Chapter 5: Grand and Magnificent

Gao Daqian hesitated for a moment and said to Xu Chang, "The price offered by Ganban is naturally fair, and I have no objections. However, I must mention that I have a large appetite, larger than usual, and I need to state this upfront."

Further south lies a small area of marshland. To the south of the marshland is the original territory of Chunze Supervisory Office, which now has a few scattered farming households, while the rest is a grazing area for cattle and sheep. Chunze Supervisory Office belongs to the Herding Bureau, which has a much stronger background compared to the Cattle and Sheep Bureau. It was only after their withdrawal that the Cattle and Sheep Bureau gradually expanded its territory.

Xu Ping laughed and said, "As long as you work after eating, who is afraid of your large appetite"

Xiu Xiu stood beside Xu Ping and whispered, "Sir, you have dug out the seeds and soaked them in water. Will they still sprout? It would be quite embarrassing if they don't."

Xu Ping found it difficult to explain this matter to her in detail, as this was the peanut variety from his previous life, which is why he chose to plant it this way. The Shandong large peanut is an excellent variety, not only characterized by its large and plump seeds and high oil yield, but also possessing a very important trait for peanuts: a long dormancy period. The original peanut varieties have a very short dormancy period, causing them to sprout in the ground before harvest, resulting in significant yield loss. The Shandong large peanut, with its long dormancy period, ensures that it can be harvested without sprouting. However, correspondingly, to ensure a high germination rate, the seeds must be soaked and germinated before planting.

However, for servants like Xu Chang, who hold a certain status, it is even more remarkable. This can be seen from their titles, all of which are official titles, and not minor ones at that. The saying goes that in front of the prime minister, there are officials of the seventh rank, but that does not apply to the Song Dynasty. In our Great Song, how could the doorkeeper of a prime minister's household be referred to as a seventh-rank official? They are always ranked one or two levels higher than their own master. If the master is a Langzhong, then they must be addressed as Shangshu; if the master becomes Shangshu, then the Situ or Taifu can be expected to rise accordingly. They are always ranked one or two levels higher than their own master.

In fact, at this time, the Central Plains region is not lacking in water; swamps are widespread, there are numerous ponds, and the groundwater level is high. This situation is significantly different from later periods, as the Central Plains is experiencing severe waterlogging. This is partly a consequence of the flooding of the Yellow River, and partly because the court is desperately diverting water from the surrounding areas for the transportation needs of Kaifeng, without an effective drainage system in place, making waterlogging inevitable. The reason for the drought and poor harvests is not due to a lack of water, but rather the inability to channel the water to the fields. This is partly a consequence of the flooding of the Yellow River, and partly because the court is desperately diverting water from the surrounding areas for the transportation needs of Kaifeng, without an effective drainage system in place, making waterlogging inevitable. The reason for the drought and poor harvests is not due to a lack of water, but rather the inability to channel the water to the fields

Xu Chang looked at Xu Ping, with a sense of inquiry in his eyes

Xu Ping looked at the earthen ridge, which was made of porcelain and pine, uneven at the top and irregular at the sides, appearing awkward no matter how one looked at it

As for why, at this time of many people and few resources, so many are willing to be tenants rather than cultivate land as self-sufficient farmers, the reasons are quite complex. There are mainly two: first, the lack of farming tools, and the inconveniences associated with renting them; second, the status of being a tenant. Although they are law-abiding citizens, tenants, according to the laws of the Song Dynasty, do not pay taxes and are generally exempt from military service, which is a significant advantage, considering how many have lost their fortunes due to such obligations.

Gao Dazhong then said to Xu Chang, "Could you please find a bucket for me? After walking this way, it would be just right to stretch my limbs a bit"

Xu Chang smiled and instructed someone to go to the village to fetch a water bucket

Xu Ping looked at Xu Chang, but felt somewhat depressed in his heart

I casually picked a chili pepper and held it in my hand, taking a gentle bite; it was quite spicy. The habit of eating spicy food is not something that is developed overnight, especially in ancient times. In fact, in the past, it was only popular in a few specific regions for a long time, and it only became widespread across the country in the decades following increased communication.

Upon hearing this, the several laborers standing around began to chatter. Their wages were a fair price of seven hundred wen per month, which is the standard rate in this vicinity. However, this big man had a unique arrangement, which was seven hundred seventy wen per month, a full seventy wen more, and there was also the possibility of receiving a full payment, which would amount to an additional three hundred wen.

