Chai Yan, Yuan Yuan and Jimo Qiao followed Jian Pingliang into Yunshui Villa and walked all the way to the garden.
Jian Pingliang was very enthusiastic and introduced the situation of Yunshui Villa to the three of them as they walked.
He knew everything about the year the villa was built, who named it, who inscribed the plaque, how many rooms it has, and what its features are, and he spoke about it right away.
Chai Yan and Yu Yuan listened and watched carefully all the way, but Jimo Qiao was the only one who was restless. He would look curiously at places he passed, occasionally marveling, and occasionally being surprised.
After walking and walking like this, the four of them finally arrived at a garden deep in the courtyard.
As soon as they entered the full moon gate of the garden, the three of them saw a group of people lined up neatly.
Jian Pingliang said: "Uncle An Ping, the two Jimo ladies are farmers and scribes sent by the emperor. They are all very experienced in farming."
Chai Yan nodded and walked inside with Yuan.
Jimo Qiao was very surprised and said: "No, do you want to plant potatoes in the garden?"
Jian Pingliang explained: "Miss Qiao, the emperor wanted to keep the potato planting secret for the time being, so the trial planting is arranged here, and there are soldiers guarding the area day and night."
"Oh, that's right..." Jimo Qiao nodded.
Chai Yan then said: "Miss Qiao, don't talk nonsense when you go back, otherwise I won't be able to save you when the emperor gets angry."
Jimo Qiao pouted and said angrily: "What! Do I look like a big mouth who talks nonsense?"
"Don't tell me, they really look alike!" Chai Yan nodded solemnly.
Jimo Qiao suddenly frowned and glared: "Sister, look at him, he always makes me angry!"
Yuyuan hurriedly said: "Okay, okay, stop making trouble..."
Jian Pingliang acted as if he had not seen or heard this scene. After they finished speaking, he said: "Uncle An Ping, please come this way... Oh, by the way, the two Jimo ladies are already ready in the pavilion over there.
After we have tea and cakes, you two can go sit and have a rest."
"I'm not tired, I want to watch them grow potatoes." Jimo Qiao shook his head.
But Yuanyuan understood what Jian Pingliang meant, and pulled Jimo Qiao towards the pavilion, saying in a low voice: "There's no rush, let's go drink tea first and don't disturb them from doing their business."
Jian Pingliang bowed his hands to Yuanyuan and Jimo Qiao, and then said: "Uncle Anping, please."
"Please." Chai Yan said politely.
Then, Jian Pingliang led Chai Yan to twenty farmers and five scribes.
Jian Pingliang introduced to everyone loudly: "Listen up, everyone, this is Lord Chai, Earl of Anping County!"
"I have met the Earl!"
More than 20 people immediately bowed and raised their hands, saluting Chai Yan in unison.
Chai Yan pressed his hands together and said with a kind face: "Don't be polite, I will teach you how to grow potatoes later. You must watch and learn carefully, and record all the steps clearly. Do you understand?"
"Understood, Your Majesty the Earl!" Everyone answered loudly.
Chai Yan nodded and said to Jian Pingliang: "Master Jian, let's get started. Where is the potato?"
Jian Pingliang nodded immediately, turned around and said, "Go back to Uncle Anping, the potatoes are all over there."
Chai Yan followed his finger and saw that all eight baskets of potatoes were placed next to the cultivated land, very neatly.
"Let's go to the fields." Chai Yan waved, turned around and walked towards the potato.
Jian Pingliang immediately followed him with the farmers and scribes, and soon everyone surrounded Chai Yan and Tudou.
Chai Yan picked out one of the sprouted potatoes and explained the steps of sowing while showing how to cut it into pieces with his hands.
The farmers present were very experienced in farming, and Chai Yan’s words were simple and clear. After one or two repetitions, everyone understood how to grow potatoes.
The five scribes were not idle either. They were holding books in one hand and writing pens in the other, for fear of missing the key points Chai Yan said.
After explaining the theoretical knowledge, Chai Yan asked for a knife and cut the sprouted potato into four small pieces, making sure that there were several sprouts on each small piece.
Afterwards, Chai Yan planted the cut small potato pieces into the ground. When planting, he also specifically told everyone to keep the buds facing up as much as possible, so that the seedlings can break out of the ground as soon as possible.
In the pavilion not far away, Yuan Yuan and Jimo Qiao sitting at the table were looking at Chai Yan...
Yuan Yuan watched quietly without saying much, looking calm and relaxed.
Jimo Qiao was different. He moved around but couldn't sit still. He always wanted to go to Chai Yan to see what was going on up close.
"Sister, let's go and take a look. We can't see anything here, let alone how to grow potatoes. I can't even see what potatoes look like." Jimo Qiao was a little anxious.
Yuanyuan said: "Qiao'er, don't worry. At this time, he has to teach everyone how to plant. After the teaching is completed, he will naturally ask us to come over and watch."
Jimo Qiao shook his head helplessly after hearing this, and then began to eat the snacks on the table.
Soon, Chai Yan completed the demonstration of the entire process of growing potatoes.
"Okay, now it's your turn. Let's try it out for ourselves. Just remember the key points I just said." Chai Yan clapped his hands.
The farmers present were very surprised, because they did not expect that growing potatoes could be so simple, and they finished talking about it in just a cup of tea.
Subsequently, under Jian Pingliang's command, twenty farmers began to operate. Some cut sprouted potatoes, and some dug the soil to plant seeds. Almost everyone practiced the whole process.
Two scribes saw that their hands were itchy and couldn't help but went to the ground to plant two pieces.
While the farmers were experimenting with planting, Chai Yan also waved to the two people in the pavilion.
When Jimo Qiao saw Chai Yan waving, he jumped up, pulled Yuan and said: "Sister, sister, brother-in-law asked us to come over..."
Under Jimo Qiao's urging, the two women quickly arrived at the field.
Without Chai Yan saying anything, Jimo Qiao had already taken the lead and ran to the basket, picked up the potatoes and started observing.
"Is this a potato?" Jimo Qiao held a fist-sized potato and looked around curiously: "It looks a little weird!"
Jimo Qiao looked at the potatoes in his hand for a while, and suddenly found someone cutting the potatoes into pieces and planting them. He immediately became interested and shouted: "I want to try it too!"
With that said, Jimo Qiao borrowed a knife from someone and prepared to imitate how to cut into pieces.
"Wait, you're not doing this right." Chai Yan immediately ran over to stop him.
"What's wrong? Isn't that what everyone thinks?" Jimo Qiao was puzzled.
Chai Yan took the potatoes in her hand and said, "These haven't sprouted yet. You have to cut the potatoes that have sprouted, otherwise it will be useless to plant them!"
"Hey, you should have told me earlier!"
After saying that, Jimo Qiao went to find a sprouted potato and began to cut it seriously.
Under Chai Yan's guidance, Jimo Qiao quickly cut the potatoes and successfully planted them in the ground. When she covered them with soil, she couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
"Sister, you should try it too, it's very fun." Jimo Qiao said happily.
Yuanyuan nodded, and then said to Chai Yan: "I want to try it too, is it okay?"
"Of course! Just wait..."
Chai Yan nodded happily, then found a sprouted potato and a knife, and let Yuan start cutting it happily.
Seeing Yuanyuan and Jimo Qiao happily planting potatoes, Chai Yan was very happy in his heart.