Chapter 694: Chapter 467: Anning Village
After that, the family stayed in the village for another month. Liu Ze and Xiaoxue returned home the day after visiting, and stayed at the Liu family ever since.
During this time, the two families finally had time to get together, and from Liu Hongcai’s elated revelations, there might be a promotion next year, a transfer to the Capital City.
Over the past few years, Mrs. Liu, with the collaboration of her eldest son and Wang Fu, has also transferred quite a few businesses over to the Capital City. ℴ
Although in the Capital City, they are all small businesses, even if Liu Hongcai gets promoted, it won’t be to any high official post. Some extra income for Mrs. Liu would be more than sufficient for these two.
The only regret over these years is the eldest son being posted elsewhere, which is supposed to be good, considering back then Liu Hongcai also started this way, slowly getting his opportunities for promotion.
But the couple only saw their daughter-in-law, who brought their grandson back during the New Year. Last year they said she was pregnant again, so the daughter-in-law couldn’t return for the New Year.
As for the eldest son, since he went to the Capital City, it’s been five full years already, not a single sight of him.
However, if they can go to the Capital City, then when their son returns for his duties, the family can meet up.
This is also why the couple is happy.
In mid-June, the Jiang family prepared to set off back to Anning Village; if they don’t leave now, traveling in July would be a hardship.
Over the month, Xiaomi visited Xiaocao twice, and Xiaocao spent a day at her parents’ place with Fu Tao. Of course, Fu Tao helped out at his father-in-law’s house while Xiaocao played with Xiaomi at the Jiang’s.
However, just as they set off, several Imperial guards delivered a cart of potatoes to Xiangmu Village, claiming a bumper harvest of potatoes, three to four acres yielding a full five tons!
The five tons even excluded the small potatoes unsuitable for seeds!
The largest potato was a full pound and a half!
The Imperial guards were ecstatic; this is because they know the potatoes are for planting and not eating first, so they hauled a cart over.
Jiang Hu did not expect such a yield, indeed rather surprising, especially those large potatoes, making people fond of them at first glance.
Immediately, Jiang Hu sent twenty pounds of potatoes to Liu Hongcai, well, more is unavailable, these twenty pounds are for them to taste and try.
Of course, remember to remind them, these potatoes must be cooked thoroughly; they can be eaten cooked directly or cooked together with rice.
The remaining potatoes are all stored in cool places, and a detailed sowing method was written.
This year, follow Jiang Wei’s method, sow them in the twelfth month, and by the beginning of spring, the potatoes will sprout.
Not only that, but Jiang Hu, as the agricultural court candidate, finally wrote a memorial, under Liu Hongcai’s guidance, to tell the Emperor about the potatoes.
Besides, very ’generously,’ sent fifty pounds over there, mainly for not being able to outright tell them not to just eat them but to plant them first and plant more to eat slowly later.
He worried about sending too much; by then, the emperor might get too excited and distribute a bit for everyone to taste, it would be all tasted away.
Thinking and thinking, ended up sending less anyway.
Xiaomi knew about these as well, but she didn’t react much. As for the thousand and one ways to eat potatoes, she’s not in a hurry either. After all, she already told Liu Ze, so watching Liu Ze handle the rest.
Besides, need to trust the vast gourmand friends.
As a result of this, another two days were delayed, could not wait any longer, everyone was eager to return and see, what five tons of potatoes look like.
Upon returning to Anning Village, wheat and rapeseed were all harvested, and corn and sorghum were nearing readiness.
Meanwhile, several villagers approached Jiang’s family, talking to Jiang Hu about their desires to reclaim land and farm themselves.
A year had passed since these events, in the meantime, everyone was busy hustling, indeed had no heart to think about anything else.
No others around aware of their matters, with Yang, the leader, deliberately hiding, even the guards coming for shifts do not know those businesses.
Without others’ discussions or pointing, both mentally and psychologically, they recovered quickly.
Even as Erniang loved to see, a full year of interaction, two pairs of young people began to fancy each other, deciding to be together, and they’re the ones wanting to reclaim and farm themselves.
After all, forming a new family, they’d have their own children, want a home of their own.
No need for much land, just enough for the household’s meals, spare time working at Jiang’s, with income not lacking.
Jiang Hu was naturally delighted, Anning Village, if it’s a village, naturally cannot have just them few people.
It’s supposed to be a place with old and young, that what a village should look like.
Now, when someone wants to form a family, inevitably leads to more, then there’ll be plenty of children around, people will be numerous, and the village will flourish.
Allowing them to freely find spots to reclaim, also gifting some seeds, and expressing that if they want to raise chickens, pigs, and so forth, they could go to Jiang’s and buy young ones directly.
For more than that, Jiang Hu didn’t help; just told them once their own lands work completes, they could come help in Jiang’s fields at any time, payment same as before.
Jiang’s family, over a hundred acres of land in Anning Village, constantly need workers, with guards helping it still fine, a few years later when they leave, likely need dedicated caretakers.
So the more workers, the better.
But that’s a problem for the years to come, not urgent now.
Interestingly, upon returning to Anning Village, next to Jiang’s house, there appeared another small courtyard, where Liu Ze and Xiaoxue moved in.
Still, the two ate meals mostly at Jiang’s, only resting back at their small courtyard.
After all, Jiang’s house courtyard isn’t big, just one room per person, and adjacent ones, now they’re married, unsuitable for the arrangement.
Hence, before leaving Xiangmu Village, construction began, once the young couple returned, they had a place to reside.
Following them were two maidservants, specifically tasked to cook, clean, and take care of the pregnant young mistress. Of course, Xiaoxue isn’t pregnant yet.
The two maidservants were meticulously trained by Mrs. Liu then personally selected by Liu Ze.
Both looked average, with ordinary figures, just honest and obedient, few rules, quiet, doing little talks.
Nevertheless, the two were indeed genuinely diligent, Second Young Master and Second Young Mistress, seldom dining at home, mostly returning to Jiang’s family.
Once the household is tidied up, they’d come to Jiang’s, helping cook or assisting with chores and such.
Wei Ziang, too, upon returning to Anning Village the second day, went back to continue blacksmithing. He left some ideas about arquebuses with the master blacksmiths before departing.
This became the master blacksmiths awaiting his return every day, reportedly held captive at the stone forest for a solid three days, persistently brainstorming with the masters there.
Indeed, all heard of later from others mentioning.