Zhenfubao waved his hand and the warehouse was full of grain, and the whole family regretted it

The boat slowly sailed away from the dock, and just as it reached the middle of the river, melodious music came from the cabin. There was a pipa playing a gentle tune, the guzheng following in harmony, and the bamboo flute interspersed in between, the sound was clear and harmonious.

The ladies were well-informed, but they couldn't help but nod in praise when they heard the music.

A lady in a dark blue brocade jacket narrowed her eyes and said, "This musician's skills are truly remarkable. The pipa is played softly but not limply, and the guzheng has just the right amount of force. It's so relaxing to listen to."

Another lady also agreed: "That's right, the musicians at ordinary banquets are not of this level, Master Bai really took the trouble!"

The surrounding lake view is also quite nice. The pleasure boat is docked at the pier. When everyone got off the boat, they were still thinking that this place was probably in the wilderness.

But as soon as they stepped onto the street, everyone stopped in surprise. The road under their feet was not an ordinary dirt road or cobblestone road, but a flat and smooth cement road that felt clean and stable to step on.

Walking further into the street, there are shops lining both sides, with blue brick and black tile shops next to each other, although many of them have not yet hung up signs for business.

But the neat facade and imposing beams and pillars don't look remote at all.

Looking into the distance along the street is even more surprising. The fields not far away are full of crops, and they look like they are growing well.

Bai Wanwan stood aside, looking at the astonished expressions of the crowd, and explained with a smile:

"Ladies, don't underestimate Qingshui County because it used to be deserted. It's different now.

We brought in water from the Qingshui Grand Canal and built irrigation channels, so the fields no longer have to worry about water shortages.

This year, the grain harvest in Qingshui County has more than tripled compared to ordinary places!

If you ladies go and look carefully at the ridges of the fields, you will see that the wheat ears are heavier than elsewhere, and the rice ears are fuller, all thanks to the irrigation of the canal."

Those ladies all had farms, and they bent down and picked up an ear of rice.

"Oh, these rice ears are much fuller than those in our farm!" The lady in the crimson jacket nodded.

"Look at the color, golden yellow, it's clearly almost ripe. You'll definitely have a bumper harvest of rice this year!"

Several ladies nearby also nodded:

"That's right! The ears of corn in my farm are a little smaller than these, and the grains are not as solid.

Mr. Bai, your irrigation method is really useful!"

Bai Wanwan came over and said with a smile, "This rice will be ready for harvest in ten days or so, and there are fish and shrimps growing underneath."

She led everyone to the paddy fields not far away.

As soon as we reached the edge of the field, we could see fish swimming around in the water. Bai Wanwan said:

"Look, ladies, when the rice grows, the fish in the water eat weeds and kill pests, and the fish feces can be used as fertilizer to grow rice. The rice protects the fish, and the fish fertilizes the rice.

By then, we can harvest rice and catch fresh fish at the same time, which is the best of both worlds."

The ladies laughed and said:

"Wow! There's actually such a good idea. These are the fish you gave us yesterday, right?

It’s really different from ordinary fish, it’s especially delicious.”

"Can we do the same in our village?"

Bai Wanwan smiled and said, "Of course you can. Since I told you the method, it's because I want us to make money together."

The ladies' eyes were all shining. Bai Wanwan continued to lead them forward and said, "I'll show you my shop."

Bai Wanwan led the ladies to the shops on the street. As soon as they arrived, the ladies' eyes were caught by the green-roofed houses.

It looks very new and it has two floors, which makes it much nicer than ordinary houses.

One lady couldn't help but reach out and touch the wall, curiously asking, "Master Bai, how did you build this house? It's two stories strong and looks more beautiful than other houses!"

Bai Wanwan smiled and pointed at the wall: "This house is not built with wood. Look carefully, it's all made of bricks."

The ladies came closer to take a look and were surprised again: "Oh! These are blue bricks! I heard earlier that these bricks are very valuable. How can ordinary people afford so many!"

"These bricks are made by us in Qingshui County!" When Bai Wanwan said this, the ladies were even more surprised.

She went on to say:

"If you want, we can also burn more and sell them to you at a low price. This brick house is very strong and will not be easily damaged by wind and rain. It is much more durable than a wooden house.

Look at our shops, they have thick walls and solid foundations, they are definitely stronger than ordinary houses."

Talking about opening a shop, Bai Wanwan said:

"If you want to open a shop here, the first year's rent is very cost-effective, almost like buying half and giving half away.

The annual rent for a shop as big as this one is only five taels of silver.

In our small county, this price is not high. When the business develops in the future, this rent will be nothing.”

A lady in a lake blue jacket gently shook her head. "Master Bai, we're not trying to dissuade you, but Qingshui County is really deserted right now. If you really open a shop here, who will you sell your goods to?"

The lady beside him immediately agreed and nodded:

"That's right! To do business you need customers, and right now the streets aren't even bustling at all.

Even if the shop is good, it’s useless if no one comes to buy.”

Bai Wanwan didn't rush to explain, but just smiled and pointed in the direction of the canal not far away:

“Ladies, don’t be anxious. Let’s talk about this canal first. Once the Qingshui Grand Canal is completely dug, it will be connected to the Mu River.

Merchant ships traveling from south to north can dock directly at our county’s wharf. When merchant ships come, won’t merchants follow?

By then, not only will there be people coming from outside, but it will also be convenient for people in our county to do business. As time goes by, this place will only become more and more lively, so why worry about not having customers? "

Just as these words fell, another lady frowned and said:

“Even if the canal is open and can gather people, what if there is a flood?

Such a small county town, wouldn't it be destroyed by the flood? "

Bai Wanwan smiled more calmly after hearing this. She led everyone to a higher place and pointed at the riverbed to explain:

"Don't worry, Madam. We have already surveyed this area. Floods in this area always flow from northwest to southeast.

Our canal is located right on the way of the flood, and when the flood comes, it will flow directly into the canal.

The canal connects to the Mu River, which has a wide channel and stable water level, and has never experienced a sudden rise in water levels.

With this river diversion, our Qingshui County will definitely not be flooded."

Those ladies looked at each other. Five taels of silver a year is not expensive. Bai Wanwan continued:

"This year is a free gift. You can give it a try. We have almost dug the river.

It will only take another month before it is connected to Muhe. If you want to rent a shop then, it may not be available.

Of course, the price next year won’t be just five taels of silver. It could double, or even increase by ten or twenty times.”