Xu Chang pondered, "If someone can vouch for it, that would be best"

Upon reaching the crowd, the burly man said: "Brothers, is there anyone hired here in the village?"

Xu Ping asked Xiu Xiu to find a small shovel to dig small holes in front, while he scattered seeds behind and carefully buried the seeds.

Xu Ping had already mentioned the size requirements and then wandered around the vegetable garden. As expected, he saw some species that only existed in his previous life, such as the heart-shaped cabbage and green beans, which were indeed being cultivated as vegetables. At the edge of the field, there were also chili peppers, sunflowers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and a row of more than ten corn plants, all scattered there as embellishments. On the ridge of the vegetable garden, there was a large cluster of purple-flowered alfalfa, accompanied by a few cotton plants growing together. Although these cannot be considered species from the future, they are varieties that have been improved in later generations.

The Great Han Road: "I am a humble person from Yuncheng in Jizhou, Eastern Capital. Due to a disaster in my family, I was recruited by the court to serve as a garrison soldier. I originally worked in the transportation of goods along the Wuzhang River, and later transferred to the Qunmu Division to tend to horses, where I was stationed at the Chunze Horse Monitoring Office. However, since the court closed this horse monitoring office, I lost my livelihood and have been struggling to make a living nearby. I heard that the owner of this estate is the esteemed Mr. Xu, who used to run a tavern in the former Eastern Capital and has always had a good reputation, so I came here seeking refuge."

Xu Ping arrived at the vegetable field by the river, found a vacant piece of land, and said to Xu Chang: "You go find someone to make a ridge."

Everyone looked at Gao Dazhi's muscular physique, then at themselves, and fell silent.

Gao Dazhong said: "This is also the case. I have several good brothers; one has dozens of acres of land nearby, another is currently a leader in cattle and sheep herding, another is involved in sheep appraisal, and another is a butcher. They are all from respectable families and can vouch for me"

Returning to the place where the ground was dug, one could see that Sun Qilang had already excavated a ridge and was enthusiastically discussing it with the crowd, his fervor evident as he spoke animatedly.

Xu Ping whispered: "This big man is truly one of a kind. We should inquire about his background; if he is of good standing, we can hire him, and offering an additional 20% in wages would not be a loss."

Sun Qilang went back to get the rake, and Xu Chang reined in his peculiar expression, saying to Xu Ping: "Dalang truly excels at farming. However, this ridge is merely used for dividing the fields and preventing water flow; is this really necessary?"

To the south of Zhuangzi lies a river, aptly named the South River. It is over one zhang wide and has a depth sufficient for a person to stand in. The river flows continuously to the northeast, eventually merging into the Jinshui River. Despite the severe drought this year, the water in this river remains abundant.

Xu Chang's current task is to keep an eye on Xu Ping, preventing him from causing trouble. If he wants to act recklessly, let him be. He called a tenant named Sun Qilang to dig the ground according to Xu Ping's instructions

Xu Chang stepped forward and said to the person, "The village naturally hires people, but one must have a clean background. Where are you from? What is your surname and given name? How did you come here?"

There are not many seeds, only two short rows were planted

The crowd remained silent, merely casting peculiar glances at Xu Ping. These glances held dual meanings: one was admiration for Xu Ping's genuine agricultural skills, which was natural, as he had indeed come from an agricultural background in his previous life. The other meaning reflected skepticism towards Xu Ping's fanciful claims, questioning whether farming truly had to be done in such a manner

At that moment, a burly man approached from the back road of the village. He stood over six feet tall, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. On his head, he wore a lotus leaf cap, and his shirt was open, revealing muscles like iron lumps. Striding forward with great vigor, he exuded an aura of boundless strength.

Especially corn has a high dependence on fertilizers, and the varieties here have clearly degraded, making it not a high-yield crop compared to wheat at this time. As for the practice of double cropping with wheat, it is simply unnecessary in this era; there is more land than can be cultivated, the fertility of the soil does not permit it, and there is a severe lack of labor for urgent harvesting and planting. How could one cultivate in a way that depletes the soil's fertility?

Xu Chang introduced to Gao Daqian: "This is our young official; encountering him is indeed your fortune. Since it is said this way, let us finalize it and go together to formalize the contract tomorrow"

Xu Ping waved his hand, glanced at his muscular build, and said with a twinkle in his eyes: "Seeing that you have quite a bit of strength, I wonder how you fare with work. I have planted two rows of peanuts here and am about to water them, so how about you take care of that?"

