Chapter 246: Just Want to Do Something for the Common Folk

Ling'er thought that when she grew up and had the ability, she would look for the parents who had abandoned her.

Actually whether she searches or not doesn't matter; she is now as happy as a princess, and searching or not has little significance.

In golden October, another harvest season, the matter of increasing grain tax because of the war had also gone silent.

The three tenant farmer families of the Qiao Family had early on delivered grain; being a tenant farmer of the Qiao Family is truly a blessing.

Besides delivering grain, they also requested to meet Qiao Mai, which puzzled her.

In the front hall she received them; the three tenant farmer households all knelt before her, and Qiao Mai hurriedly had someone help them up.

"If there's any matter, just say it; as long as I can handle it, I will definitely fulfill your wishes."

"Master, may we follow you in planting Warm Shed Vegetables?"

"It was about this matter,"

"We also want to become rich and have our own fields, so could you teach us?"

These families are truly diligent, earnestly learning from the women; when it comes to farming, they can do it, but they want their vegetables to be like the Qiao Family's, which really requires some effort.

Qiao Mai pursed her lips, "You don't touch flowers, but that doesn't keep flowers from touching you; has the Qu Family ever approached you?"

The reason is that Qiao Mai had achieved Core Formation in the space; she knows nothing of the outside, and after forming the core, her aura became even more ethereal than before.

Qiao Mai also provided them with high-quality seeds; her own vegetables were insufficient for sale in winter, and with these three families joining, diners wouldn't have to rack their brains.

It had snowed for several days, and she had been cultivating in the space for several days as well; you all have never seen thunder on a heavy snow day, have you?

After Yuan Jiaqi arranged the soldiers, his trips home became frequent, and the pine trees were all planted by the end of June.

Because Qiao Mai's household now had three sheep, she often went to the space to cultivate.

"Didn't expect your promotion to be so fast, jumping two ranks at once—what an achievement, what an achievement."

The next day, Qiao Mai had the kitchen prepare a table of fine dishes, and everyone celebrated Yuan Jiaqi together.

"What?"

"Wife, you are truly amazing; for me, Yuan Jiaqi, to have such a wife is a blessing cultivated over three lifetimes."

The people of Tianshui Town today witnessed snow with thunder—a truly unprecedented sight.

Besides the soldiers, everyone else also gradually returned home.

Shexian's snow was heavier than Tianshui Town's; when he returned to Shexian, white snow covered everything, turning it into a kingdom of snow.

He nodded while watching, noting how detailed it was; if they followed the wife's plan, they could solve employment for several hundred people in Shexian.

"Here"

"Ah, ah, thank you, master, thank you, master."

However, Qiao Mai wasn't giving them vegetables for free; she took a ten percent commission—her vegetables sold at whatever price, and they sold theirs at the same price; the price fluctuated, giving them a sense of preparation.

"Fine, I'll provide you the cost price, the rest you prepare yourselves; I'll send a few women to the fields to teach you."

Wang Jiaru's Student only wants to do something for the common folk; rising or not in office is irrelevant, it conveniently lets them retreat to the north and avoid the court's scheming.

"Even if promoted again, it's still a County Magistrate."

After months away from home, Yuan Jiaqi, upon returning, spent an intimate night with his wife.

This solved their sales channels, saving great effort; they no longer had to rush with carts shouting to sell everywhere.

He sighed, "My wife isn't a deity; she can't know everything—here it's the climate and soil reasons; how could she possibly know these?"

"I'm sorry, wife, that side was too busy; these past months have been hard on you. Without your strong support, I couldn't have been promoted."

"Yes, the teacher thinks the same; wherever we are, as long as we can seek welfare for the common folk, that's enough. In the capital, we might not be able to accomplish real deeds for the people; this place is still better."

Especially the chives, which grow the fastest, and those families' as well; seeing the lush green vegetables, they felt as if they saw hope.

"Do you plan to plant vegetables on all the land you hold?"

