Dressed as a concubine instead of a concubine

Meng Xiyue frowned slightly, "Direct sowing, not raising seedlings and transplanting rice?"

She didn't expect that this era was so backward that rice was actually sown directly.

"Seedling cultivation?"

Xie Junyi's expression also became serious. "You said that raising seedlings can increase the survival rate of rice?"

"Not only does it increase the survival rate, but the seeds are well cultivated in the early stage, which will increase the yield, reduce seed damage, and reduce diseases and pests in the later stage."

Hearing this, Xie Junyi's eyes lit up.

"Then can you grow seedlings?"

"No, I've only seen it in books."

She only learned it from books when she was in school. As for how to grow seedlings and how to operate them, she really doesn't know.

"Book? What book?"

"Uh, it was a miscellaneous book, I can't remember exactly."

Meng Xiyue lowered her eyes and made up an excuse.

Xie Junyi's eyes were slightly disappointed. "It's okay. I'll take you to see someone this afternoon. Tell him your idea. Maybe he can find a way to grow it."

Meng Xiyue nodded. If the rice yield could be increased, the people’s lives would be better.

The two wandered around the mountain for a while, caught a rabbit and went back to the house.

Looking at the fat rabbit, Meng Xiyue stroked its fur with her hand.

"I'll make you into spicy rabbit meat later."

Hearing this, Xie Junyi laughed. It turned out that eating was the only thing on her mind.

When she returned to the villa, Qianxiang had already prepared the ingredients for making sour date cake according to her instructions.

Seeing that it was getting late, Meng Xiyue started to make sour jujube cakes. Soon, plates of fragrant sour jujube cakes came out of the pot.

She took a bite and found it sweet and sour, much more delicious than eating sour dates directly.

"We can't finish all this, let's share it with the villagers."

"it is good."

Xie Junyi understood that she did so much on purpose, so he just let her do as she wished.

The villagers come here to work and don’t go back at noon. They bring dry food, fill their stomachs and continue working, and go back at night.

By the time they brought out the sour jujube cakes, the villagers had already stopped what they were doing and were sitting in the shade, eating dry food.

Most of them brought food such as steamed corn bread.

Everyone thanked happily after receiving the sour jujube cakes, and after eating them all, everyone felt a little unsatisfied.

No matter how greedy they were, they didn't dare ask for a second piece.

"Mom, please eat."

The little girl I met on the mountain was holding up half a piece of cake in her hand and nodding as she handed it to a woman.

The woman shook her head and said, "Eat quickly. Mother doesn't want to eat."

"Then eat it, brother."

The boy, who had already finished one piece, looked at the pastry in his sister's hand, swallowed, but shook his head firmly.

"I've eaten, sister, eat."

"Then sister, leave it there and eat it in the afternoon."

As the little girl was about to put the pastries away, Meng Xiyue stepped forward to stop her.

"The cakes are not tasty when they are cold. Eat them quickly. There are some more here."

After saying that, she gave one each to Liu and the boy.

"Thank you, my Lord, Miss."

Liu quickly led her two children to kowtow and express her gratitude.

"Get up."

Meng Xiyue squatted in front of the little girl and asked, "What's your name and how old are you?"

"My name is Xiao Cui, and I am nine years old."

He is only this tall at the age of nine. It is obvious that malnutrition has affected his height.

"So will you be a sweetheart?"

Xiao Cui shook her head, "I can cook, but I've never been a sweetheart."

Sweetheart is out of reach for children from poor families like them, who may not even get to eat it once a year.

"Do you want to learn how to make this sour jujube cake? I'll teach you."

The little girl looked at the cake in her hand and nodded heavily, "I do."

"Xiao Cui." Liu frowned and wanted to stop her.

But Xiao Cui said firmly, "As long as the lady is willing to teach, I am willing to learn."

"Okay, then you come with me."

She reached out and pulled Xiao Cui over, then said to Liu, "Let her learn how to make pastries in the courtyard this afternoon, and let her go back with you in the evening."

"Thank you, Miss." Liu said with great trepidation.

Mrs. Liu is too soft-hearted and not as tough as her nine-year-old daughter.

Even if this pastry was passed to Liu, she would not be able to keep it.

"Xiao Cui, follow Sister Qian Xiang to eat first, and then let Sister Qian Xiang follow you to make cakes."

"it is good."

Xiao Cui nodded and followed Qianxiang.

"You want to help her? Why not bring her to the mansion and teach her to nod. She may not be able to keep it."

Xie Junyi saw all the envious and jealous looks on the villagers' faces just now.

We are all poor people, so it's fine that we depend on each other. Some small disputes in daily life are not a big deal.

But if such a young child has a skill to make money, it may not be a good thing for her.

"There's no need for her to watch over it. Once she learns it, she can teach it to the villagers. That would be great."

"What do you mean?"

Xie Junyi didn't quite understand her plan.

"You'll know tonight. Aren't you going to take me to see someone? Let's go."

Remembering that he still had important things to do, Xie Junyi stopped worrying about it.

He took Meng Xiyue through the villa and the fields on the back mountain and came to a yard.

This yard is located in the middle of the field and is not connected to any village. It is obvious that the person does not belong to the village.

They came to the backyard and saw a thin old man not far away, hunched over, picking rice in the field.

"Third uncle."

Hearing Xie Junyi's address, Meng Xiyue's eyes widened. The old farmer in front of her turned out to be Xie Junyi's uncle.

"My third uncle is the chief agricultural official of the imperial court. He has been studying the planting and care methods of crops in these fields all year round."

As he was talking, Da Sitian came over and said, "Prince Qi."

He looked up and saw Meng Xiyue, with a hint of doubt in his eyes, "Who is this?"

"She... is the most important person to me." Xie Junyi's words made Da Sitian frown even deeper.

A beautiful woman is the most important person to him, and the meaning is self-evident.

"Prince Qi, I am dirty and there are still a lot of weeds that I haven't cleared away. I really don't have time to greet you."

He has always respected and loved Prince Qi, but he should never bring a woman here.

Understanding that he valued these fields more than his own life, Xie Junyi explained.

"Uncle, Yue'er told me about the rice seedling cultivation today. I think it's feasible, so I brought her to see you. I want you to try and see if this can increase the yield."

"What does a woman know about rice?"

Dashitian waved his hands impatiently, feeling that his nephew was so bewitched by this woman that he had lost even basic judgment.

"I don't know as much as Master Si Tian, ​​and I don't know how to grow rice, but there are ways to increase the yield. Master Si Tian has been studying for so long and still has no ideas, so why don't you listen to me?"

"I don't have the time to spare..."

"Uncle, just listen to what she has to say."

Da Sitian, who wanted to refuse, looked at Xie Junyi and finally nodded helplessly.

"Okay, I'll listen."