Chapter 480: Have the villagers of Shitou Village contract the sandy land (2)
A Blessed Daughter
Chapter 480: Have the villagers of Shitou Village contract the sandy land (2)
Translator : Virichime
This translation made by Moonlight Teatime.
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Who wouldn’t want more land to farm? Farmers weren’t afraid of hard work—they were afraid of having no land to till.
“Sandy land can grow crops too,” Wei Ruo said.
“Really?” Shi Dayou stared at her in disbelief.
“Yes, it can. You should have heard about sweet potatoes recently,” Wei Ruo said.
“I’ve heard of them, and I’ve even tasted them. They’re said to be cold-resistant and high-yield. Quite a few people in Taizhou Prefecture have already started planting them.”
“In fact, hillside fields aren’t the best place to grow sweet potatoes,” Wei Ruo explained. “They’re actually better suited to sandy soil. Sandy land has better air permeability, which is more favorable for tuber growth, and the mature tubers turn out sweeter.”
“Are sweet potatoes really that good?” Shi Dayou couldn’t help but feel shocked.
“Yes. There’s no need for me to lie to you.”
“Then does that mean the sandy land in our village could also be used to grow sweet potatoes?” Shi Dayou asked.
There wasn’t much sandy wasteland in Shitou Village, but even a little more land was better than none—who would ever complain about having too much grain?
“Yes, it can,” Wei Ruo answered without hesitation.
“Then what kind of seed do sweet potatoes use?” Shi Dayou asked next.
“I’ll also share some with you,” Wei Ruo said.
“How could we accept that?” Shi Dayou said, clearly embarrassed. “Young Master Xu, you’ve already helped us so much!”
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Wei Ruo replied. “If you insist on settling accounts, then just deduct it from the wages later. It won’t amount to much anyway.”
Hearing this, excitement surged in Shi Dayou’s heart—he almost wished he could follow Wei Ruo immediately to start reclaiming the wasteland.
“Then what does Young Master Xu need us to do?”
Fortunately, Shi Dayou still had his wits about him. He knew this wasn’t something to rush—everything had to be done step by step. The most important thing was to first clarify exactly what Young Master Xu expected of them, to avoid any mistakes.
“I’ll provide the land and the seedlings. In the end, I’ll take half of the harvest,” Wei Ruo said.
“Half of the harvest? But what if the yield is very low?” Shi Dayou asked.
Normally, landlords set a fixed rent in grain—so many jin or so many dan. Regardless of whether the year was good or bad, tenants had to hand over that amount.
In recent years, harvests have been poor. Many tenant farmers couldn’t even produce enough grain to pay their rent, ended up owing landlords heavily, and some were even driven into homelessness.
“Regardless of the yield,” Wei Ruo said calmly.
A profit-sharing arrangement with no fixed rent carried major risks for the landlord. If the tenants were lazy or underreported the harvest, the landlord’s interests would suffer. Most people would never agree to such terms.
But Wei Ruo was willing to offer this arrangement to the villagers of Shitou Village under Shi Dayou’s leadership. It was both an act of trust—and a test.
If they chose to cut corners or cheat, she would simply stop working with them in the future.
Looking at the firm expression on Wei Ruo’s face, Shi Dayou said solemnly, “Young Master Xu, we will do our utmost and grow the sweet potatoes well for you!”
Wei Ruo nodded. “As for how to arrange the manpower afterward, that will be up to you, Brother Dayou.”
She did not intend to interfere in Shitou Village’s internal arrangements.
Judging from how Shi Dayou had organized the harvesting of bamboo fungus, Wei Ruo believed he would have no trouble managing the labor for contracting her sandy land as well.
“Rest assured, Young Master Xu,” Shi Dayou promised with a serious expression. “I will never betray the trust you’ve placed in us.”
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