The Red Mansion Big Liar.

Chapter 144 Acting vigorously and resolutely
In a deer-roofed room in the backyard of Ning Mansion.

Ping'er, who had just returned, was pulled in by Wang Xifeng.

After listening to Ping'er's report, she frowned and said, "Digging bird droppings? What kind of business is this?"

"Master didn't say anything, he just said it was a very profitable business, and I didn't ask many questions."

"Why don't you ask clearly about such an important matter?"

Wang Xifeng looked unconvinced, looked at Ping'er's blushing cheeks, and said angrily, "Are you just not asking, or are you not in the mood to ask?"

"How could that be?" Ping'er showed a trace of embarrassment and explained, "I told you this only after I had served you well..."

It would have been better if she didn't explain. After she did, Wang Xifeng was furious and spat, "You little slut, you really can't remember the important things until the matter is over..."

Ping'er felt a little aggrieved, but if she wanted to explain, she would have to mention Zhang Yunyi's disappointing words, so she had to acquiesce.

"Then...what did grandma say?"

"This sounds a bit unreliable. He has to pay the money, and I'm only responsible for the ship and the people... 100,000 dan is too much. Now I have nothing to settle. I will tell my family and at most I will use a small treasure ship to transport 40,000 dan back first."

"Master said that it must be delivered at the latest one month before the spring ploughing ceremony next year."

After all, the ancient times were an agricultural society. To engage in industry and commerce in an agricultural society would not only result in half the effort and twice the results, but would also be considered shameful.

On the contrary, being able to develop agriculture is a major plan that benefits both the country and the people.

Food is the most important thing for people. Emperors of all dynasties have regarded agriculture as the foundation of their country and farming as the basis of their country.

Not only that, the emperor would personally attend the annual spring ploughing ceremony, and the court would also give high respect and rewards to farmers who worked hard.

In the eyes of the ancients, farming and studying were the foundation of passing down a family legacy. Even if one was an official, knowing how to do farm work was something that people would talk about with relish.

After all, Zhang Yun逸 had a modern mindset and had not considered these things before.

However, in order to satisfy his selfish desires, he started building greenhouses. While discovering a way to make money, he also noticed the differences between ancient and modern times and began trying to expand into agriculture.

Ancient agriculture emphasized the right time, right place, and right people.

Apart from weather and human factors, the biggest impact on the harvest is soil quality and water conditions.

Due to the lack of chemical fertilizers, the fertility of the soil cannot be changed, and the gap in per-acre yield between the upper fields and the lower fields is huge.

Even the best paddy fields are not as good as those with fertilizers. In addition, due to the difference in seed quality, the yield per mu is also not as good as that of later generations. There are only a handful of fields that can produce 500 kilograms.

This also directly leads to the difference in the price of land.

The price of a good paddy field can be as high as 20 to 30 taels per mu, while the price of a low-quality paddy field is only 3 to 5 taels.

Moreover, some fields have good water resources but poor soil quality. If the gap in per-acre yield can be made up, not to mention how many people can be fed by the harvested grain, the profit alone will be astonishing.

The Ning Mansion's farm covers a large area, so it is naturally impossible for it to be all good fields. Such a large farm will always have differences in soil quality.

Therefore, when he heard that the village was going to build a greenhouse, the village head asked whether it should be built on the upper field, which gave him this idea.

Although there is a method of using alum to fertilize water, the amount cannot compare to that of the bird droppings in the South China Sea.

Moreover, he also hoped to take the opportunity to develop the shipbuilding and shipping industries of the Great Xia Dynasty.

"The East Sea lacks a white jade bed, so the Dragon King came to ask for the King of Jinling."

In Wang Xifeng's words, the Wang family manages tributes from various countries, which actually refers to maritime trade. It's just that the dynasty regards itself as the Celestial Empire, so when foreign countries come to do business with goods, it will be regarded as tribute.

Although the Wang family no longer manages this area, they at least still have some foundation. Zhang Yun逸 does not have any resources in this area, and Wang Xifeng, as a daughter of the Wang family, is the best partner.

