Zhang Mingjian was making tea when Zhang Yangquan's handwritten letter was delivered to Ximen Qianhu Office.
Recently, Zhang Mingjian followed the local customs and bought a pair of expensive tea sets at a high price. He cooked tea by himself every day, showing his aristocratic style.
After reading the letter, he learned that Zhang Yangquan wanted to hate Taigong He for his three thousand acres of fertile land. Zhang Mingjian sneered, lifted the teapot, and threw the letter into the stone tripod.
"Qianhu, we have had conflicts with Longtan Village several times, but we have not been able to take advantage. If we don't return the land, I'm afraid they won't give up!" Zhang Zhaolong reminded cautiously.
Zhang Mingjian sneered: "They only use despicable means to plot and confront each other head-on. Are we afraid of them?"
Zhang Zhaolong did not dare to persuade him any more.
At this moment, my subordinate came to report that Zheng Yongen was visiting.
Zhang Mingjian went out in person, welcomed Zheng Yongen into the lobby, and said with a smile: "Why is Brother Zheng so free today that he comes to see me so early in the morning? Is there another blind person who offended Brother Zheng?"
Zheng Yongen looked bitter: "Zhang Qianhu, I just received a letter from Zhang Yangquan, and I feel really uneasy."
Zhang Mingjian was stunned: "Why did he write to you?"
"He said in the letter that wild boars have been rampant in the northern suburbs recently, and many fertile fields have been damaged. He will try his best to protect my more than 10,000 acres of fields and prevent them from being damaged at all!"
Zhang Mingjian narrowed his eyes and said: "He is threatening you!"
"Who says it's not the case? Oh, what can we do!"
Zhang Mingjian snorted and said, "Why do you have so many fields in the northern suburbs?"
Zheng Yongen said with a mournful face: "You also know that I am a foreign merchant. At the beginning, I could only establish myself in the north of the city. Recently, I have only focused on moving the properties in the north of the city, but I have no time to move the property!"
Zhang Mingjian said solemnly: "What else did Zhang Yangquan say in his letter?"
Zheng Yongen looked at his expression and said: "He asked me to help persuade Brother Zhang to return Taigong He's land deed to him!"
Zhang Mingjian was furious: "Okay, he is using you to threaten me!"
"Zhang Qianhu! Please listen to me!" Zheng Yongen said solemnly: "He Taigong's land deed is a red deed, and the government has recorded it. Even if you hold it in your hand, it will be of no use!"
Zhang Mingjian snorted: "Then why did he write to me to beg me?"
Zheng Yongen thought for a while and said: "They probably don't want to sign a contract with the government again. After all, it is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and it also costs some money."
Zhang Mingjian silently poured a cup of tea for Zheng Yongen and remained silent.
Zheng Yongen gritted his teeth and said, "Zhang Qianhu, as long as you agree to the saddlery deal that was agreed upon yesterday, I'm willing to give you one hundred more sets!"
Zhang Mingjian was overjoyed and said with a smile: "You and I are brothers, your troubles are my troubles. Forget it, Zhaolong, please order someone to return the land deed to them!"
Zheng Yongen cupped his hands and said: "Thank you Zhang Qianhu!"
"Brother Zheng is too polite." Zhang Mingjian said with a smile: "I just want to remind Brother Zheng that you should sell your fields in the northern suburbs as soon as possible to avoid being taken advantage of by them again!"
"What Zhang Qianhu reminds me is that I understand!"
……
January 14th, the beginning of spring.
The cold earth began to get warmer, and the early wind also brought a touch of warmth. Shen Qianqian wore a pure white fox fur cloak and rode a carriage to the north gate.
After getting off the bus, I looked up and found that the entrance to the North Gate was lined with people entering and leaving the city.
Although the city gate soldiers were very strict in their inspections, the common people were very cooperative, and some people were chatting with the city gate soldiers, looking happy and happy.
Shen Qianqian watched for a while and suddenly said: "How can there be so many people entering and leaving the city in such a cold weather?"
Chun He, the maid on the side, smiled and said: "Miss, you haven't been in Jiangdu recently, so I don't know very well. Because the North Gate City Guards don't accept any of the people, so those who can walk through the North Gate would rather take a long detour. Enter and exit through the north gate. The more people there are, the busier it becomes."
Shen Qianqian was silent for a while and sighed: "I thought their method of managing the village was admirable. I don't want to guard a city gate, but they can be so disciplined!"
Chunhe smiled and said: "That's why I admire your vision and started dealing with Longtan Village so early. What you don't know is that now many merchants are rushing to do business with Longtan Village!"
Shen Qianqian said calmly: "Bian Yingcai was very cunning. He actually gave up two hundred good horses and robbed the other half of our supply."
"But we are the only ones who sell cabbage and Yingtao radish. Now our vegetable shop can compete with the Bian family!"
Shen Qianqian shook his head and said: "Vegetables are just the small head. I have heard from them that there are several unique food crops in Longtan Village that can only be planted after spring. That is the big head!"
