The Story of a Destitute Noblewoman Farming

After figuring out many things, Lu Linlang's mind became more open. Even in the process of developing paper, she was able to draw inferences from one instance and come up with more ideas.

"It's done, it's done. Look at this paper. It's so good! It's exactly the same as the ones sold outside. I think it's even better than the ones sold outside. It seems that this papermaking project has really been successful."

Yun Yi tried to write a few words himself and found that this kind of paper was very smooth to write on, without any stickiness. Moreover, the paper was white. Although it was not authentic pure white, it had the fragrance of green bamboo.

"This brush is also very useful. It's a sheep-hair brush. If it were sold at a bookstore, it would be quite expensive. But now that we've made it ourselves, the children in the village can all use brushes. Let me try the one made with a mixture of pig and sheep hair."

"Master Yun, take a look. We made this ink and inkstone ourselves. Since you are a scholar, could you explain to us what the difference is between these inkstones?"

"Chief, this inkstone is exquisitely crafted. The carvings on it must have been made by the uncles in the village. The bamboo carved on it is vivid and lifelike. Scholars love bamboo the most. Carving on it not only gives a sense of returning to nature but also a sense of scholarly integrity. It is firm and delicate, and the ink is fine without stagnation. It feels cool to the touch, tender, smooth and delicate. It is a good inkstone."

"That's great! We actually made this inkstone ourselves. This is the stone we found by the stream in the mountains. We've tried several kinds of stone these days and found that this stone is the most suitable and the best to use."

"Chongshui is able to produce such an inkstone. It will surely be sought after by scholars in the future, and Chongshui stone inkstones will surely become famous."

"That's great, Linlang girl. When do you think we're going to start making these? We're short on manpower right now, and it would take a lot of time to make four things at once. Autumn harvest is almost here, and I'm afraid we won't be able to handle it."

"Chief, now that we have mastered the production methods of these things, we can build a workshop next and ask the villagers to help. After the autumn harvest, we will start to take action."

"Okay, I'll do it right away. This is a way for everyone in the village to make money. The sooner we start, the sooner we can make money."

The patriarch left in a hurry, and Lu Linlang also had to start busying herself with arranging matters for the autumn harvest.

Arriving at the farm, the golden rice fields were laden with ears, the rice having quietly shed its greenish hue and donned a new look. On the hill, towering corn stalks held a single corn cob, some with purple silk, others yellow. The corn was ripe when the silks began to shrivel and the husks turned yellow.

"Boss, the corn we grow using your method is indeed better than what we grew ourselves before. The key is the seeds. Look, I've secretly opened some of them and they're full of kernels. I rarely see corn this full. I wonder if you would like to sell some of these seeds. We'd like to buy some from you."

"Of course you can. When farming, you must choose good seeds. I will have someone preserve these seeds and also give them pesticides. That way, when you plant them next year, the seeds themselves will be free from the threat of many pests."

In modern times, it is generally not recommended for farmers to save their own seeds, especially corn. Firstly, the hybrid seeds will not be stable after being planted the following year, and secondly, they will not be properly stored.

Therefore, Lu Linlang divided several experimental plots this year in order to be able to select good seeds. She had worked in a seed company before and knew how to preserve seeds, select seeds, prevent pests, etc. These seeds were better than the corn seeds that the people kept for themselves.

The two of them went to the sweet potato field again. The sweet potatoes were growing very well. Lu Linlang dug out a few to check and found that some were as big as a child's fist, and some were as big as an index finger. However, they were growing vigorously. They would cut some every day to feed the poultry and livestock.

"Quack, quack, quack." Before I even reached the chicken, duck and goose farm, I could already hear the ducks' calls.

The people who are responsible for feeding the poultry here are one of the few outsiders in the village, Yu Huamao and his wife. Unlike other farmhands who can go home to rest at night, they live in the farm and have to keep an eye on the chickens, ducks and geese at all times at night.

This place is backed by mountains and forests, and there will be weasels and even other wild animals visiting, so they have to patrol frequently and resolve crises. The two of them moved to the farm with their daughter.

Seeing the boss coming, Yu Huamao and his wife stepped forward to greet him politely.

"Uncle Yu, there's no need to bother. Just go about your business. You've taken good care of these chickens, ducks, and geese. They lay eggs regularly, which shows how meticulous you are. Give them all the medicine. If you find any sick, be sure to report it immediately. Don't delay, and don't hide it out of reluctance. This will cause big problems."

"Boss, we all remember that. We check our bodies regularly, young and old, for fear that anyone would get sick." Uncle Yu's children are all adults, his son has married, and his daughter is also of marriageable age.

The reason they were able to do this job in the farm was naturally because the couple were good at taking care of the poultry in the village. In Xishan Village, everyone gave them a thumbs up.

When Lu Linlang wanted to raise poultry, the clan leader was the first to recommend them. According to the clan leader and others, the couple had taken good care of the chickens and ducks over the years. Even in winter, they could still lay eggs at least once every two days, and the chickens and ducks in their home rarely got sick.

After Lu Linlang found the two people and asked them, she learned that Uncle Yu's family was originally an outsider who moved in from other places. His family originally raised ducks, and Uncle Yu was also a duck farmer. Duck farmers always follow the ducks and will not stay in one place. The craft is passed down from the elders to the younger generations, and is passed down from generation to generation.

However, this is also dangerous. If the chickens and ducks raised by one's own family eat food from other people's homes, one will have to pay compensation. Uncle Yu's father did not dare to return to the village because he offended someone, and he has been wandering outside ever since. Later, Uncle Yu's father took him to drive ducks to the vicinity of Xishan Village and fell ill. He met Aunt Yu's family. Her family was kind and saved Uncle Yu's father, and the two became friends while getting along with each other.

Later, Uncle Yu's father felt that it was not good for his son to follow him around like this, and that he should have his own family. He persuaded Uncle Yu to stay in Xishan Village and live a good life. The couple also learned some skills and made money by breeding in recent years.

However, Uncle Yu was an outsider, so he bought land in Xishan Village to support his family and did not have much property. In addition, Uncle Yu's father passed away, and the funeral cost a lot of money. Later, the cost of his son's marriage was also not small, so the family was very poor. When Lu Linlang found them, the whole family was very happy, so they brought their daughter here, and their son and daughter-in-law stayed at home to raise livestock, which was also a way for the young couple to make a living.

Lu Linlang has great respect for such craftsmen. Every profession has its reason for existence and is the crystallization of people's wisdom.