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“I came here today for the sole purpose of discussing cotton planting. Last year, we clearly instructed on seedling cultivation, but this year, there are too many people planning to plant cotton. We won’t be able to handle the breeding alone. I thought of informing you and the Governor, and we will distribute cotton seeds at the county office. I will send people to teach the locals how to breed cotton seedlings,” Wang Jinhe explained to the county magistrate.
Upon hearing Wang Jinhe’s words, the county magistrate understood her intentions. It was a good arrangement, especially considering that the princess was currently pregnant and had many other matters to attend to.
“No problem. I will inform the Governor about this matter. We will make the necessary arrangements. But, Madam, when do you think would be the most suitable time?” the county magistrate inquired.
“It would be quite difficult to accommodate all the people in Fu’an County. I will have the seeds taken to the county town, and we will distribute the seeds and teach seedling cultivation at the county office there,” Wang Jinhe said. She realized that it was not practical to have all the people come to one place, so it would be more efficient to divide the work among several locations.
“Understood.”
Wang Jinhe then discussed other matters with the county magistrate, finalized the details of the seed distribution and seedling cultivation, and after confirming the schedule, she left.
Upon returning home, Wang Jinhe called over a dozen skilled individuals involved in cotton planting and said, “In the future, each pair of you will take cotton seeds to several surrounding areas and teach the locals how to breed. Can you handle this task?”
“Madam, rest assured, we will definitely complete the mission,” they assured.
Wang Jinhe nodded with a smile. “Very well, then prepare to depart tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
The county magistrate and the Governor acted swiftly. After Wang Jinhe made the arrangements, they disseminated the information. The locals were delighted to learn that Wang Jinhe would sell cotton seeds to them at a low price. They had been eagerly anticipating this for nearly half a year. Last year, those who planted cotton made a good profit, so they had been looking forward to this opportunity.
Upon hearing the news, the locals had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the cotton seeds. About ten days later, everything was in place, and the county offices in several areas of Fu’an County were crowded with people.
While the locals registered the planting area, the seeds were weighed out. Once all the locals received their seeds, the individuals sent by Wang Jinhe began teaching them how to breed. The locals were very attentive and asked questions promptly when they didn’t understand.
In addition to teaching breeding techniques, the instructors also explained how to plant, care for the cotton, and the appropriate distance between cotton plants. The locals were very appreciative of the thorough and careful instruction.
“This is what needs to be done in the initial stages of cotton planting. We will come back to teach you what needs to be done later,” the instructors said.
“Thank you very much.”
“Does anyone have any further questions? If not, we will report back.”
“We have no further questions.”
“Alright, we’ll take our leave. Remember not to forget about the breeding,” the instructors said, looking at the locals with concern.
“We won’t forget.”
Satisfied that the locals had indeed remembered, the instructors bid farewell and left. As they departed, they took the records of the planting areas with them.
The individuals who had gone to teach the locals returned and handed over the record book of the planting areas to Wang Jinhe. “Madam, here are the records.”
“Good, you’ve worked hard. Go and rest for now,” Wang Jinhe said.
“Understood.”
Wang Jinhe flipped through the book and, after reviewing it, gained a rough understanding of this year’s cotton yield.
“Are you starting to work again after telling them to rest?” Su Yu came in and looked at Wang Jinhe with a helpless expression.
Wang Jinhe turned to Su Yu. “It’s the planting area for this year’s cotton.”
“How much is it?” Su Yu asked.
“Altogether, it’s over 2,000 mu. Most of the areas are around one or two mu, with a few at three or four mu. There are very few areas over five mu, but it’s close to that number,” Wang Jinhe explained.
With their cotton and the cotton from their side, they should have around 200,000 catties, which should be sufficient.
“It should be enough.”
“Yes, have you chosen the location for planting astragalus?” Wang Jinhe turned to Su Yu and asked.
Su Yu nodded with a smile. “He has already chosen a spot. It’s on the slope behind the Hululu Village, which is very suitable for planting medicinal herbs. The key is that it’s quite secluded. Not many people know about it. However, we still need to visit Hululu Village and purchase the slope.”
“What’s the problem? Our relationship with Hu Lin is still good. If we ask, he will definitely sell it to us,” Wang Jinhe said confidently.
Su Yu smiled, “You’re right. They will definitely agree to sell it to us.”
Originally, Wang Jinhe had planned to negotiate with Hu Lin himself, but Su Yu was unwilling to let her go alone. In the end, they compromised, and Su Yu accompanied Wang Jinhe.
Hululu Village had undergone significant changes and was no longer the impoverished small mountain village it once was. With the help of Hu Lin and his group, even the villagers from the former Lincun Village had seen improvements in their lives, and conflicts had decreased.
The two of them, along with Yuan Bao, went to Hu Lin’s house. Upon seeing Wang Jinhe, Hu Lin was first surprised, then delighted. “County Princess, why have you come? If there’s anything, you could have just asked Old Xie to inform me.”
The County Princess was pregnant, and she had come all the way here. What if something happened?
Wang Jinhe looked at the village chief helplessly and said, “Village Chief, don’t treat me like a delicate doll. I’m doing just fine.”
“Is there something the County Princess came for?” Hu Lin, unable to argue with Wang Jinhe, asked helplessly.
Wang Jinhe raised an eyebrow and looked at Hu Lin. “Can’t I just come for a visit?”
“If the County Princess came for a visit, her husband would definitely not allow it,” Hu Lin said confidently.
Su Yu chuckled softly. He had to admit that Hu Lin was right. If it weren’t for Wang Jinhe’s insistence on coming in person, he would not have allowed her to come to Hululu Village.
Wang Jinhe cleared her throat and, without continuing the small talk, began to discuss the main issue. “I plan to purchase several slopes behind your village.”
“One slope for planting medicinal herbs may not be enough. Let’s just purchase a few more,” Wang Jinhe said.
“What? Purchase a slope? It’s covered with weeds and rocks. County Princess, what do you need it for?” Hu Lin asked.
“My husband has an herbal shop, and we plan to plant some medicinal herbs on the slopes,” Wang Jinhe said confidently, knowing that Hu Lin would keep it to himself.
“Alright, one slope for three hundred taels. There are four slopes, so a total of one thousand two hundred taels will be enough,” Hu Lin considered and said.
Wang Jinhe was aware of the price of the slopes and found Hu Lin’s offer somewhat amusing. “Village Chief, are you selling them to me at a low price?”
Hu Lin waved his hand and said, “County Princess, no one else is interested in those slopes.”
“Alright, I’ll take them all. Later, I’ll need the Village Chief to help me find some people to clear the weeds and rocks from the slopes. I’ll pay eighty wen per day, not including meals,” Wang Jinhe said.