Chunhe said curiously: "Oh, I really don't know where they got these seeds from!"
Shen Qianqian said quietly: "There are always things in this world that you cannot know. Okay, let's go to Qianhusuo as soon as possible."
The two got on the carriage, turned east, and arrived at Qianhushao. After the announcement, what came out was a wild boar.
"Miss Shen, I'm really sorry. Our military advisor and the two village leaders have been in the village these days. If you have something urgent, go to the village to find them!"
Shen Qianqian nodded and was about to turn around and get on the carriage when Shanzhu suddenly said again: "Miss Shen."
Shen Qianqian turned her head and said with a smile: "Do you have anything else to say?"
Shanzhu was silent for a moment and said: "The road has been uneasy recently. Shall I bring a few people to escort Miss Shen to the village?"
Shen Qianqian smiled and said: "Qianqian is protected by guards, thank you Shanbaihu for your kindness!"
Get on the carriage and return towards the north gate.
Chunhe stretched his head and looked out the window for a while, then smiled and said: "Miss, that man has been standing at the door, staring blankly at our carriage. He must be obsessed with you."
Shen Qianqian lay on his side on the cave, closed his eyes and said, "Don't talk nonsense."
This carriage is very spacious and comfortable, but there is a soft spot inside. Shen Qianqian often travels around, so this carriage is more like home to her.
When the carriage arrived at Longtan Mountain, it was already noon, and Shen Qianqian went up the mountain with her skirt in hand.
The temperature was very low and many places on the mountain road were covered with ice, so Shen Qianqian walked very slowly up the mountain.
When she arrived outside the village, the soldiers guarding the gate had known her for a long time and opened the gate before she could approach.
An old soldier smiled and said: "Miss Shen, you are here again!"
Shen Qianqian nodded and asked, "Is your military advisor in the village?"
The old soldier smiled and said: "Here he is!"
Shen Qianqian thanked her and headed towards the top of the mountain.
She came so many times, and she was well-informed and courteous. The villagers liked her very much, and villagers kept saying hello to her along the way.
Shen Qianqian did not find it too tedious, and would smile and return the greetings one by one. The short walk through the village actually took less than half an hour.
Someone had told her the location of Zhang Yangquan along the way, so Shen Qianqian went straight to Houshantian District without going to the meeting hall.
Every time she came to the farm area, Shen Qianqian would find that part of the wasteland had turned into fields. This time, it was better. When she looked up, she saw mountains and fields in front of her, and no more wasteland in sight.
Zhang Yangquan and Qin Lingjun were both wearing thick fur cloaks, standing next to an acre of mountain field and talking.
Shen Qianqian walked over with her skirt in hand and asked curiously: "Master Zhang, Chief Qin Village, are your village growing any new vegetables?"
Looking towards the field, I found that many villagers were transplanting an unfamiliar yellow lump into the field.
"Miss Shen is here." Zhang Yangquan turned around and said with a smile: "Strictly speaking, this is a root crop with extremely high starch content and can be classified as grain."
A few days ago, they obtained the deed to Taigong He's land, sold it, and paid some money to buy 3,000 acres of land. After purchasing the land, they began to plant potatoes.
"Rhizomes...crops?" Shen Qianqian was startled for a moment, then said with a smile on his face: "Are they the unique food crops you mentioned before?"
"Yes, this thing is called potato. We have all tasted it. It can be used as a staple food!" Qin Lingjun's cheeks were slightly red from the cold, but there was a smile on her face.
In the backpack that traveled with Zhang Yangquan, there was only one sweet potato and one potato. Because it was rhizome cultivation, Zhang Yangquan also brought rhizomes, which were placed in the left and right pockets of the backpack.
The most suitable planting method for these two crops is not seed planting. Sweet potatoes are harvested after emergence, and potatoes are planted after cutting the sprouts into pieces.
This kind of potato is an early-maturing species and can mature in two months. Although the reproduction rate is low, after three rounds of reproduction, it can produce enough potatoes to plant 500 acres of mountain fields.
Shen Qianqian stared closely at the potato seedlings in the hands of a villager, her eyes shining brightly and said: "Can this kind of food be grown in the mountains?"
Zhang Yangquan said happily: "Yes. This crop is not like rice, which has a strong demand for water. It is also not like wheat, which must undergo low-temperature vernalization. It is most suitable for planting in barren land."
Shen Qianqian couldn't help but said: "When the time comes, can you sell them all to me?"
Qin Lingjun glanced at her and said, "Miss Shen, we promised the Bian family that we would sell half of it to them."
Only then did Shen Qian Qianping realize that he had lost his composure, his cheeks turned slightly red, and he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear.
"Qian Qian was rash. In fact, I came here this time to tell you some important news."
"What news?" Zhang Yangquan asked.
Shen Qianqian took a deep breath and said slowly: "Do you two know that the Yanding people in Taizhou have rebelled?"