resistant crops are naturally needed.
The land south of the Yangtze River is very rainy, and some places can even grow three-crop rice. There is no need to consider the drought resistance of crops, and naturally not many people grow corn.
Others, such as sweet potatoes and potatoes, are also grown less frequently.
Sweet potatoes and potatoes have high yields, but they damage the soil.
In this era without chemical fertilizers, it is unrealistic to fully promote the planting of sweet potatoes and potatoes. Those who have this idea must have never planted land.
First of all, land can be divided into three types according to its degree of fertility.
Superior fields, middle fields, and inferior fields. "With the advent of chemical fertilizers, there will be no such division."
Sweet potatoes and potatoes have high yields and high nutrient intake from the ground.
If you plant sweet potatoes and potatoes for several consecutive years, due to the loss of fertility in the land, the upper-grade fields will become medium, and the medium-grade fields will become inferior. The inferior fields may even become wasteland. Even weeds don't like to grow. The land must be left alone for several years.
, don’t plant anything, just nourish the land, and only then can you slowly recover.
Moreover, the output of sweet potatoes and potatoes at this time was not as amazing as it is in modern times, ranging from three to five thousand kilograms.
Not only is it small in size, it also has a poor taste and astringent texture. Compared with the sweet sweet potatoes that can be eaten as fruits in later generations, they are simply two different crops.
Therefore, some people who traveled back in time to ancient times and became emperors and promoted large-scale sweet potato planting soon, half of the people would starve to death in two or three years, because only potatoes and sweet potatoes were grown in two or three years, and the nutrients in the land would be almost exhausted.
I don’t like anything I plant to grow, and I can’t get enough of it within a few years.
Even in modern times, with the advent of chemical fertilizers, no farmer dares to grow potatoes and sweet potatoes for several years in a row.
If we really do that, this land will be useless.
"Chief, I heard from Zhentian and others that you have been doing a lot of construction work recently, building Taoist temples, and you will follow Master Xu to practice Taoism in the future."
"I don't understand this practice of Taoism. I'm afraid you might encounter a scammer. There are quite a few scammers these days under the guise of Buddhism and Taoism."
After chatting for a while, the clan elders couldn't help but talk about Master Xu.
Zhang Heng knew what they were worried about.
I believe that after the Taoist temple is built and they see Master Xu’s ability, these people will naturally feel relieved and happy.
After all, things are not going well these days, and demons and ghosts are rampant.
The town is protected by a Taoist temple and has a capable real person in charge. This is a blessing for eight villages in ten miles.
"I have my own opinion regarding Taoist temples, but the clan has some ideas."
"I plan to allocate 3,000 yuan to the clan. From now on, all elders of the Zhang clan who are over 60 years old can receive 10 kilograms of rice and 10 kilograms of white flour from the clan every month as their pension rations."
"In addition, we need to start a volunteer school in the town. I will invite a few gentlemen from the county to come back to teach. All people in Dagou Town, aged 8 to 14, can study for free. I don't ask for more, a hundred
You have to know the words."
Zhang Heng went to the school in town.
The teacher was an old scholar, and any child who wanted to come to study had to pay a bushel of rice and two loaves of meat every month.
It doesn't sound like much, but in fact, ordinary people can eat meat several times throughout the year.
Take Dagou Town as an example. The eight villages in ten miles together have a population of 30 to 50 thousand people.
There are only about twenty students in the town's school, and they can't even fit in one classroom.
You know, what Zhang Heng has seen these days alone are hundreds of children of school-age age.
Now, these people are either helping the family with farm work every day, collecting hay to feed pigs, tending cows, or picking mushrooms, cutting firewood, and taking care of their younger brothers and sisters for their parents. They are fifteen or sixteen, and even their own names are
Can't even write.
"The patriarch is so kind."
The clan elders saluted in unison.
"If you don't say anything, I almost forgot about you."
"The ration of 20 kilograms per month is for ordinary elders. You clansmen are older than your clan and have meritorious service. You have more to worry about. Your ration will be doubled. In addition, you will receive salt, oil, meat, and cloth every month.
kind of subsidies.”
