Chapter 50: Glazed Glass Flower Hairpin

Yan Ning thought for a moment, "It should be possible. Potatoes and corn aren't picky about where they're planted; they have very tenacious vitality, and you can get sprouts just by scattering a handful."

However, after thinking it over, she said, "The land here is truly too barren. We must apply fertilizer, and then nurture the soil a bit before we can plant."

Yan Ning didn't know how to compost, and she had heard that ancient composting methods were truly a bit too intense for her taste. Yan Ning actually wanted to back out; that smell was truly foul.

She stepped out the door, her face heavy.

At this moment, Er Gouzi ran over and asked obsequiously, "Miss, have you encountered any troubling matters?"

Yan Ning nodded: "I don't know how to compost, and I also need someone to help me look after the fields long-term. You see who is good at composting and has experience in farming. With such a large piece of land, I don't know if five people can manage it well."

Er Gouzi hurriedly said: "With just this little bit of land, two or three people are enough. No need to spend that wasted money. Miss, rest assured, I will definitely invite the most capable people in our village for you."

Yan Ning was very happy and casually rewarded him with a silver cake, weighing about five taels.

Once Er Gouzi got the money, he immediately went to work. The most capable farmers in the village—weren't they just his father and two uncles? He arranged for all of them!

Yan Ning didn't mind whether the people Er Gouzi introduced were his relatives, as long as they could complete the task. After Er Gouzi figured out Yan Ning's temperament, he didn't deliberately avoid his own relatives; whoever had the ability would take the job.

After Er Gouzi brought the people, Yan Ning handed the seeds to be planted to them. Yan Ning kept half of the seeds just in case.

When Er Gouzi and the others saw these seeds, they were a bit curious: "What exactly are these things? They're golden-yellow. Are these seeds? What would the things grown from them look like?"

"And what are these pieces? Do seeds grow like this?"

Several farmers looked at each other, seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

Yan Ning then said: "Bury these chunks in the ground to raise seedlings. Once the seedlings grow, bury them underground. When the time comes, I will teach you how to do it."

Yan Ning divided the land into three plots: one for rice, one for cotton, and the remaining one for sweet potatoes, potatoes, and various vegetables.

Three plots of land, exactly one person responsible for each plot.

Yan Ning had a heavy expression and asked them: "You need to farm and compost; is one person really enough?"

The three patted their chests and guaranteed: "Definitely no problem. You can rest assured if you leave it to us."

Er Gouzi's father, Jin Sanzhu, even calculated the accounts: farming at home, the grain harvested would only sell for a few taels of silver, but helping Yan Ning farm, he would get two taels of silver a month, which is twenty-four taels a year, and he could even go out and buy better rice to eat.

Of course, the fields at home couldn't be left fallow; the women and children at home could also farm them.

Such a good job falling into their hands, the three rolled up their sleeves and started working. Even Er Gouzi was drafted to accompany them to farm.

Yan Ning bought five plow oxen, and Jin Sanzhu and the others immediately got busy.

Many fields had only been cleared and not properly plowed; they still had to pull the oxen to plow the soil once.

In just two or three days, they had already planted all the seeds, and the cultivation of potato chunks and sweet potato chunks had also begun.

Hopefully everything goes smoothly and no typhoons come over.

Ding'an City, Nanyang Wang Mansion.

At this time, the Nanyang Wang's family of three were all sitting in the pavilion. The Princess Consort held a hairpin; there was a pink Glazed Glass bead on the hairpin, and looking closely, there were flocculent substances inside.

In the Princess Consort's view, this was the best quality.

Besides this, there was a pair of dangling hairpins in a wooden box, and pink Glazed Glass was also inlaid on the dangling hairpins.

This pair of dangling hairpins and one hairpin cost her a total of twenty thousand taels of silver.

The Princess Consort said with a smile: "Anyway, we have nothing to do. Why not go to Lingnan to see Ningning? If they don't like Lingnan, they can move to our Ding'an City. Anyway, no one dares to cause trouble."

Nanyang Wang nodded, "That is the logic. Let's go in a few days."

The Princess Consort put away the Glazed Ornament, "Then let's go tomorrow. Give this hairpin and the dangling hairpins to Ningning. You all see if there is anything to prepare for them."

Nanyang Wang thought for a moment: "Ningning likes to eat, so why not bring a cook for her? I don't know if her female physician is reliable, so why not send an experienced old doctor over? I noticed they were cheated—no, they took quite a lot of silk and satin, and there is no one there who can make clothes, so bring some people for them too."

Thinking this way, they had to bring quite a few people; they had to prepare well.

The next day, someone knocked on the door, saying that Yan Ning asked them to help bring things to be delivered to the Nanyang Wang Mansion.

Upon hearing that it was something sent by Yan Ning, the gatekeeper immediately accepted it and went to deliver it to Xiao Chengtian.

Xiao Chengtian was also curious; could it be that they sent Lingnan specialties?

This box didn't look big, and the Princess Consort was also a bit curious about what was inside.

Once opened, it was actually a Glassware Flower hairpin!

There was quite a lot of Glazed Glass on this Glassware Flower hairpin; every flower was a petal made of Glazed Glass, white petals, with jade or pearls inlaid in the pistils.

Looking at this pair of Glassware Flower hairpins at a glance, they were basically all flowers made of Glazed Glass, very flamboyant.

The Princess Consort was a bit surprised, "This pair of Glassware Flower hairpins is worth at least one hundred thousand taels. Did Ningning just let the caravan help bring it over like this?"

Xiao Chengtian was also a bit dazed; Yan Ning actually sent such a valuable gift.

Weren't they in exile?

Xiao Chengtian worried every day about whether they lacked money or slept well, and as a result, Yan Ning brought out a Glassware Flower hairpin worth over one hundred thousand.

The Princess Consort wore the hairpin on her head.

Xiao Chengtian said very supportively: "It looks really good!"

The Princess Consort immediately packed up the things, "Such expensive Glazed Glass, what if it falls? I must enshrine it."

Saying this, she put away the pair of hairpins.

Then she began to worry; Yan Ning sent her such a valuable item, she had to show some appreciation.

At this time, Yan Ning was taking notes rapidly. In the past few days, she had watched various videos: planting methods for potatoes and sweet potatoes, precautions for planting dragon fruit...

Jin Sanzhu was responsible for planting various vegetables and fruits; his work was the most arduous, requiring attention to several types of crops.

Yan Ning said to him: "Your work here is the most troublesome. I'll give you four taels of silver a month. I'll explain to you what needs to be paid attention to when planting these things."

After Yan Ning said it once, she handed the transcribed notes to Jin Sanzhu.

Unfortunately, Jin Sanzhu was illiterate and could only drag his son over to help read when needed.

Yan Ning also drew a blueprint for him: "If you plant well and have a high harvest, I will give you a bonus at the end of the year. The other two as well."

Jin Sanzhu didn't expect that he could encounter such a good employer.

He would definitely work hard.

At this moment, someone arrived at the pier; it was Laifu.

Seeing Yan Ning, Laifu said, "The Prince of Nanyang has arrived; how shall we host them? Should we go to Shawan County, or have them come here to Chaoyang Village?"