The Soul of the Han Dynasty in the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 184 Momentum

Huang Han asked again: "Did you understand how to grow potatoes and sweet potatoes today?"

Gu Mancang said: "Understood, in fact, it is not difficult to learn to grow these two things. The young ones are used to serving the crops in the village. If these sweet potatoes and potatoes can really harvest five or six stones, wouldn't there be no one in our village from now on?" Hungry."

Xu Guangqi interjected: "As long as you learn how to plant and manage the field, I will be able to guarantee a yield of five or six stones. If you are lucky, there may be more than this yield."

"That would be great. To be honest, these two new crops are less expensive and easier to take care of. If every household planted an acre or two, they would not have to worry about food."

Huang Han waved to the left, and Wang Zhicheng, who was in charge of security, ran over quickly. Today, he brought a general flag "Red Banner Army" to be responsible for Xu Guangqi's safety. Since scientists want to see the real scene, they are not allowed to wear the "red flag" Army" followed.

Wang Zhicheng could only arrange for his subordinates to spread around the two adults within [-] steps and pay close attention to whether there was any abnormality. When he saw the Patriarch beckoning, he quickly trotted over.

"My lord, what are your orders?" Wang Zhicheng was already the chief banner officer with the rank of sixth rank, and he was tall and handsome in iron armor.

Huang Han said: "Arrange an errand for this man named Gu Mancang, and arrange a residence for him to bring his wife and children. Now he will be paid according to the treatment of a craftsman, and the [-] mu of potato and [-] mu of sweet potato fields will be given to him to lead the management. .”

Gu Mancang saw a mighty military officer submissive in front of this young scholar, and knew that he must have met a nobleman today, so he quickly knelt down and said: "The little one has eyes but nothing to offend the lord, I hope the lord will not remember the villain's mistakes."

Huang Han said: "Get up and talk, I entrust you with the management of [-] acres of sweet potato and potato seedling fields. I want you to serve these acres as a model field and a teaching field in the future.

You not only have to master the planting method, but also pass on the experience to the farmers who come to visit and learn. If you can do all this, the official will give you one tael or five silver a month plus five buckets of wheat as a reward.

If you can manage more acres and teach more farmers the correct planting techniques, your remuneration will be doubled, and even an official position will be given to make you honor your ancestors. "

The happy event came so suddenly, Gu Mancang was a little confused and opened his mouth so that he couldn't answer.Wang Zhicheng smiled and said, "Don't thank you for your kindness?"

Only then did Gu Mancang come to his senses and knelt down and kowtowed: "Thank you sir, I will definitely take care of the fields with my heart, so that more people will learn to grow sweet potatoes and potatoes."

Xu Guangqi was very satisfied with Huang Han's arrangement, and said: "It's a good way to build a model field. I think it's not enough to use Gu Mancang for one person. We should build a model field in all four townships."

Huang Han said: "It's not easy to catch. Master can ask the officials and servants you brought to look for candidates. Presumably a tenant farmer can get three meals and six qian silver and five buckets of miscellaneous grains. No one is unwilling to do such a job .”

Xu Guangqi thought that Huang Han's words were reasonable, and said, "If that's the case, the old man will give orders immediately."

Seeing Huang Han and Xu Guangqi walk away, Gu Mancang dared to ask a young soldier next to him: "Brother, I would like to ask, who were those two just now?"

The young man was An Xiaole who was promoted to be a small flag officer, he smiled and teased Gu Mancang and said: "Speaking out will scare you to death, the older one is Mr Xu Guangqi, the left servant of the Ministry of Rites, and the younger one is from my family." The leader of the 'Red Banner Army', the famous General Huang Han."

"Oh my god, am I dreaming today!" Gu Mancang really felt a little dizzy, and his body was shaking involuntarily.

"Brother, don't be fooled. Just now, Mr. Wang explained that I will be responsible for arranging your work. My name is An Xiaole. I will take you to see the house arranged for your family to stay in."

It was inevitable that food prices would skyrocket after the military disaster. The Huang family’s prepayment of two taels of silver to sweet potato and potato growers might push up food prices even more.

Since Huang Han had [-] to [-] shi of wheat in his hands, and the number of people in the Huang family who needed food was less than [-], [-] shi of wheat was enough to cover expenses before winter came.

This means that Huang Han has [-] shi of wheat that he can flexibly control. Now there is a shortage of food everywhere in Yongping Prefecture, and there are countless small people waiting to be fed. However, giving food for free is obviously not conducive to sustainable development.

After thinking about it, Huang Han had an idea, and he issued an order to continue to help the farmers.

As long as the farmers have registered their names, checked their identities, recorded their specific family addresses, and promised to grow sweet potatoes and potatoes, they are the priority targets for assistance.

They take the family as the unit, and each household can borrow nine buckets of wheat from the Huang family. After the autumn harvest, and set a deadline of December [-]th, farmers who have borrowed nine buckets of wheat only need to return one stone of wheat to the Huang family. become.

Huang Han's order not only posted notices, but also arranged for the students to publicize in more than a dozen big market towns. Soon Shengdou Xiaomin learned that there was such a good thing. It's not my turn to do such a good thing too late.

Why does the 11.00% interest charged for half a year cause the common people to think that it is cheap, and everyone flocks to it?

That's because the interest of ordinary people borrowing money from landlords and old money is several times higher. There is also another important reason. The price of grain has been fluctuating all the time. The most expensive time of the year is the time when the grain price is usually the most expensive in a year. After that, food prices are the cheapest.

This year is not as good as in previous years. There was a military disaster, and the price of grain was ridiculously high. The price of a stone of wheat has already exceeded two taels of silver. In normal years, the price of wheat is basically not higher than eight coins a stone. Now the price of grain has already overturned times.

Wheat can be borrowed when the food is the most expensive, and the principal and interest must be repaid when the food is the cheapest. Even if the farmers are not good at arithmetic, as long as they are not too stupid, they can understand this small account.

This is the brilliance of Huang Han, a modern man. He does not give food to the common people free of charge, but lends it to everyone when they are most thirsty for food.

The release of [-] shi of wheat can keep food prices under control and allow many small people who are facing hunger to live.

Although Huang Han is not a merchant, he still has to stockpile food. He cannot store up enough food because of the high price and low price of food. The food stockpiling is not for hoarding, but for stabilizing prices and helping the common people during their most difficult days.

The population base is the driving force for great development. Huang Han is doing things based on the principle of doing his best to lead the people through the food shortage. After this year, the capital will usher in six years of peace.

Because if the history remains the same, Chongzhen's ninth year of slavery will invade Gyeonggi again.

(End of this chapter)