Chapter 61: Flattering the Right Way

In the beginning, many ideas seem good. For example, many dynasties start as flourishing eras, all hoping to ensure the common people have enough to eat and wear, while governing their lands justly.

But as one generation passes, the next might hold onto these ideals. Yet, what about the third or fourth generation? The original vision gradually fades.

Still, it’s enough to let the common people realize such ideals existed, planting a seed in their hearts. That alone is worthwhile.

It’s hard to say how far the Lotus Society can go, but with someone like Tian Mi, a wealthy woman without financial worries, it’s still possible to uphold their initial vision.

Tian Dabiao, being simple-minded, needed Tian Mi to write up a detailed outline for him, especially about the daily management and rules for society members.

Coincidentally, one of the shops Tian Mi had purchased was located just outside the dock. She decided to turn this place into the daily office for the Lotus Society.

The next day, Zuo Zhengfeng and Huang Yuanying came to find Tian Mi, brimming with excitement.

“Do you think the potatoes are ready to harvest? Let’s go dig them together!” they eagerly asked.

They even brought over thirty yamen officers, all armed with hoes, looking ready to tackle the job with gusto.

Recently, Village Chief Zhou had been sending his son, Zhou Qiang, to deliver messages every day, saying the potatoes were likely ready for harvest. With so many people offering to help, Tian Mi gladly welcomed them.

She led the group to the valley.

On their way up the mountain, Huang Yuanying remarked, “We need to build a proper road for you. This constant climbing up and down is too inconvenient.”

If these seeds truly yield 2,000 catties per mu, transporting such a large harvest with just horses would take forever. A cart road was clearly necessary.

Meanwhile, Tian Mi was deep in thought about how much silver she could charge per jin for such high-yield seeds.

Jackpot! She was striking it rich!

Every day felt like a fortune was being made. Life as a wealthy woman was simply delightful!

Her eyes sparkled with the brilliance of wealth, and she couldn’t hide her excitement.

When they arrived at the valley, Tian Mi asked Village Chief Zhou to organize the harvest teams and divide the work to ensure everything progressed quickly.

After all, labor needed to be efficiently utilized.

The villagers, initially intimidated by the sight of so many government officials, were eventually reassured by Huang Yuanying and calmed down. The village chief assigned two officers to each household to assist with the work.

Some focused on cutting vines, others on digging potatoes, and the atmosphere was buzzing with activity.

Huang Yuanying continuously reminded everyone, “Be careful while digging! Make sure you don’t damage them—these are treasures more valuable than gold!”

As they unearthed large piles of potatoes from each plant, with just two potatoes weighing over a catty, Huang Yuanying and Zuo Zhengfeng’s eyes widened in shock.

This yield was likely more than 2,000 catties per mu!

Excited, they immediately instructed the workers to harvest a few mu and calculate the total yield.

Tian Mi, on the other hand, paid them no mind. She focused on harvesting ripe peaches and grapes she had planted alongside the potatoes. With the help of a few women from Fengqiu Village, she used woven baskets to collect the fruits while secretly storing a portion in her space.

Other than the grapes, the fruits here were not exactly rare, but none matched the size, taste, and appearance of Tian Mi’s harvest.

Thus, her harvest didn’t attract much attention.

By noon, the group had harvested several dozen mu of land. With so many hands at work, progress was rapid.

When weighed, one mu astonishingly yielded 2,400 catties—even on this newly reclaimed land.

Huang Yuanying and Zuo Zhengfeng were practically breathless with excitement. If such yields could be replicated, famine would be a thing of the past for the common people.

Even the villagers of Fengqiu were stunned, their joy written all over their faces.

Though they were currently being paid wages for their labor, they couldn’t help worrying that Tian Mi might lose money. If she did, they would feel guilty about it.

Zuo Zhengfeng approached Tian Mi, who was washing fruits. She shared some with him, and the man was utterly delighted.