Zhang Heng didn't wait for everyone to speak, and then said: "You are all elders of the clan. You have to work for the clan. Only by eating well and eating well can you do better."
The clan elders looked at each other and were all happy.
Black robes and mandarin jackets, golden walking sticks, how dare you think of them in the past.
The clan elders like them are only two patches less than the ordinary clan members. Everyone is poor, and no one can even think of becoming rich.
It's different now.
Zhang Heng had everything when he arrived. He was a good patriarch sent to them by God.
If anyone dares to oppose Zhang Heng, these clan elders can tear him apart without Zhang Heng having to speak out.
"Chief, please drink water."
While they were discussing, a girl came from a distance.
She looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. Although the clothes she wore were washed white, there were not many patches. She looked very clean. She was holding a teacup in her hand.
"This teacup is for my own use. I washed it several times before delivering it."
The girl was afraid that Zhang Heng would not drink, so she blushed and explained.
"Thanks."
Zhang Heng looked at the girl.
He looks good. Although he is undressed and dressed in a tacky way, his flaws are not concealed. He can be called a golden phoenix in the ravine.
If I take care of myself, change my hairstyle and clothes, and dress up, I will be as good as those so-called little stars and internet celebrities.
"And added honey?"
Zhang Heng drank it as soon as he drank it.
The girl nodded shyly and ran away with a blushing face.
This time it was Zhang Hengmeng's turn.
The tea cup is still with him, but the little girl ran away. What's going on?
The princess who ran away from the glass slipper?
Zhang Heng was thinking as he looked in the direction in which she ran away.
It was discovered that the girl's home was nearby, in a farmyard a hundred meters away.
And at the door of the farmhouse, there was an even smaller girl, who looked about 13 or 14 years old.
She looked numb and stubborn, looking at her sister with contempt, as if to say: "You little green tea, you actually seduce a man."
"Is that the daughter of the old Liu family?"
The clan elders also noticed it and started talking about it one after another.
"It seems to be her. It is said that Mrs. Liu went around asking people to talk to matchmakers. After several attempts, she was not interested in this girl. She is a high-spirited person."
"She looks good, and it's normal to have a high spirit. It's a pity that she has a fox face and is not blessed with good fortune."
"This girl is quite lucky. I heard that Mrs. Liu dotes on her the most. There are three families in the Liu family, four generations of grandparents, and seven or eight younger generations. There is no one who can compete with her for favor. What good food is there?
Mrs. Liu couldn't bear to eat it herself, so she had to do with this big girl."
Everyone was talking in a hurry.
Zhang Heng is not a fool, how could he not know what the clan elders mean by these words.
I'm afraid as long as he nods, even just once, the old Liu family will dare to send the girl to the door in the afternoon. The main wife doesn't dare to think about it, so she can be the second wife of the side wife.
"Opportunities are earned by oneself. This saying is indeed true."
Zhang Heng's eyes were full of amusement.
As he came out, ordinary people avoided him, and this was the first one who rushed to get close to him.
And through a brief meeting, he discovered that this girl from the Liu family was scheming. From appearing to talking to running away, everything seemed unintentional, but in fact it was all connected.
The first is the patriarch.
If the clan elders hadn't spoken, he would have thought that this girl was from the Zhang family. After all, people with other surnames would not call her the clan leader, and they would have to add the character "Zhang" because they are not from the same clan.
Then use the tea cup for your own use and wash it several times.
This is because I am afraid that he will dislike it and refuse to drink it.
The one I use is different. The girl from the Liu family is pretty and looks like a clean person.
What man would dislike a cup used by such a girl? Not only would he not dislike it, but he would be a little distraught.
Then he ran away without picking up the cup.
The cup doesn't belong to Zhang Heng, so he can't take it home by himself.
Go back and go back and forth, and everyone will become familiar with it.
Even if Zhang Heng takes it away, he won't return it today.
That would be better, pay a visit tomorrow, or create a chance encounter, and shyly say: Chief, can you return the cup to me? I only have that cup.
What man is not moved and doesn’t want to take care of him?
The little girl looks small, but she is very considerate. At first glance, she looks like a good sister who will feel sorry for Giegie.