They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 323 Cotton Seeds
Xu Zhichun temporarily put aside the matters concerning the Qi family and focused on preparing for spring plowing.

During this time, she also took Granny Qin Qing and Chunfen to the farm in Hekou Town, Qingyang County, to discuss the seeds with Steward Mao.

Manager Mao has already prepared the rice seeds for more than 600 mu of paddy fields. Xu Zhichun actually really wants to use the superior rice seeds in the warehouse space. More than 600 mu! What a magnificent sight it would be to have a bumper harvest!
But after much deliberation, I decided against it.

tell you later.

This is absolutely shocking.

The plan is to plant 340 mu of cotton, 20 mu of chili peppers, and 40 mu of tomatoes on the 400 mu of land.

She provided all the chili and tomato seeds.

Previously, Manager Mao had expressed his difficulty in obtaining cotton seeds, so Xu Zhichun told him not to worry about it anymore and that she would find a solution herself.

She didn't give a definitive answer, implying something like, "If we have them, great; if not, we can plant something else." But she was absolutely certain she could get the seeds; there were plenty of excellent cotton seeds in the warehouse.

Manager Mao said that it's good that these seeds are hard to come by, which means that very few people are growing them and there's a lack of reference points for comparison. Even if her cotton grows very well, no one will be surprised.

Xu Zhichun came to the village this time to deliver cotton seeds, green pepper seeds, and tomato seeds.

When Steward Mao heard that she had obtained enough cotton seeds, he was dumbfounded. "Madam, did you really buy cotton seeds? Each acre requires at least four catties. Madam wants to plant 340 acres. This is quite a lot."

Xu Zhichun smiled and had several sacks of cotton seeds brought in. "They're all here. Manager Mao, please keep them carefully. Don't use all the composted manure in the paddy fields. Leave five or six thousand catties for the cotton fields as base fertilizer. I'll tell you later how to apply base fertilizer, how to sow the seeds, and how to take care of them after sowing. There's no rush now. First, make ridges in the fields, and then plant when the weather gets warmer."

The biggest headache is the lack of fertilizer. Even if you have money, there's nowhere to buy it. After all, there are very few people raising large livestock these days. Ordinary families raise at most one or two pigs and a flock of chickens. The manure they produce isn't even enough for their own fields. Who would be willing to sell it?

Fortunately, the farm had forty cows, and later Xu Zhichun had a pigsty built that he designed and drew himself, where they raised thirty pigs. A small chicken farm was also built in the orchard, where they raised more than two hundred chickens. Manager Mao and the others also knew the importance of composting and kept an eye on it every day. With these livestock and poultry, the farm specially dug several large pits and composted a lot of manure.

When you mix it with wood ash, you can increase the yield even more.

Even so, it's still not enough.

Xu Zhichun decided to set aside some land to raise pigs and chickens after the spring planting season, and also buy about ten more cattle if he saw any good ones.

Although there is organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer in the space, it cannot be used in large quantities. If she takes it out to apply as base fertilizer by herself, it will be exhausting for her grandfather.

She came here this time to discuss these matters with Steward Mao again.

Manager Mao seemed stunned by the sight of so many cotton seeds, and it took him a while for his expression to come to life. "Madam, are you sure these... these really are cotton seeds? Could it be... that we've been scammed? You know, cotton seeds are extremely hard to buy. Nobody grows them in our entire Qingyang County or the two neighboring counties, and there aren't any large-scale growers in the provincial capital either. Even if some merchants say they're willing to buy them for you, we don't know if it's true or not. If they're fake seeds, the losses from planting so many fields will be enormous!"

Xu Zhichun felt something was off. If she wasn't absolutely certain that the seed was correct, she would have started to wonder if she had been tricked after hearing what Manager Mao said.

"Of course it's real. I recognize cotton seeds; I've seen them all. These seeds are exceptionally good, plump and shiny. I guarantee they'll sprout very well if sown." "Ah, that's good, that's good!"

Manager Mao quickly ordered someone to carefully store the seeds in a sturdy wooden cabinet with a tightly sealed lid, otherwise it would be troublesome if they were eaten by rats.

When Xu Zhichun was about to retire for the night, she instructed Qin Qing, the old woman, "I don't know if it's because of Madam Fan's matter that I'm being too paranoid, but I feel that Steward Mao's reaction when I mentioned cotton seeds today seemed a little off."

I had only a slight doubt at first, but it kept fermenting and growing until I couldn't bear not to say it.

Qin Qing, the old servant, hesitated, "This old servant also feels that Steward Mao's reaction seems a bit off. Even if he's so happy he's gone mad, he shouldn't be like that. Should this old servant keep an eye on him for the next couple of days?"

Xu Zhichun hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Thank you for your hard work, Granny. Please hide it well and don't let him find out, otherwise it will seem like we are being dishonest."

After all, there's no evidence.

However, Xu Zhichun does not live on the estate for many years, so this place is practically Manager Mao's domain. If Manager Mao really has ulterior motives, it will be a troublesome matter for her.

She didn't intend to ask the tenants and farmhands how Manager Mao was doing. Local officials were more powerful than county officials, so no one would easily say anything.

Unless she hires someone to pretend to pass by and ask around after she leaves, that would be one thing.

But seeing that everything was fine at the estate and the servants were all well, she didn't need to cause any more trouble.

Granny Qin Qing noted this down, saying, "Don't worry, Madam."

The next morning, Granny Qin Qing began to keep a close eye on Steward Mao. Seeing that Steward Mao was about to ride into the city in a mule cart, Granny Qin Qing hurriedly followed and said with a smile, "Steward Mao, are you going into the city? What a coincidence! Madam asked me to buy some needles and thread, so it's on my way."

Manager Mao politely smiled and invited her into the car.

Once inside the city, Granny Qin Qing asked Steward Mao to drop her off at a street corner. The street was crowded, and the mule cart moved very slowly. She followed from a distance without being noticed.

When Qin Qing's nanny saw that Steward Mao had not returned to his own home, but instead went to a shop that mainly sold seeds and also some other miscellaneous goods, her heart sank. She had a feeling that Steward Mao was definitely up to something.

But she couldn't go inside and could only watch anxiously from outside.

Granny Qin estimated the time; about half an hour later, Steward Mao came out from inside. He walked very quickly and didn't look too good.

As soon as Steward Mao left and turned the corner, Granny Qin Qing went into the shop, looking around and asking about the prices of peanuts, soybeans, mung beans, sesame seeds, and other items.

The shop owner's face darkened after only a few words: "Are you going to buy or not? If not, why are you asking so many questions?"

Granny Qin Qing was displeased. "What kind of business attitude is this, my master? Although I am not as well-dressed as that gentleman who just went out and looked like a big customer, does that mean my small transaction is not doing you a favor?"