Seeing that the time was almost up, Hu Changan also stood up and walked out of the queue, saying to the crowd gathered at the gate of the county government: "Everyone, I am honored to see you participating in this event to promote new agricultural products."
"But there are so many people coming now that I can only select some of them to participate in this planting activity."
"Please all of you, please register with the county officials your family's grain production last year."
"I will select one hundred households to experiment with my new agricultural products."
Everyone nodded after hearing this, and no one was dissatisfied.
In this experiment of new agricultural products, priority will naturally be given to those large grain growers.
After all, those large grain growers have rich experience and are more confident in growing potatoes well.
So, everyone lined up and began to register their family's grain production last year.
It wasn't until dark that the people gathered near the Yamen slowly dispersed.
Soon, the list of these one hundred people was released.
Last year, some large grain growers in Jiangning County were among the list.
The reason why Hu Changan selected a hundred households first was because of lack of manpower.
There are only fifty or sixty experienced farmers under him.
Each person is responsible for two families, which is already the limit.
If there were more households, these old farmers might not be able to take care of them.
After selecting the experimenter, the natural next step is to plant potatoes.
Hu Changan divided all the potatoes he brought into one hundred portions and asked the old farmers to distribute them.
These old farmers were filled with emotion as they held the hard-won potatoes.
In their opinion, these are not potatoes at all, but golden lumps!
If something can produce twenty dan per mu, what else is it if it’s not a golden lump?
When everyone got the potatoes, they felt like they had found a treasure and took them down carefully.
Looking at the people scattered in all directions, Hu Changan also nodded slightly.
Very good, the promotion of potatoes this time depends on these old farmers!
Things are going smoothly here at Hu Changan.
But looking at Song Ping's place, that's not the case!
Song Ping also posted a similar notice in Gaochun County.
But a week passed, and very few people came to inquire.
Let alone a hundred people here, Song Ping's presence would be overwhelming even with ten people.
Seeing this, Song Ping angrily cursed at the Gaochun County government office: "These unscrupulous people just don't know what is good and what is good."
"I have put this high-yield crop in their hands, why are they not even willing to stretch out their hands?"
"Can what the government says be true?"
"As long as you grow these potatoes, getting rich will definitely not be a problem."
"These stupid people are confused, confused!"
Song Ping was really anxious.
Time is money now, and we can’t afford to delay it!
If all the people had to plant rice, even if they borrowed Song Ping's courage, Song Ping would not dare to pull out the farmers' rice and replace it with his own potatoes.
Therefore, this matter can only be done voluntarily by the people.
This is why Song Ping got angry.
When a Jinshi next to Song Ping heard this, he quickly handed Song Ping a pot of tea with a smile: "Teacher, please calm down first."
"I think these unscrupulous people just don't know what is good or bad."
"It's probably too late to persuade people to cultivate the fields now. I think how about this? As long as these people want to grow potatoes, how about our government giving them a pound of grain?"
"Under the temptation of profit, I don't believe that these unscrupulous people will not be tempted."
"As the old saying goes, move people with emotion, understand them with reason, and lure them with benefits."
"Now that I can't reason with Xiao Zhi, I'm afraid I'll just have to lure him and make a profit."
When Song Ping heard this, he also sighed deeply.
It seems that right now, this is the only way to do it.
The next day, Song Ping ordered someone to modify the list posted in the county government office.
Anyone willing to grow potatoes will be directly rewarded with three kilograms of grain by the yamen!
This time, Song Ping fought hard.
He heard that Hu Changan had already summoned a hundred households to conduct experiments. He didn't want to be compared to a young boy!
Now, the only option is to take drastic measures!
Song Ping was afraid that one kilogram of grain was not enough, so he took out three kilograms of grain!
If you save three kilograms of grain, it will be enough for a family of three to eat for a few days.
Song Ping felt that the allure of three kilograms of grain was definitely not small!
Such a high reward will definitely attract many strong men to Song Ping!
However, Song Ping was destined to be disappointed this time.
A few strong men have been brought in, but what are they?
Either a beggar in scanty clothes or a bastard idle on the street.
Can such a person grow food?
Even if Song Ping was beheaded, he wouldn't believe it.
This time, Song Ping was really anxious.
Seeing time passing by day by day, people still can't be pulled away.
This is simply putting Song Ping's heart on fire!
In all his years as an official, Song Ping has never encountered such a miserable thing.
Song Ping thought for a while and finally ordered Gaochun County Magistrate Shen Yichuan to pull a few farmers from the fields.
Song Ping wanted to listen carefully, why on earth did these people give up such generous conditions?
Soon, people were taken to the hall.
When these peasants entered the government office, they were all trembling.
In these days, it is not a good thing for ordinary people to enter the yamen!
Entering a yamen usually involves a lawsuit.
When it comes to lawsuits, ordinary people may be interrogated at least, or slapped with a blackmail at worst.
Even worse, it is impossible to say that he will be beaten to death directly!
When those peasants entered the government, they were all worried.
Fortunately, Song Ping didn't do anything to them.
Song Ping just picked up a notice and ordered the boy next to him to read it.
After reading, Song Ping cleared his throat and solemnly asked the three farmers at the foot of the steps: "Tell me, what else are you dissatisfied with about this policy?"
"The Yamen not only distributes potato seeds to you, but also guides you in growing potatoes and gives you extra grain rewards."
"Why don't you want to grow potatoes?"
When the farmers heard this, they also looked at each other.
After hesitating for a moment, a slightly thin farmer finally stood up and spoke: "Sir, it's not that we don't know what to do, it's really that we don't know what the effects of these potatoes will be after they are planted!"
"Although the notice says that the yield of potatoes per mu is twenty dan, but who can guarantee that the yield of potatoes is really 20 shi per mu?"
"We are all poor people and have a family to support."
"If the bet is wrong, the food rations for half a year will be wasted."
"This is not something that just three kilograms of grain can save!"
"So after much thought, the kids still dare not take the gamble and plant those potatoes."
"Compared to the unknown harvest, villains are more willing to cultivate rice honestly."
Hearing this, several other farmers nodded their heads in agreement.
Rather than growing fancy things like potatoes, they still want to grow rice honestly.