Jingshui Village.
“His Royal Highness’s Order!”
“The locust plague is rampant, destroying crops.”
“Anyone in Jingyang County who dares to worship the Locust God will be fined two suits of armor.”
“Killing one catty of locusts can be exchanged for half a catty of grain.”
“Additionally, strong individuals are recruited as laborers, earning ten coins daily.”
“…”
His Royal Highness’s order quickly spread throughout Jingyang County.
The old farmers held their pottery bowls, tears streaming down their faces.
Inside was steaming hot porridge.
There were also vegetable leaves, pork, and offal.
They sat on the ground, devouring their food.
Ning Que sat in front of the government office.
He watched them quietly.
People in this era were very stubborn.
Many would rather die to save face than live in suffering.
For example, Jingshui Village, a heroic village famous in the capital!
In every household, which one didn’t have a fallen soldier?
There were also many wounded soldiers with missing arms and legs.
If he directly gave them money, they wouldn’t take it.
They would even consider it an insult.
Each one competed to see who was tougher!
Even if their lives were tight, they would stubbornly hold on.
The most suitable method for them was to provide relief through work.
“Have all you villagers had enough to eat?”
“Yes, we’re full, we’re full.”
“Alright, then listen to me for a moment.”
Ning Que looked at them and said softly, “Jingyang County has suffered a locust plague, and all of you are having a hard time. I have a lot of work in Jingyang County that requires your help. It’s ten coins a day, and one meal is provided. If you have elderly women at home, they can also come to help in the kitchen. No wages, only food.”
“Your Highness, you have already helped us so much.”
“We cannot accept this wage!”
“What, are you looking down on me?” Ning Que feigned anger, raising an eyebrow and scolding, “In our Great Feng, farmers are paid for working for their masters. If you don’t work, then I’ll have to find others to do it.”
“We’ll work, we’ll work, we’ll work!”
“Your Highness’s word is our command, we’ll do anything!”
They all echoed their agreement.
The men who bled but didn’t cry now had red eyes.
Ning Que then smiled.
He clapped his hands and stood up.
“The first task is to repair Ning Royal Mansion’s ancestral home.”
Ning Royal Mansion’s ancestral home was in Jingyang County.
However, Ning Que had been in Chang’an all these years.
There were a few household servants guarding the ancestral home.
His status and position were evident.
He also had properties in many places.
Ning Que stood up and continued, “Several roads in Jingyang County are also in disrepair and need to be mended. The Jingshui River has not been cleared of silt for years, making it prone to blockage. People need to be found to excavate the river channels and use the river mud for fertilizer. As for the farmland, it has now been burned, and people are needed to turn the soil.”
“Ah?”
“These count as work too?”
Everyone was stunned.
Providing relief through work was not unusual.
Many places had used this method before.
However, the type of work differed.
Repairing houses was common enough.
But other tasks were different.
Repairing roads and channels, these were tasks for corvée laborers.
Even turning over farmland counted!
Wasn’t this just giving them money?
Ning Que, however, smiled without speaking.
The ‘work’ in providing relief through work was very important.
If it was used to build palaces, it would not benefit the common people.
Or rather, it would be a form of exploitation.
But repairing roads and channels could benefit the common people.
As for turning over farmland, that went without saying.
Which farmer’s family doesn’t turn their fields?
Now, Ning Que was even paying them for it!
“I ask you, whose land are you cultivating?”
“It’s Ning Royal Mansion’s!”
“That’s right.”
“Ah?”
Ning Que smiled slightly, “Since it’s Ning Royal Mansion’s land, then you are working for Ning Royal Mansion, and it is perfectly reasonable for this Prince to give you wages.”
“But it’s already autumn, not time to turn the land…”
“Wrong.” Ning Que pointed into the distance, “I heard officials from the Ministry of Works say that Shu Mai (Winter Wheat) can be planted now. Shu Mai (Winter Wheat), planted in autumn and winter, matures after a year, hence it is called Shu Mai (Winter Wheat), which is winter wheat. If you turn the land now and plant winter wheat, it will mature in May next year. Then, planting millet can make up for this year’s harvest.”
“Ah, it can even survive the winter?!”
These farmers were all surprised.
They even doubted whether Ning Que was joking.
After all, Ning Que was high above them, not a farmer.
So, it was normal for him not to understand farming.
“Don’t you believe His Royal Highness?”
“We believe, but…”
“Then do as I say.”
Butler Fu interjected from the side, admonishing them.
Still daring to doubt His Highness?
The number of times His Highness had proven them wrong could stretch from Chang’an to Jiaodong!
If His Highness said it could be done, then it definitely could!
If it really couldn’t, then they should look for reasons within themselves.
“Regarding winter wheat, someone will teach you.”
“What you need to do now is for everyone to work.”
“Strong men for labor, strong women for kitchen help.”
“As for children, they can help catch locusts.”
“As long as you’re diligent, you can definitely get through this.”
Ning Que continued to make arrangements.
There was no such thing as winter wheat in Great Feng.
The common people all practiced spring plowing and autumn harvesting.
Southern regions might plant two seasons of rice.
Historically, Emperor Wu of Han began to have winter wheat.
At that time, it was Dong Zhongshu who recommended it to him.
Later, Emperor Wu of Han adopted it and announced it to the world.
After natural disasters, various commanderies could quickly plant winter wheat.
This method was used to recover losses as much as possible.
This greatly enhanced the Han Dynasty’s disaster resistance capabilities.
As the season was suitable, he thought of Shu Mai (Winter Wheat).
This was his disaster relief plan!
...
The farmers were all practical people.
After drinking Ning Que’s chicken soup, no… it was meat porridge.
Each and every one of them was full of energy.
One told ten, ten told a hundred.
Every household began to mobilize.
They knew this was special care from Ning Que.
The strong men carried hoes and headed to the fields.
Their posture didn’t look like they were going to do farm work.
It looked more like they were going to battle!
This was their first time planting Shu Mai (Winter Wheat).
Later, there would be dedicated people to teach them.
What they needed to do now was to turn over the soil.
The Jingyang County Magistrate also did something humane.
He burned the farmland with fire.
It could also be considered a form of fertilization.
If all went well, the Shu Mai (Winter Wheat) would surely have a bumper harvest next year.
“Hoeing at noon, working so hard!”
“After a morning’s work, there’s still an afternoon!”
“For a good life, hard work is worth it!”
They chanted doggerel.
Each one swung their arms, reclaiming the land.
The fields crisscrossing the landscape were covered in sweat.
The children weren’t idle either.
They used net bags made of coarse cloth to catch locusts.
After catching them, they casually tossed them into bamboo baskets.
A carriage slowly stopped beside the farmland.
With the help of her maid, Lin Xianhong got out of the carriage.
The scorching sun made her a little uncomfortable.
Looking at the farmers in the distance, she sighed softly.
These people were truly pitiful.
Just after a disaster, they had to endure Ning Que’s exploitation.
How could she not know what kind of person Ning Que was?
He was an animal who wouldn’t get up early without profit!
He deliberately set a trap for her father.
He spent fifty thousand taels of silver at Heaven on Earth!
Now he was coming with account books to demand payment!
It was clearly taking advantage of others’ misfortune!
Watching her parents argue and fight, Lin Xianhong could only reluctantly take on this task, hoping to use grain to settle the debt.
This time, the plummeting grain prices caused the Lin family to suffer huge losses.
All of the Lin family’s savings over the years were gone!
And all of this was because of Ning Que!
It was obvious that it was all his revenge!
“Let’s go.”
Lin Xianhong’s expression was cold.
Didn’t Ning Que do all this just to see her?
Well then, she was here now!
