The Great Ming in the Box-Chapter 220: We Will Reclaim Wasteland
Zhao Sheng panted heavily. This frail scholar had run a long distance, completely exhausted. After panting for a while, he finally caught his breath: “Whew… Saint Lady, I came to find you to something to the Deity.”
Gao Yiye said, “Oh? Say it then. The Deity is above, listening.”
Zhao Sheng looked up, glanced at the low cloud in the sky, and quickly performed a big bow.
Having been in Gaojia Village for quite a few days, he understood that a low cloud visible at about sixty to seventy zhang in the sky meant the Deity was present; without a low cloud, the Deity was absent.
Zhao Sheng addressed the low cloud: “Deity, I wandered outside Refugee Valley on the hillside for days, constantly thinking about the future for my three thousand Villagers. Though you’ve provided them with various jobs, the village now has four thousand mouths to feed. The daily food requirement is enormous.”
“All this food,” Zhao Sheng performed another big bow, “is given to us by you. We’re very grateful for your kindness. But I wondered: if one day, you become busy with other matters and have no time to care for Gaojia Village, what will these four thousand people eat? Just relying on Gaijia Village’s current farmland, even with Zhengjia Village and Wangjia Village surrounding it, is far from enough.”
Li Daoxuan mentally agreed with him: Excellent! His concerns are sensible, or rather, farsighted.
Zhao Sheng said, “Please allow us to reclaim wasteland and open up new farmland. We must have land that can sustain over four thousand people; it’s necessary preparation. With more farmland, you could reduce or stop providing Celestial Food, saving your effort.”
Just as Li Daoxuan was about to say: Approved!
Gao Yiye said curiously, “Mr. Zhao, I suspect the Deity will allow you to reclaim wasteland, but… Chengcheng County’s soil… there aren’t many places suitable for farming.”
Zhao Sheng looked embarrassed: “That’s right. The land around Refugee Valley is poor, good for weeds and wild flowers but not for crops… But… my Villagers are hardworkers. With land available, no matter how poor, they’ll find ways and grow suitable crops.”
Li Daoxuan had checked Chengcheng County’s details long ago. Chengcheng County was part of the Weibei Loess Plateau, with the Loess Plateau dominating its landscape.
The Loess Plateau was a nightmare for farming crops.
It was tough to find land in Chengcheng County suited for crops; the best spots were already developed, like those wheat fields near Gaojia Village. Finding better farmland wasn’t easy.
But!
Li Daoxuan recalled that in later times, Chengcheng County had a key crop: corn! In the modern era, corn covered 310,000 acres there.
No matter how barren the loess land, just plant corn with ample fertilizer, and it would grow fast.
Li Daoxuan couldn’t provide modern corn seeds to the people in the box because “living things” died instantly passing through. Plant seeds were “living things” and couldn’t enter.
But…
In the late Ming period, corn had already spread to the Heavenly Nation. If they searched, they could find it.
Since Zhao Sheng had the drive to reclaim land on the Loess Plateau, Li Daoxuan thought it was the perfect time to promote corn.
“Yiye, is Xing Honglang preparing to leave the village again for Xi’an?”
“Yes!” Gao Yiye looked up. “Sister Xing leaves tomorrow.”
“Great. First, tell Zhao Sheng they’re approved to reclaim wasteland around Refugee Valley, developing it in bulk as farmland. Then, find Xing Honglang. Tell her to search for ‘corn’ in Xi’an on her next trip. If it’s available, bring back heaps, fast. It might get scarce soon.”
Gao Yiye nodded: “Mr. Zhao, the Deity has approved. You can reclaim as much wasteland around Refugee Valley as possible.”
Zhao Sheng was elated. He shouted and ran out: “I’ll notify the Villagers.”
“Run slowly,” Gao Yiye called loudly. “Don’t get winded again.”
Zhao Sheng said, “I can handle it. I’m strong… whew… very strong… whew… Such great news needs spreading… whew…”
After only two hundred meters, he leaned on his knees, panting hard: “Oh my, no good. I must… rest… such news… but slowly… spread it slowly…”
Gao Yiye burst out laughing: “Haha!”
Li Daoxuan couldn’t help smiling: With this guy’s poor fitness, who’d believe he rose in rebellion?
That evening, villagers from Qingjian County returned after working short shifts and heard the fantastic news: the Deity allowed them to reclaim wasteland.
Though Refugee Valley was surrounded by barren Loess Plateau land, the villagers were thrilled. They were “refugees,” unfit to own land, yet permitted to reclaim.
It was an immense blessing!
Hardworking villagers grabbed hooves immediately and left the valley. Tired from a day’s work, they gained energy hearing about reclamation. Quicker they worked a plot, the sooner it became theirs?
With that thought, they raced to get ahead, not wanting to be late.
However, some villagers who could calculate, especially those with craftsman skills, did the math: “If I spent all time working, and my current job under Thirty-Two paid about three taels of silver a month, a year would be thirty-six taels of silver.”
“But if I devoted time to farming, on this poor Loess Plateau, I’d yield at most one or two shi of food yearly. Even in famine with higher prices, that’s only a few taels of silver.”
“Working clearly earns more than farming. With my skills, no need to reclaim and farm. Leave it to farm-lovers. I’ll work for life.”
So, artisans and farmers took different approaches.
From one starting point, they diverged, like forked branches stretching to different lifepaths.
The next dawn, Xing Honglang departed for Xi’an with her small trade team.
This time, she wouldn’t sell salt. A diligent patrol officer like Fang Wushang made smuggled salt riskier. Why not sell legitimate goods? Selling celestial candy made more profit than salt.
Gao Yiye saw her off at the village entrance: “Bring as much corn as possible. Also, anything rare not in Gaojia Village, bring them back. The village is wealthy—rarities sell well. Most importantly, craftsmen, teachers, any talents: lure them here at any cost. That’s the Deity’s word.”
Xing Honglang laughed heartily: “No problem. Leave it to me.”
.
!
Chapter 220: We Will Reclaim Wasteland
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