"Hmm, it's enough that you know; none of the officials' relatives can match what your wife does. If it weren't for her strong support, the medicinal transport, and the silver she gives, the emperor probably wouldn't notice your merits."

"I don't even want to be promoted; I just want to stay in Shexian for my whole life."

"Isn't it all thanks to your wife's blessing? Otherwise, how would it have fallen to me?"

"I've now made a modest achievement in Shexian and don't want others to reap free benefits."

Qiao Mai glared at her, "Sleep! It's almost dawn."

The pine trees stood tall in the snow, unmoved by the wind; the white snow and green pines formed a stark contrast.

The old master was moved, "Jiaqi."

"Yes."

The weather grew colder, and the Warm Shed Vegetables in the backyard sprouted seedlings.

"No, we want to try planting first; grain remains the main focus. We've heard that just the ingredient cost for a mu of land is high, and none of our families have that much silver."

Upon returning to the County Magistrate's Office, he did nothing but first review the wife's plan.

To start work, they must wait until next spring; then they'll need to prune, water, fire‑prevent, a host of tasks.

"When I, your husband, return home to see you, rest assured I will never seek glory or cause trouble."

Qiao Mai glanced at the two of them, "Stop just talking; the vegetables will be finished soon."

"No, it must be that the higher-ups pressured his family; they no longer dare to cause trouble. I haven't seen Qu Guniang appear for several months."

"Why?"

Yuan Jiaqi wasn't in a hurry to return to the County Magistrate's Office; he took six guards to the Bare Land to take a look.

"Hmm, it seems they've put effort and understand that investment costs are high."

They saw the vegetables in their own fields sprouting, and each happily wiped away tears.

"Let's wait until we return to Shexian to see."

"Sure, what's not possible about that?"

Yuan Jiaqi stayed at home for only three days before returning to Shexian; as he left, light snow drifted from the sky.

The landlord is truly kind, says nothing in secret, even provides them with materials to build a Warm Shed, and permits their vegetables to be sold at Qiao's little shop.

The three tenant farmer families happily look at each other, "Thank you, landlord."

Now her cultivation is only a little short of being able to achieve Core Formation.

They learned from the old women, mastering the essentials of winter vegetable planting, how to keep the vegetables from getting pests, and several pest‑control formulas, all of which were taught to them as well.

The three families were sincere; when the landlord said something, they agreed immediately without any hesitation.

If the lady could solve the locals' problem of planting a single seasonal crop each year, then no one would migrate south in the future.

Each of the three tenant families set aside five mu for vegetables, and the rest was planted with winter wheat.

It's rare to see green in this winter here, and it appears in large patches; it seems the lady was right—pine trees are well suited to Beifang planting.

Retaining the population naturally lifts the economy.

Qiao Mai turned around, pulled a booklet‑thick sheet from under the Kang Mat, and placed it beside his head.

"The Zuofang's planning must be set in motion now; the pine trees will soon mature, and when that time comes, we'll need to tap sap, harvest Pinecone, and roast Pine Nuts, all of which require the Zuofang."

"I'll say this up front: when your official rank grows and you go to Jingcheng or elsewhere, I won't go with you; I'll stay right here in Tianshui Town."

"Haha, enough talk, enough talk—let's eat vegetables, eat vegetables."

The first batch of people who followed Qiao Mai in planting Warm Shed Vegetables finally emerged; she didn't hum, just wanted to see if there were any clever folks.

"Please, landlord, grant us your favor,"

The Zuofang set up here can also boost Shexian's economy.

Every move is like a fairy descending Dan Stage, spotless, walking as if treading on clouds—light and airy.

As the Cultivation book states, the lifespan in the Foundation Establishment Stage is one hundred years, while in the Core Formation Stage it is five hundred years.

Thinking of herself at five hundred years old, with her children turned into a pile of dry bones, makes her heart feel uneasy.

She must quickly raise the Pill's grade, so that later she can forge a high‑grade Longevity Pill, letting her own children live a few more years and enjoy life a bit longer.

(End of chapter)