Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 203 - 201: Shocking Again

"Actually, many people living in the city rent a small courtyard. A courtyard costs several hundred coins, or one to two taels of silver per month. If you want to buy a house with a small courtyard, even the most dilapidated one, it will cost at least 50 taels."

"These villas we’re selling are 200 taels each, but you can pay in installments. A down payment of 40 taels is required, and you can choose to pay off the remaining 160 taels in ten, fifteen, or twenty years."

"With a ten-year plan, you would pay one tael and 700 coins per month. With a fifteen-year plan, it’s one tael and 200 coins per month. And with a twenty-year plan, it’s just one tael per month. Once you’ve paid in full, the house is yours forever."

"The apartments are even cheaper, 60 taels each, and can also be purchased in installments with a down payment of only 12 taels..."

"Many people in the city who rent houses can afford this, and live in a clean and comfortable environment, right?"

Many people strive their whole lives for just such a house.

In fact, as the advertisements have been published, many inquiries have already been made."

Zhao Youwei calculated that although installment payments seem small per month, over the years, they can earn several tens of taels more than the original price."

"The shops in the prefecture city cannot be bought for less than 500 taels, and the bigger they are, the more expensive. Plus, many shops are more than just one floor."

"The shops alone are worth several tens of thousands of taels, not to mention the twenty garden villas and thirty apartments."

"These thirty apartments alone can recoup the compensation paid out and still have profit."

This business can’t be underestimated...

"If the houses are built as planned, this district can be said to be the most beautiful residential area in the prefecture city."

"After these shops open, they will provide at least dozens of job opportunities for city residents." Shen Chengyao concluded."

At the very least, their family needs to hire fifty people to work in their tea house, supermarket, and hotel. This is a conservative estimate."

Director Feng has already started to recruit and train employees."

The emperor nodded in satisfaction after hearing this. To him, this was what mattered most."

――

After enjoying good weather for a few days, the wheat matured significantly."

The Emperor and his entourage watched as Shen Chengyao’s long-term workers harvested the wheat."

"Can we plant another crop of rice after the wheat is harvested?" The Emperor asked, holding a heavy ear of wheat in his hand.

"Yes, we can. Because the seedlings have already been cultivated, it would only take about three months from planting to harvest. Normally, we can finish the rice harvest by September, then prepare the farmland for planting wheat again."

"This season’s wheat is what we planted after last year’s rice harvest. Who would have guessed that it can withstand the freezing cold."

"It is actually sensitive to cold weather, but our region is not extremely cold, so it’s possible for the wheat to survive the winter. During winter, the wheat is covered by three layers of snow. Once spring comes and the snow melts, the soil needs to absorb a lot of heat, which freezes the harmful insects in the soil. The snow water also irrigates the wheat. It is indeed a blessing when snow promises a good harvest!"

"Excellent! A good harvest indeed, Marquis Shengping, you have done a great service this time!" Even if only this county could plant another crop, it would be a great thing. There are many other places in the country with similar climate conditions to Shengping County."

"I’ve heard that in some southern areas where there is no snow all year round, people can plant two crops of rice. This would mean they could eat white rice every day! I’ve read that coconuts grow on islands where there’s no winter and flowers bloom all year. It’s reasonable to think that in such warm places, it’s possible to grow three crops of rice in a year." Xiao’er gave it some thought, then decided to speak up."

In this life, due to the limitations of primitive transportation, it’s unknown whether there will be an opportunity to visit those areas. She’s not sure if such territories exist in the Minze dynasty. Anyway, she hinted at what she knew, and let the emperor figure it out himself."

After all, all the people in the world are his subjects."

The emperor was certainly stimulated by this."

As the supreme ruler of the nation, he may not have visited everywhere, but he is familiar with the environments and climates of all regions. This is a compulsory course for emperors."

The place mentioned by the Countess of Rui’an really exists. Whether it’s possible to plant two or three crops in a year, one must try to find out."

Two or three crops in a year, even if they are not all high-yield, as long as there’s some harvest, it is a gain!"

This is beneficial to the country and the people. It is better to seize such opportunities than to miss them!"

This season’s wheat, many people in the village followed suit and planted it. They all bought the seeds from Xiao’er’s family. Xiao’er gave instructions before she left for the Imperial Capital. If anyone in the village wanted to plant wheat, sell them the seeds and teach them how to plant."

So, this harvest of wheat in the village was interesting. It even attracted residents from other villages."

They were even more anxious than the villagers themselves."

The wheat from one acre was quickly harvested, and the villagers from the neighboring village hurried them to weigh it."

The yields varied, but the difference was only around a few tens to a hundred pounds."

However,

Even the yield of the farm that produced the least has tripled in comparison to previous years!"

These are wet weights, but the dry weight won’t be much different. It’s absolutely a three-fold increase!"

The villagers were again astonished."

"Three times, it’s three times again!" the village chief exclaimed uncontrollably."

"No more going hungry!" A villager shouted loudly." freēwēbnovel.com

"We can eat to our hearts’ content!" Another called out."

"I’m going to use steamed buns as a pillow!"

"From now on, I’m going to eat white rice and white flour every day!"

...

"Three times, three times, three times..." A villager run around the edge of the field shouting.

The emperor had never before seen the common people in such a state of excitement and joy!"

He was profoundly moved!"

An old villager, standing not far from the emperor, was excitedly counting on his fingers and murmuring to himself:

"Three times the production of rice, three times the production of wheat. Before, we chose either rice or wheat to plant in a year. Now we can collect wheat and harvest rice in the same year, that is, one year’s crop yield is equivalent to two years of harvest in the past. However, the yield of each crop is three times that of previous years... How many years’ worth of grains does that add up to in one year? I’m utterly confused..."

"Old man, it’s as if you’ve harvested six years’ worth of grain in one year." The emperor explained kindly."

"Six years?" The old villager was so excited that he could hardly hold on to his walking cane."

"Yes, six years!" The emperor repeated patiently.

"God, that means...that means we’d have enough grain to last for two or three years’ worth of crop failure, it would be hard to starve... " The old man, so pleased and yet so sorrowful, his tears fell onto the wheat stalks. His daughter had starved to death. In the future, no more people would starve to death."