The fruits Tian Mi produced were extraordinary. He couldn’t help but marvel, “Even the emperor in the palace might not have tasted anything this delicious!”

Zuo Zhengfeng said, “Tian Mi, you absolutely must not eat those high-yield seeds. I’ll deliver them to the palace as fast as I can. This is serious business, you hear me?”

This was an order from Bai Mucheng. If the yield truly reached 2,000 catties per mu, it had to be reported to the palace immediately. He had even personally written a recommendation letter, detailing her previous contributions and the merits she had achieved.

Looking at the sumptuous display of fruits on the table, Zuo Zhengfeng felt a strong urge to bring some to the Emperor. But he worried the fruits might spoil before reaching the palace.

“How long can these fruits stay fresh? If they could last the journey, I’d love to bring them to the palace.”

Large quantities were out of the question, but for small amounts, there might be a way. Grapes wouldn’t last long, but for other fruits, cutting longer branches and wrapping the cut ends in damp cloth might extend their freshness.

In this world, the Emperor was the ultimate authority. When it came to currying favor, one should seize the opportunity.

“Got it! I’ll prepare the fruits properly so you can bring them to the palace,” Tian Mi said with a grin.

Qinghe County was connected to the prosperous southern regions through waterways, but travel north was less convenient. Even on horseback, it would take Zuo Zhengfeng about seven days to reach the capital.

Tian Mi carefully selected fruits that were slightly underripe, leaving longer branches and cutting the stems diagonally. She wrapped the cut ends in damp cloth and placed them inside bamboo tubes to retain moisture without wetting the fruits. She even included watermelons and cherry tomatoes.

“With all this effort, Emperor, you’d better appreciate it! Charge a high price, alright? And maybe grant this lady a title—let me flaunt my status a little!” Tian Mi chuckled to herself. “Money, fame, and handsome men—life as a wealthy woman is just delightful!”

Zuo Zhengfeng left that very night with the goods Tian Mi had prepared, along with a bag of potatoes. Meanwhile, Huang Yuanying stayed behind to supervise the ongoing harvest. With the village chief and Huang’s men present, Tian Mi didn’t need to worry about the operations.

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When Tian Mi returned to town, Tian Dabiao came to find her, beaming with joy at having work to do.

“Girl, our Lotus Society has only been around for two days, and we already have over a hundred members. But the trade volume at the dock isn’t great yet. How do we keep everyone busy and earning money?”

Qinghe County was still recovering from recent turmoil, so low trade activity was expected. Tian Mi thought for a moment, then fetched 10,000 taels of silver and handed it to Tian Dabiao.

“Go through the brokers and see if there are any farms for sale outside the city. Once the dock has enough people, have the rest start farming. I’ll need large quantities of peanuts, sunflowers, and rapeseed for oil production. Also, plant sugarcane. White sugar is a luxury now, and once we can produce it ourselves, I won’t have to be so cautious about using what I have in storage.”

She had plenty of beet seeds in her space as well, but the climate here wasn’t suitable for planting them.

Salt was another tricky issue. The refined salt she had in her space was far superior to what was available here, but producing or selling salt was strictly regulated in this era. For now, she could only use it sparingly for her own cooking.

Tian Dabiao’s eyes widened. “Girl, just how much silver do you have?”

Tian Mi smiled. “Dad, as long as you have me, you’ll never need to worry about money again.”

Tian Dabiao burst into hearty laughter. He never imagined a day when he could live so extravagantly. He immediately called for Qiu San to carry the silver and set off.

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Tian Mi’s spatial storage was still stocked with a large number of cattle and sheep that needed to be dealt with. Once her restaurant opened, lamb could be served, but slaughtering cattle was forbidden. She’d need to figure out the rules about wild cattle and consult her uncle when the time came.

Additionally, she planned to raise pigs and promote her bacon-making techniques. Better-tasting pork would surely benefit her restaurant business.