Originally, because of Yuanchun, he was a little hesitant about whether to cooperate with the Wang family.

After learning the whole story from Mrs. Wang, his worries were half gone. After all, according to Mrs. Wang, this matter was led by Grandmother Jia, and the chances of the Wang family's involvement were small. It was just to be on the safe side that she reported to the King of Qin and reported her idea. It happened that Wang Xifeng asked Ping'er to come to her, and they hit it off.

The reason why the delivery time was limited was because the matter was of great importance and it was impossible for the people to follow suit based on just his few words.

Therefore, in addition to the imperial farms in the inner palace, he also planned to use the emperor's acres of land for the spring ploughing ceremony to set a demonstration effect.

Although it may not be widely known among the common people, which of these high-ranking officials in the imperial court is not a local gentry or landlord in his hometown?
Let them see the results, and they will naturally follow suit, and the effect will be twice as good with half the effort.

After all, this is not the time to advertise.

It is worth mentioning that during the daily report on the caustic soda business, the manager of the farm happened to come and he mentioned it in passing.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Cheng volunteered after hearing this.

He had previously managed an imperial farm and was very familiar with farm affairs. Zhang Yun逸 then handed over the construction of the greenhouse and related matters to him.

……

"You couldn't be tricking me, right?"

Wang Xifeng was a decisive and thoughtful person. Even after hearing only half of what Ping'er had said, she was still worried and did not bother to avoid suspicion. She immediately found him again and asked him about the matter.

However, the two had never had an in-depth exchange, let alone knowing each other well. Zhang Yunyi was worried that she would eat alone, so he could only say perfunctorily: "Second sister-in-law Lian, you are joking. What good will it do me to deceive you?"

Wang Xifeng glanced at Ping'er beside her and said nothing, but her meaning was obvious.

Zhang Yunyi had no choice but to continue: "If this business is done well, money will be secondary. Your Wang family will also benefit from it. When the time comes, Second Sister-in-law Lian will remember my kindness..."

As he spoke, he stared at Wang Xifeng's collar.

He had no intention of explaining and wanted to allay her concerns, so the only way was to make her feel that he was the one who coveted her.

Wang Xifeng saw that he looked greedy and hungry, and the smug look on her face flashed away. She deliberately said with a sullen face: "Who doesn't know how to brag? I'm not like those little girls who can be fooled by you in just a few words and even reveal their true colors in a daze..."

As he spoke, he glanced at Ping'er intentionally or unintentionally.

Seeing that she was a little stubborn, Zhang Yunyi retreated and said, "Sister-in-law, if you don't trust me, then I will only be responsible for transportation from now on, how about that?"

"Who said I can't trust you?"

Wang Xifeng raised her eyebrows and said tentatively, "It's just that you didn't explain it clearly, but you made it sound so serious. Don't make so much noise but end up with nothing. In the end, your business is not as big as my aunt's caustic soda business!"

Zhang Yunyi patted his chest and said, "I dare not say anything else, but compared to this business, the caustic soda business is nothing. Second sister-in-law should be relieved now, right?"

He thought for a moment and said, "However, these guano need to be processed after they are delivered. They must be delivered one month before the spring ploughing ceremony. If they are late, you can't blame me."

"You are the one who said it now, and you didn't tell anyone the truth, so you can't blame me for being suspicious. Besides, although this business has been settled, from what you said, it may not be profitable for a while, so I have to be on guard against you."

Hearing that he was on guard, Zhang Yunyi grinned and said, "Sister-in-law, if you have anything to say, just say it!"

"It's not that I don't trust you, but I have to get the money back so that I can give an explanation to the old lady and the wife, right?"

Seeing that she was determined not to release the eagle until she saw the rabbit, Zhang Yunyi stopped talking.

Ever since he tasted the sweetness from Qin Keqing, he realized the benefits of having a maid to help him.

But Ping'er is still Jia Lian's concubine...

Wang Xifeng seemed to see through his concerns, and a hint of joy flashed across her face.

She laughed tenderly and said, "Oh! How can I not protect her? Even if he has the guts, he wouldn't dare to show his hair to me!"

……

(End of this chapter)