The Lucky Heiress

“Are there un-cultivable lands in the governmental city too?” Wei Ruo inquired.

“Well, unlike Xingshan County by the sea, there are no completely infertile lands here, but a majority of the land is barren and the soil is compacted, so crop yield is cause for worry,” Madam Yuan answered.

From that, one can see the enormity of the gift Madam Yuan had bestowed upon Wei Ruo: a thousand acres of rare and valuable arable land.

“That can be managed. Once you’ve taken me for a field inspection, I should, in theory, be able to come up with a solution for enriching the soil. After improving the land, we can then proceed with planting, which should yield some increase in grain production,” said Wei Ruo.

Improving barren soil is much easier than saline-alkaline soils. It takes less time and is not that challenging as long as the right remedy is applied in addressing the root cause.

Madam Yuan’s face brightened: “That would be wonderful!”

“Moreover, I have noticed during my time around the town that not many mountainsides have been turned into terraced fields. I assume it’s because the cost of development is too high,” said Wei Ruo.

“That’s correct.”

“In that case, I would suggest planting sweet potatoes, which are currently grown in Huzhou Prefecture,” suggested Wei Ruo.

“Sweet potatoes?”

“Yes, it’s a new type of crop introduced by merchant ships from the Southern Ocean. They are already being grown in some Xingshan households and have yielded a good harvest this year.”

“That indeed sounds like a good idea. I just wonder if those who are already growing sweet potatoes would be willing to share seeds with us,” Madam Yuan expressed her concern.

“Madam, there’s no need to worry about that. I know the family growing sweet potatoes in Xingshan. I can ask them to provide vine cuttings for the Government Office for free, which can then be allocated to the town’s people,” Wei Ruo replied.

“If that is true, both you and the family with the vine cuttings would be regarded as noble exemplars of understanding morality and generous selflessness,” Madam Yuan couldn’t help but praise.

“Actually, hiding the sweet potato cuttings is impossible. They propagate through vine cuttings grown from the sweet potato tuber. As long as there is one vine cutting, it can propagate. Moreover, many crops yield higher the more they are planted, so there is no need to hide and not let others plant,” Wei Ruo explained.

For crops like sweet potatoes that consume tubers, those that do not require pollination are generally better. Crops needing pollination would certainly show better yield when everyone sows high-quality varieties, resulting in quality fruits.

“Splendid!” said Madam Yuan, her heart cheered despite her lack of knowledge about agriculture.

“Can sweet potatoes be planted immediately?” Madam Yuan asked.

Wei Ruo shook her head: “Everything has a season, for sweet potatoes we will have to wait until next spring.”

“Do you have any quicker measures? I fear the people won’t be able to wait that long,” Madam Yuan asked.

“There is, indeed, the method I’m currently implementing in Xingshan county. We can start planting wheat right now, and after the wheat is harvested next year, we will plant rice. For circumstances where weather patterns cannot be changed, multi-seasonal farming is a good method, albeit it makes the farmers’ work more laborious,” said Wei Ruo.

“Though it’s laborious, if they could have enough to eat, the joy would outweigh the hardship for them,” said Madam Yuan.

“Also, I know a cold-resistant variety of rice. Planting this rice variety next year could improve the grain reduction problem caused by adverse weather to some extent,” Wei Ruo added.

Thus, with Wei Ruo’s comprehensive approach, multiple measures could be implemented to increase production in Taizhou prefecture.

Madam Yuan breathed a sigh of relief: “If this could be achieved, I will definitely let my husband report your merit to the court. Let everyone know that even a woman of high-born status can save the world and seek blessings for the people.”

Wei Ruo had a very pleasant conversation with Madam Yuan. Afterwards, they had lunch together and admired the various flowers planted in Madam Yuan’s courtyard.

Madam Yuan then personally sent Wei Ruo to the door, agreeing to inspect the barren lands around the governmental city together the following day.

Before leaving, Madam Yuan had her servants prepare some dried seafood for Wei Ruo, including scallops and abalone, along with two priceless pots of chrysanthemums: one Yao Tai Jade Phoenix, and one Dian Jiang Chun.

The gifts Wei Ruo took home were sure to be seen by the Wei family, hence they could not be overly valuable. The dried seafood and flowers were relatively reasonable, more like rewards for a first-time acquaintance.

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After finalizing plans with Madam Yuan, Wei Ruo returned to the Xie Family villa.

When she got off the carriage, Xiumei supported her the entire time. Wei Ruo’s apparent weakness made it seem as though the day’s journeying had exacerbated her illness.

Upon seeing the bags of seafood and precious flowers Wei Ruo brought back, Yunshi guessed that Wei Ruo had performed well in Madam Yuan’s presence and had thus received these rewards.

As Yunshi stepped forward to ask Wei Ruo for the day’s details, she was cut off by Wei Ruo.

“Meimei, I have a headache. Help me back to my room to rest,” said Wei Ruo.

Given last night’s argument was still fresh in her mind, Wei Ruo had no inclination to engage with Yunshi. So, she repeated her maneuver.

Yunshi, seeing this, thought it inappropriate to question further, and watched as the servant girls helped Wei Ruo into her room.

After Xiumei closed the door, shutting out the scrutinizing gaze from outside, she laughed: “This trick of Missy’s works really well!”

“Tonight let’s dine in our room again, and keep away from their rabble. No matter what they say, I want some peace before we return to Xingshan,” said Wei Ruo.

“Alright, what would Missy like for dinner? I’ll cook specifically for you,” Xiumei offered.

“Then use the seafood we got to make a seafood congee for me. Since they said I’m sick, eating congee would make sense,” Wei Ruo suggested.

“Okay! Then I’ll start soaking the seafood now.”

Upon learning that Wei Ruo would once again dine in her room, Yunshi felt she had no room to argue.

Meanwhile, Wei Qingwan was locked in her room, not even able to step out of her door, let alone go outside. Her dinner was brought in to her by Cuihe, and known only to Yunshi, she was served bland porridge and pickles.

Wei Qingwan then asked Cuihe: “What did Sister eat tonight?”

With an awkward expression, Cuihe stuttered for a while before finally saying: “Seafood porridge. When Missy came back in the afternoon, she brought home a lot of dried seafood. It seems that Madam Yuan gifted them.”

They were both eating porridge, but there was a world of difference. While she ate bland porridge with pickles, Wei Ruo was having seafood porridge!

Wei Qingwan looked at the bland porridge and pickles in front of her, and a feeling of aggrieved anger surged in her heart.

“Take this away, I don’t want to eat,” Wei Qingwan pushed these things aside.

“Miss, please eat something, don’t starve yourself,” Cuihe persuaded.

“I won’t eat it. Take it away! If my mother asks, you tell her the truth,” demanded Wei Qingwan.

She wanted her mother to know that she didn’t eat anything for dinner..