According to the regulations of the Song Dynasty, clients were those who possessed only movable property and not fixed assets. If one had fixed assets, they were required to pay taxes, and as soon as one paid even a single coin in tax, they would become a principal household, which not only subjected them to taxes but also to the burden of corvée labor. For the lower classes, corvée labor was a terrifying burden, as it could cost them their lives. In the Great Song Dynasty, official duties were not easy to fulfill, and the family of Xiu Xiu serves as an example.

It was only then that I noticed the people around me were looking at me strangely, their gazes particularly peculiar. I said to Xu Chang, "Everyone, please do not regard me as someone who only knows how to engage in horse racing and dog fighting in Tokyo. Just consider me as someone who is out of touch. That is a place where heroes find no opportunity to showcase their talents; all my abilities lie in farming."

Having spoken, he bent down and swung the hoe, redoing the ridge, which was indeed as straight as a line and of uniform width. He then stood up and said to Sun Qilang: "It must be done this way to show diligence. Go back and fetch the rake to level the top."

In the Song Dynasty, servants did not possess the same awareness as the later Qing Dynasty's self-proclaimed slaves. They were hired laborers, paid on a regular basis, and were also registered as common citizens of the state, categorized separately as clients. Although during the period of employment, the master-servant relationship was distinct— for instance, if a master committed a crime, the servant could not report it unless it was a major offense like treason. The law treated the act of a master beating a servant and a servant beating a master very differently. Fundamentally, however, they were all good citizens, and if they were dissatisfied, they could choose to leave. Therefore, the tenants in the village did not show extreme deference to Xu Ping; they worked for food and wages, and that was all there was to it.

Xu Ping curled his lips and ignored him. Agricultural technology is indeed backward; how could they understand the benefits of ridge planting? By using ridge cultivation for peanuts, one can increase the yield by 10 to 20 percent; don't they understand this?

Along this river, there are vegetable fields and orchards distributed throughout the village, as well as several hundred acres of land. In normal years, the villagers cultivate these lands.

Sun Qilang sighed while leaning on his hoe: "It is a pity that you all do not possess the strong physique of this great man"

Xu Chang turned to look at Xu Ping, who nodded in response, and then said to Gao Daqian: "This is good, our village is in need of manpower. As long as you are willing to work hard, our village chief will certainly be generous. You will have food and accommodation in the village, and your monthly wage will be one guan. If you can truly prove your worth, it is also possible to give you a full guan as payment."

After turning around, Xu Ping began to seriously contemplate this issue. From the perspective of cultivation methods, these crops do not appear to have been intentionally brought here, as aside from the cabbage and green beans that suit the current taste, the others are not well cultivated. Crops like corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes were not as valuable in this era as they would be in later times. These are crops suitable for the northern and southern mountainous regions of China. At this time, the northern population was sparse, and the southern mountains were still just mountains, undeveloped. It would not be until several hundred years later, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, that these areas would become densely populated, and the value of these crops would be fully realized. The taste of these crops cannot be compared to that of wheat and millet, and thus they do not attract attention.

Before long, Sun Qilang brought over a rake and carefully leveled the ridge top. Fearing further ridicule from Xu Ping, he was particularly diligent this time, making it as smooth as a mirror

In her family, peanuts are planted with the skin intact; they dig a hole in the ground and bury them like this.

Could it be that there is a passage between this world and the world one inhabits, and that these crops arrived here by chance? After Xu Ping came to this realization last night, he became optimistic, considering these as the benefits brought by his crossing over.

Step forward and take the hoe from Sun Qilang's hand, Xu Ping said: "Seventh Brother, I see that you are not suited for this kind of life; is farming really done this way?"

Gao Dazhong hurriedly bowed to Xu Ping

Later, Xu Ping became an official himself. In his youth, he was ambitious and rose rapidly, and after striving for half a lifetime, he barely caught up to Xu Chang's official title. He ensured that his subordinates could not surpass him in official rank, which is the hallmark of a high-ranking minister.

Having finished tidying up, Xu Ping said to the crowd surrounding him: "Do you see? Agricultural work must be done this way; only then can we truly make a living, and this farm will have a future"

When it comes to money, Xu Ping feels a sense of discomfort. In the Song Dynasty, there were two interpretations of money divided by provinces. The term "money" refers to the same currency, but if it is not specifically stated as "full money," it means "reduced," implying that one hundred wen is actually only seventy-seven wen. This is the official price, and different industries have different methods of reduction, which is simply inhumane