My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 27 Contract Plow
Mi Zhu's heart skipped a beat. He now both loved and feared Liu Feng. He loved the treasure trove that Liu Feng had offered him, but he was also afraid of Liu Feng's request.

He now understood that Liu Feng's requests were never easy.

Just now, he asked me for a favor and emptied his family's grain reserves. Who knows what kind of reserves he'll empty this time?

After regaining his composure, Mi Zhu still stated firmly, "Young master, please speak freely. I will never refuse any request."

Liu Feng clapped his hands and shouted outside, "Wen Gui, bring the things in."

Pan Zhang responded from outside the hall, and then a man carrying a curved plow came in, placed the plow in front of Mi Zhu, and then took his leave.

Mi Zhu looked at the strangely shaped tool in front of him with curiosity.

Although he didn't know what this thing was for, he could roughly tell that it was a tool.

"My lord, this thing is called the curved plow. It is an improvement I made on the straight plow. It is not only more labor-saving and has a better farming effect, but it is also lighter and simpler to use, which can greatly improve farming efficiency."

Liu Feng's voice rang out as he carefully explained the benefits of the curved plow to Mi Zhu.

He then got up, took a scroll of silk, and spread it out in front of Mi Zhu.

“Your Excellency, this is the manufacturing process of the curved plow. I humbly request that Your Excellency produce at least three hundred curved plows before the spring planting season.”

The first wave of land reclamation involved 5,000 farming households, requiring at least 5,000 curved plows.

However, the industry of this era was extremely weak, with low productivity, and sometimes productivity was simply built up by manpower.

It's January now, and there are only two months left until the spring plowing in March. The Mi family can provide 300 curved plows, and with the output of the official craftsmen under Liu Bei's control, it would be quite good if they could gather 500 curved plows.

Mi Zhu examined it carefully and became excited again.

Although Mi Zhu was a merchant, his family was also a large landowner in Donghai County, so he was quite familiar with farming tools.

He felt that Liu Feng was being conservative; the effect of the curved plow was probably ten times greater than Liu Feng had described.

When Mi Zhu heard Liu Feng say that this was his improvement, even with his shrewdness, he couldn't help but suspect that the other party had plagiarized the work of an old farmer or craftsman.

But when Mi Zhu thought of the snow salt and rock sugar that the other party had just taken out, she instantly lost confidence again.

Mi Zhu might believe that old farmers and craftsmen could improve the straight-shaft plow or invent the curved-shaft plow. But if someone said that craftsmen and old farmers could come up with methods for making snow salt and rock sugar, Mi Zhu would absolutely not believe it.

After all, these people may never see snow salt or rock sugar in their entire lives.

This meeting with Liu Feng was so shocking to Mi Zhu that even Mi Zizhong, who was known for his composure, was somewhat flustered.

Mi Zhu forced himself to calm down, silently calculated in his mind, then raised his head again and gave Liu Feng a guarantee: "Young master, rest assured, my Mi family will definitely send three hundred curved plows to Tancheng before the end of March."

Liu Feng thanked him solemnly and continued to order more curved plows.

Even if we don't need them this season, we'll still be short several thousand more for next season.

If the second phase of land reclamation were to occur, the shortage of curved plows would only be greater.

After all, good things are always in short supply.

Mi Zhu gave an affirmative answer, promising to send Liu Feng 150 curved plows every month, with the monthly delivery volume doubling after six months.

This six-month period is the time for the Mi family to expand production.

Such a good thing, the Mi family also needs it. Their demand is even greater than Liu Feng's, at least tens of thousands of units are needed.

This wasn't just for the Mi family's own tenant farmers; the clansmen and free people who were dependent on the Mi family also needed these good things, not to mention other friendly gentry, powerful families, and merchants. To say nothing of distant places, the demand in Donghai County alone exceeded 30,000 units, and the population of Xiapi County was even greater, so the demand would only be higher.

Liu Feng actually had quite a few ideas in mind, such as assembly line production.

However, it would be too wasteful to tell Mi Zhu all this now. Good things should be given little by little. Besides, telling him now won't increase production, since the iron production is limited.

Since that's the case, there's no need to rush.

After settling these trivial matters, Mi Zhu insisted on keeping Liu Feng and refused to let him leave, insisting on hosting him at a banquet.

Liu Feng then invited Pan Zhang in as well, while Mi Zhu summoned several guests, and the group enjoyed a feast together.

During the banquet, Mi Zhu was shocked to discover that Liu Feng was not only erudite and insightful, but also possessed an experience that was beyond the reach of ordinary people.

His analysis of global trends, in particular, exudes an indescribable confidence that subtly persuades people with its powerful influence.

This gave Mi Zhu himself a strong illusion; if he were blindfolded, he would never believe that the person he was talking to was just a ten-year-old child.

If someone told Mi Zhu that the other person was a noble hermit over sixty years old, he would probably believe it without hesitation.

What shocked Mi Zhu the most was the breadth and depth of Liu Feng's knowledge, which was unparalleled in his life.

No matter how Mi Zhu changed the subject, Liu Feng could always keep up with him, then steal the spotlight and overwhelm him.

This reminded Mi Zhu of a rumor: Could there really be people in this world who are born with knowledge?

Mi Zhu initially didn't believe it, but after seeing Liu Feng's performance, he wavered.

Mi Zhu was unaware that Liu Feng's behavior this time was intentional.

He intended to subdue Mi Zhu, because the Mi family, with its large number of skilled servants, workshops, funds, and technology, was a very important part of his plan.

If Liu Feng can subdue Mi Zhu and then successfully take over the Mi family, his grand plan will be much more effective.

Therefore, he intentionally displayed his divine power before the people of Mi Zhu, hoping to instill awe in them and thus make them submit to him.

Liu Feng, on the other hand, would be very generous in giving the Mi family an opportunity to invest in him.

While Liu Feng was having a banquet at Mi Zhu's house, Big Ear Brother was also busy.

He also prepared a banquet and invited Chen to his door.

It must be said that Chen Deng is a generous and magnanimous person with excellent interpersonal relationships.

Not to mention the deep love Liu Bei had for him, Zhang Fei, who always admired scholars, was extremely fond of Chen Deng.

After all, Zhang Fei was just a local wandering knight-errant, a low-ranking local strongman with some businesses.

Not to mention the aristocratic class, even powerful clans didn't think much of him.

Chen Yuanlong, a renowned scholar, could chat and laugh with Zhang Fei without any prejudice. This alone moved Zhang Fei, who admired scholars and valued righteousness over profit, to the core.

Even Guan Yu, who was always unruly, arrogant, kind to soldiers and commoners but proud of scholars and officials, praised Chen Deng highly and regarded him as a good friend.

This shows just how skilled Chen Yuanlong is at maneuvering and social maneuvering.

(End of this chapter)