Chapter 343: Old Grain

It looks like their daily work is very leisurely, just walking around and looking around, but in reality, it is not that simple. Since the state has already decided to give them formal tasks, it must set targets for them. New species must be found, with three as the minimum. As for ores, regardless of the type, finding one is a merit. However, given their current metallurgical industry, they are basically just looking for various Iron Ore and copper ores.

Bronze is the most common thing in this era, but because they have not found the relevant ores, this aspect has always been a vacancy. Although they have Iron, wouldn't it be better if they could have one more type of metal? More parts and items could be cast with Bronze.

Horses are the focus of their work. Baifeng never even thought about making them develop an intimate relationship with the horses. As long as they can make the horse herds lower their guard against them, Baifeng would already consider their work a success.

They mainly observe the living habits and activity ranges of the horses, providing intelligence for them to facilitate future capture operations.

These past few years must have been favored by Heaven, as their food has continued to have a Harvest. For several years in a row, they have not encountered heavy rain or droughts in inappropriate seasons. One by one, the food crops have been successfully harvested and stored in the granaries, and the hearts of everyone across the country have been put at ease. With so much food in storage, it means they won't have to worry about food for at least the next two years. There is no help for it; they just have a lot of stored grain.

Having a lot of stored grain also has its downsides. Their population is too small to consume that much food. If the two-year-old grain is not processed as soon as possible, it will become moldy and rot, going to waste. They do not have better storage methods and can only do their best to prevent moisture.

And they also prefer to eat new grain rather than old grain. Ever since the degree of land privatization was relaxed, the Citizens have had more than enough of their own grain to eat, let alone consuming the grain in the National Treasury. However, the ordinary public does not know this; they just watch the grain being transported into the warehouses cart by cart, and their sense of security grows a little more.

But looking at the taxes paid by the Citizens, the people in the Ministry of Revenue appear happy on the surface, but they are extremely worried inside. It's so much grain again—the old grain—what should be done!

After consultation, Baifeng decided to open state-run distilleries and feed mills to consume that old grain by making Wine and animal feed.

As for other disposal methods? There are none! Now even their Slave eat dry food at every meal, living more comfortably than the Tribal Chief of other tribes. What else can be done?

What about consuming it through engineering projects? There is no way. Their Ministry of Works is already running at full capacity. Countless Worker are eating the grain from the warehouses while working for the country, but they are human too; how much can they eat? Worker are just people who don't have to farm, but they dare not turn farmers into Worker. Agriculture is still the foundation; not only can it not be shrunk, but it must continue to expand.

There have been several years of Harvest in a row, but who can guarantee there won't be a few years of crop failure? Therefore, countless fertile fields are the foundation for stabilizing the hearts of the people in their country. Even if the grain rots in the warehouse, it is better than the warehouse being empty.

They used to only brew Sorghum Wine, but now it is different. They have started to constantly try three-grain liquid, five-grain liquid, and six-grain liquid. Regardless of the taste, as long as it can be brewed into Wine, it will always have a market.

Furthermore, Wine is not afraid of spoilage and can also be sent to the Hospital for use, to keep the Citizens warm in Winter, and to provide them with something to pass the time and relieve fatigue in daily life.

Most people cannot accept the taste of Tea Leaves, but Wine is different; it has high acceptance. Moreover, the price can be appropriately lowered to increase export volume and trade with the Suiren clan and the Xuanyuan Tribe.

Distiller's grains and some grain with poor taste can be used to make feed for the breeding farms to feed the animals, fatten them up, and bring them to market early, increasing the source of meat for the Citizens. This is also a benefit.

Once the document came out, the people in the Ministry of Works had no choice but to set aside other projects according to priority and start building the distillery. Brewing is no longer like the small workshops of the past, where they would just set up a few large stoves and start working. Now it is a super-large factory, it's just that it's a bit difficult to recruit Worker.

Although their "super-large factory" is just several large houses, it doesn't take too much time to build. However, it is already deep Winter. Fortunately, during that period, construction sites are shut down, and it is time for the farmers to rest, so it is relatively easy to recruit temporary workers for brewing. Although they are not skilled, it is fortunately not a technical job; it is mainly about physical labor, while the actual brewing and distillation are controlled by Artisan.

The project to open up forest roads in the new territory is also proceeding smoothly. The trees cut down along the way are sent to the city for classification and processing according to size and wood quality. The smaller ones that are of no use are placed in a unified place as public firewood for everyone to take for free. You only need to borrow the saws and axes at the site, and you can haul the chopped wood home yourself.

The larger ones that can be used to build houses are debarked and air-dried. Once dried, they will still be used by the Ministry of Works. Special timber, such as that which can be used to make Weapon or build a Boat, is processed at a different site.

The people in the Scientific Expedition Team can now be considered to have had some rare gains. They found several new plants, but unfortunately, they are of no use; they can neither be eaten nor used as medicine, and have no other purposes.

However, there is one plant among them that does not grow tall, has a long flowering period, and is good-looking. It is hardy and not picky. Baifeng decided to collect some seeds of this flower to use as their landscaping plant.

Don't look at how they are surrounded by dense primeval forests; the Urban Area still needs some beautification. Over the years, they have successively transplanted some things like the crooked beauty pines, and there are also pretty wild flowers. Now, which slightly well-off family doesn't have a small garden in addition to their vegetable plot?

Their relationship with the horse herds can also be considered "a step further." At least they will no longer attack them. When they see them, they just snort indifferently. If they get too close, they will turn around and pretend to attack to scare the people of the Scientific Expedition Team. For both sides, it seems they are enjoying it.

Later, they thought of a better method, which is to use salt to lure them. For wild animals, salt is very tempting. Some mountain goats, for the sake of a little salt, do not hesitate to take risks and climb to cliffs to lick it, and for this, they have even evolved special hooves.

Horses and the like can only lick the soil and drink some salty spring water.

However, there is plenty of salt in Huaxia. After this idea was formed, they directly pulled two large carts and sent them to the Kexiaozhan, and then prepared for their salt-luring plan.