Guo An chuckled lightly and explained in a leisurely manner: "It's just two thousand hectares of fields, and our Wanping County has more than 16,500 households and 75,000 people!"
"If these two thousand hectares of land are divided among these 16,500 households, each household will only need to cultivate twelve acres of land within two months!
In one month, one household only needs to cultivate six acres of land, which means it takes five days to cultivate one acre of land. Any young man can cultivate one acre of land in five days, let alone one household.
Not only are there young people, there are even old people and children!”
"Even among the 15,600 households, there are military households and craftsmen households, but military households and craftsman households also have idle people.
These military and craftsmen households would certainly actively cultivate the land they could own their own."
"And if these military households and craftsmen households have no time to cultivate wasteland, then they are only counted as 10,000 households.
These 10,000 households can cultivate 20 acres of land in two months, ten acres in one month, and one acre in three days. Is that completely enough?"
"this……"
Nie Zizhen looked confused when he heard this.
Immediately, he quickly stood up and ran outside.
Soon, he brought in an abacus and started doing calculations.
After a long while, he raised his head and looked at Guo An with surprise.
"Good boy, have you already figured it out?"
"Otherwise, I would not dare to discuss borrowing food with His Highness King Yan!" Guo An replied.
Nie Zizhi was relieved now. If the data Guo An said was followed, not only two thousand hectares of land would be cultivated within two months, but even three thousand hectares of land would be possible!
"But, the only question is, will the people in Wanping County listen to you, the county magistrate, and work hard to reclaim wasteland?"
"Uncle, don't worry, Guo An has already informed the li chiefs and grain chiefs of each Jia li about this matter!"
"Hiss... how did you do this? Those grain chiefs and li chiefs in each armory are all a bunch of local emperors, and you can actually explain them all?" Nie Zizhi looked incredulous.
"Just give these old men in Lijia more time to chat. Everyone has something they pursue, and these grain chiefs and lijia chiefs are all so innocent and simple. If you chat a few more words, you can talk about anything..."
Nie Zishi's eyes twitched when he heard these words. Seeing Guo An in front of him looking like he was in need of a beating, he couldn't bear it anymore.
"What a bastard of the old Guo family. Since everything is under your control, just get out of here. I have been worrying about you all day in vain!"
"Hey, Guo An has always remembered Uncle Nie's kindness! However, it is really getting late, so I won't disturb my rest..."
"..."
Two days later.
Regarding Guo An, the Xiaozhi County of Wanping County, in front of Nie Fantai of Beiping Prefecture and the magistrates of Daxing County, Miyun County and other counties, he bet with His Highness the King of Yan to open up two thousand hectares of land to borrow grain, which was directly reported in the entire Beiping Prefecture.
spread.
From the officials in the Yamen of the Third Division of Beiping Prefecture to the common people in every district, everyone is talking about it.
In fact, even the Beiping Mansion suddenly lost dozens of officials, and the matter of recruiting new members was so inconspicuous in front of this matter.
"The magistrate of Wanping County really doesn't know the heights of the world. He actually accepted the offer of two thousand hectares of land in front of His Highness King Yan!"
"Tsk, tsk, I really think he is the living King of Zhongshan!"
"Humph, when King Zhongshan was guarding Beiping, he might not be able to cultivate two thousand hectares of land within half a year!"
"Have you heard that the magistrate of Wanping County was recommended to be the magistrate of Wanping County just a year ago? This year, because of the corruption case, he was fortunate enough to be promoted to the magistrate of Wanping County!"
"...This is really bad luck!"
"No, after listening to that, the little magistrate of Wanping County is only twenty-one!"
"What, so young!"
"Yeah, that's why it's so unreliable!"
"Do you know if the Xiaozhi of Wanping County has a family?"
"Huh?... Mr. Qian, you have a good plan for this fight..."
"..."
Within the county government office of Wanping County.
Ning Deyou, Feng Fuchun, Qinong and other six-room clerks stood in front of Guo An with anxious faces.
"Your Majesty, the news about your gambling with His Highness Prince Yan has spread throughout the entire Beiping Mansion. Whether it's officials, wealthy businessmen or the common people, they are all saying that you are young and energetic, I don't know..."
Guo An smiled and said, "So do you know that the merchants passing by are also talking about this matter?"
Ning Deyou and Qinong were startled.
After a while, Ning De slowly replied: "Your Majesty, this matter has caused such a big commotion, and those merchants can't even talk about it even if they don't want to!"
"Very good!"
Guo An said happily.
"Forehead?"
Ning Deyou, Qinong and others suddenly looked surprised.
"Your Majesty, these merchants travel all year round. If they spread the news to the south, what will happen to your reputation?"
"Did I bully men and dominate women, was he corrupt, or was he taking advantage of the common people?" Guo An asked with some confusion.
Several people in Ningde shook their heads.
"So, then I am afraid of a bird?"
Guo An said confidently, "The reclamation of wasteland is a decree issued by His Highness King Yan, and His Majesty has been encouraging the people to reclaim wasteland.
Shouldn’t this be a good thing?”
"But Lord County, the food in the homes of those people is only enough for three months at most. If we cannot cultivate two thousand hectares in these three months, then tens of thousands of people in Wanping County will be hungry!"
Ning De said.
"That's why I say that it's a good thing that those merchants are talking about reclaiming wasteland!" Guo Andao said.
"The villain is stupid!"
Ning Deyou, Qinong and others all looked puzzled.
"You are indeed really stupid!"
Guo An sighed helplessly, "After these merchants know that I am betting against His Highness King Yan to reclaim wasteland, can they believe that the people of Wanping County can reclaim two thousand hectares of land?"
"I don't believe it!"
Ning Deyou, Qinong and others shook their heads repeatedly. Not only the merchants did not believe it, but even the scribes in Wanping County were still a little unconfident.
That's two thousand hectares of land, not two thousand acres!
Guo An nodded and continued to ask: "So, after two months, the people of Wanping County have no food to eat. What do you think they will do based on the cunning psychology of those businessmen pursuing profit?"
"this……"
Ning Deyou, Qinong and others only thought about it for a moment, and then their expressions became serious.
"County Lord, by that time, our Wanping County will not be able to cultivate two thousand hectares of land. Your Highness, King Yan, will not lend us food for the people of Wanping County, and there is not enough food in the warehouse for us, the people of Wanping County."
So, by then, the people of Wanping County will have no choice but to sell their fields in exchange for food!"
"According to the cunning habits of those merchants, a large amount of grain will inevitably be shipped from the south in advance, until the people of Wanping County have no food to eat.
Then use the grain in their hands to exchange for a large field from the people of Wanping County at a low price!"
Guo An nodded slightly and continued: "Finally, the fields they exchanged will be rented to me, the people of Wanping County, for farming. When the autumn harvest comes next year, they will use the grain grown in the fields to hand it over to the Chief Envoy of Peking.
Then go to the capital to exchange for salt!
They only need a few dozen stones of food to get a steady stream of salt!"
"These merchants are really a bunch of cunning and cunning people!"
Ning Deyou, Qinong and others were filled with anger.
Then, he looked at Guo An with confusion on his face.
"The county magistrate knew this, why did he still..."