Republic of China: Guandong Ginseng King

Chapter 378: Insufficient Manpower
The Qu family has many businesses. In addition to the land here, there is also a ginseng garden on the other side of Xigang.

After the beginning of spring, there is a lot of work to do in the ginseng garden, including hammering column bases, building sheds, plowing the pond surface, etc.

Qu Shaoyang was busy with the gold mine and rafting work, and couldn't take care of the ginseng garden.

So Meng Lanxin took her people to Xigang and watched the guys work.

There are also a few ginseng gardens scattered around the Sandaomialing Village, but they are not too large.

Meng Lanxin has come into contact with it and understands it a little bit.

She went over to watch, and then hired a few old ginseng farmers from Xigang to do the work. The guys at home followed them and learned how to do it.

"Lan Xin hasn't come back yet? Has anyone from Xigang sent any letters back?"

Qu Shaoyang had been away from home for half a month, and had not had the chance to wash his hair or take a bath. He looked disheveled and dirty.

So the first thing he did when he got home was to take a shower and wash his hair. After he cleaned himself up and changed into clean clothes, Chen Xiuyun braided his hair.

While cleaning, the couple chatted and talked about recent things at home.

"No, the guy came back a couple of days ago with a letter saying that they had just finished plowing the pond.

Lan Xin meant that she would stay there for a few more days, wait for the sprouts of the buds, and see how the seedlings are doing this year.

It’s best to watch her till she finishes the first weeding and then comes back.”

Chen Xiuyun was not very familiar with the work in the ginseng garden. Anyway, Meng Lanxin said so in the letter she sent back, so she repeated it to Qu Shaoyang.

However, Qu Shaoyang had talked a lot with people in the large ginseng gardens around Shuangdianzi last year and knew more about ginseng cultivation.

It is more important to pull out the weeds in the ginseng field, because the soil needs to be loosened at the same time.

Ginseng has very high requirements for its growing environment. Sunlight, humidity, nutrients, and soil looseness are all very important.

It is cold in Northeast China, and artificially cultivated ginseng is not as hardy and durable as wild ginseng.

Generally in late autumn, ginseng farmers will cover the surface of the pond with a layer of cold-proof soil, which can reduce the chance of ginseng getting frostbite.

Wait until spring, when the ice and snow melt and before the sedge sprouts, you need to use a rake to plow the anti-freeze soil.

After a winter and a spring, a hard crust will form on the soil.

When pulling out the first layer of weeds, you should crush the soil shell with your hands. Otherwise, ginseng is prone to soil pinch disease.

There aren't so many pesticides these days, so whether you're farming or growing ginseng, it all depends on diligence. If you find something wrong, deal with it immediately.

Although the ginseng garden has hired several local ginseng farmers, they are not family members after all, and their efforts cannot be as diligent as those of their own family members.

That's why Meng Lanxin sent someone to send a message back to inform her family that she would be back for a while, after she finished pulling out the first round of weeds.

"Fortunately, Lan Xin knows a little bit, otherwise, there would be no caring person to look after the ginseng garden.

During the Chinese New Year, my father asked me to bring my older brothers over.

I'm still thinking about it. If it doesn't work, let them come over and manage the garden for us.

The main reason is that our business is growing bigger and bigger, and we don’t have enough capable people.”

Qu Shaoyang had wanted to discuss it with Chen Xiuyun for a long time, but he was so busy after the New Year that he never had the chance to bring it up.

Neither of them had anything to do at the moment, and the conversation just happened to come to this point, so Qu Shaoyang mentioned his brothers from his hometown.

"I said something unpleasant, don't be angry."

Chen Xiuyun took the comb and carefully combed Qu Shaoyang's hair from head to toe.

These days, lice, fleas and the like are everywhere.

Chen Xiuyun took great pains to prepare a potion and had everyone in the family use it, and this was how the house was able to keep lice away.

Qu Shaoyang had been away from home for more than half a month, living in a row of beds with the gang members. Who could guarantee that he hadn't caught lice? He had taken a shower, changed into clean clothes, and combed his hair to make sure there were no lice.

“Although I have never met my eldest and second brothers, I know a little bit about them from my third brother and my parents.

Those three brothers don't sound like they are easy to worry about. Do you dare to say that once they come, they can quietly help us look after the ginseng garden?

Are they really more considerate than people like Xingjia Xingye?
If they are really obedient and behave themselves, that's fine. But if they come here and don't live an honest life, and use your name to cheat people all day long, then you can expect trouble."

Chen Xiuyun said as she combed Qu Shaoyang's hair.

Deep down, Chen Xiuyun didn't really want the three brothers from the Qu family to come.

Last year, only the Qu Laokou couple came, and they made a lot of noise for a while. If the three brothers Qu Hai and Qu He came, wouldn’t the Qu family be in chaos?
We all want to live a peaceful and smooth life. If the home is full of chaos all the time, how can we live?
Another thing is that the wives of Qu Hai and Qu He are not easy to deal with either.

If all of them came, there would be five sisters-in-law together, plus the mother-in-law.

People say that three women make a drama, so the Qu family must be a lot of drama? How can there be peace every day?

Whenever Chen Xiuyun thought of that situation, she felt a pain in her head.

"Oh, what should I do? I have already promised my father that I would pick someone up after a while." Qu Shaoyang sighed.

Mainly because it was New Year’s Eve, Qu Laokouer’s tone and expression were full of pleading, and Qu Shaoyang felt soft-hearted and couldn’t bear to refuse.

He agreed at that time, and it’s not good to go back on his word now.

"If you listen to me, just keep quiet for now.

Just put it off for now. When those three brothers come to you for help in the future, you can naturally keep them.

They are living well in their hometown, why do you have to bring them here? It's not a good deal to ask for help, it's as if you are begging them."

Among the Qu family’s servants, there are also people from Weihai and Wendeng, not far from Qujiazhuang.

Last winter, Chen Xiuyun asked someone to send a lot of things back to her hometown.

At the beginning of spring, the guys came back and said that Qu Hai, Qu He and others were living well in their hometown.

The three brothers squeezed Qu Jiang out, and stole all the money and valuables from Qu Laokouer and his wife. They bought a big boat in partnership with others and went out to sea to fish far away.

Didn’t Qu Shaoyang leave behind a horse-drawn carriage when he returned to his hometown that year?

The three brothers drove a horse-drawn carriage and sold their catches farther inland, where the prices were higher and they earned more money.

So, Qu Hai and his family are living a pretty good life in their hometown.

Under such circumstances, I guess they may not be willing to come to the Northeast.

Upon hearing this, Qu Shaoyang could only sigh and did not respond.

He was really at his wit's end, with so many businesses and no caring person to help manage them.

Qu Jiang is the only reliable one among the brothers. Chen Xiuyun's two brothers from her mother's side now have decent jobs, but Meng Lanxin doesn't even have any relatives.

Nowadays, even his father and master, who are as old as him, are helping him keep an eye on the gold field.

"Alas, our children Gensuo and Genyou are still young. It would be great if they could grow up quickly and help me."

Only when your family business grows big can you realize the pain of not having a capable helper around you.

"How old are the two children? You're already thinking about asking them to help you? You're just imagining nonsense all day long."

Chen Xiuyun was amused by Qu Shaoyang and quickly braided his hair.

Qu Shaoyang turned around, hugged Chen Xiuyun, and the two of them stayed close together.

"Wife, please give me two more sons. I understand now that no one is as dear as the one you give birth to."

(End of this chapter)