Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 67 Who's a good person wearing this? (Please read 4k words)

With 160,000 jin of grain stored in the granary, the joy of a bumper harvest is impossible to hide.

But it's not the off-season for farming yet. The second round of planting will begin on more than 2,000 mu of land in half a month, so fertilizing the fields cannot be delayed.

The dry grass and withered leaves collected from all over the place found a place to go. They were piled up in the fields in large quantities and then burned to ashes.

Burning can remove insect eggs left by pests during plant growth, and the remaining ash can also supplement the soil with potassium fertilizer.

The fire illuminated the sky above Peach Blossom Spring for half a day, and the thick smoke attracted the attention of the pavilion chief several times.

However, upon hearing that Taoyuan was in Feitian and that Zhang Xian had given them a small gift, they left.

The day after the fire, plows climbed up the ridges of Taoyuan Field again, and dozens of oxen took turns pulling more than twenty heavy plows to bury the ashes left from the fire into the ground, which also loosened the slightly compacted soil.

The fields are being plowed and ridged; Taoyuan is bustling with activity.

On the other side, another group of people are also working intensively on seed selection and breeding.

Zhang Xian's plan for the second half of the year is to expand pumpkin planting on a large scale, as the current number of pumpkin seeds is enough for 700 acres of land.

However, just to be on the safe side, he still used pumpkin seeds produced from the [Homestead Farm]. He planned to plant only one acre of pumpkin seeds harvested from outside fields to see how it went.

The pumpkin seeds produced in the [Homestead Farm] have proven that the germplasm does not degenerate, but this does not mean that pumpkin seeds from external fields are the same.

At this point, he didn't even want pumpkin seeds from outside fields to be planted arbitrarily.

What does a yield of over 4,000 jin per mu mean?
Throughout history, there has always been a red line in the cycle of dynasties: a population of 50 million.

Before the Tang and Song dynasties, any dynasty that crossed this red line would face dynastic change.

The root cause is food.

The land's output is insufficient to support so many people; more precisely, the grain produced from the land owned by the people is insufficient to support so many people.

This is why man-made disasters occur frequently, refugees rise up everywhere, and rebel armies rush to join forces.

The Han Dynasty lasted for four hundred years, and the key to this was that Wang Mang extended the life of the Han Dynasty. He was essentially the rebel leader of the Western Han Dynasty, diverting the contradictions of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Now, the Eastern Han Dynasty has also crossed this red line.

This is what caused the rapid formation of this red line.

They were those wealthy and powerful families whose landholdings stretched across vast tracts of land.

With a yield of 4,000 catties per mu, this is even more terrifying than the Champa rice that broke the population red line during the Song Dynasty. It can be said that as long as Zhang Xian can firmly grasp the pumpkin seed, he will have a place anywhere in the world!
As for whether eating only pumpkin is bad for one's health?

Pull it down!

Starve to death or eat pumpkin, it's your choice.

Furthermore, pumpkins are not only for providing nutrients. If you don't want to eat pumpkin, you can use pumpkin to replace meat. This only adds a middleman and causes some losses.

Animals grow faster when they are well-fed = people have meat to eat.

Knowing how to do formulas makes things faster.

The 700 mu of land planted with pumpkins will be under special attention, and patrols will be conducted day and night. Water and fertilizer will also be prioritized for this 700 mu.

The remaining 1,400 mu were all planted in a double-field system, with soybeans and millet rotated.

This year's sorghum reserves for brewing are sufficient. Taoyuan has produced and dried 100,000 jin of sorghum rice, and with the remaining stock from Zhending, Taoyuan currently has about 130,000 jin of sorghum in reserve.

One pound of sorghum mixed with two pounds of water and liquor makes 260,000 pounds here, enough to last Taoyuan a long time.

The purpose of planting beans is to fix nitrogen in the new fields. In addition, Taoyuan currently has a considerable number of livestock, and planting beans is mainly to supplement the livestock's feed.

Millet is grown to be used in conjunction with pumpkin as a daily staple food.

This year, the farmers in Taoyuan Village can be described as having no off-season. They spent almost the entire first half of the year in the fields, and after the summer grain harvest, they were busy with autumn and winter crops.

Late at night, in the courtyard.

While soaking his feet, Zhang Xian listened to Xiahou Lan's report on the inventory entry information.

"."

"That's all, Brother Xian. With the current food and fodder in Taoyuan, it's enough to support more than 2,000 people for the second half of the year. We also have a surplus of three million coins in materials. If we don't make large-scale purchases like we did in the first half of the year, the liquor business alone will be enough to accumulate the goal of ten million coins."

"Also, these past few days all the chickens, ducks, and pigs from the farm have been slaughtered and supplied. Brother Xian, do you think we should buy some more from outside?"

The fifteen-year-old boy had a mature look on his face, which made Zhang Xian feel a little dazed.

Human affairs are the true test of character. When Xiahou Lan first arrived, she was just a slightly clueless little foodie.

“These days have been tiring. We don’t need to buy any more chickens and ducks, the farm has enough. As for pigs, you can try to buy about ten from the farmers in the countryside. Aren’t there many villages dumping their goods into Taoyuan these days? Buy from them.” Zhang Xian sighed, “You and Yun have suffered these days.”

"I know. But Brother Xian is being sentimental again." Xiahou Lan nodded and smiled gently: "How do you know that I'm not enjoying it?"

"Haha, you're getting better and better at using idioms. You must have been learning a lot from Gongzhi lately."

“It’s rare for a scholar to come to the manor, and since Brother Xian has asked me to come along, I’ll naturally have to study hard.” Xiahou Lan also seemed a little smug.

"That's good. It's always good to learn more. Everything in this world may be fake, but the knowledge you learn will always belong to you. Study hard, but you must learn literature and martial arts. Go to the training ground more often when you have free time. I'm still keeping your position as a centurion."

"Xian-ge'er!" Xiahou Lan's face showed a hint of despair: "Even if I'm made of iron, you still have to give me some time to rest!"

I can't stand it, I really can't stand it. What kind of good person can work 24/7?

"."

"Mine, mine." Zhang Xian quickly chuckled awkwardly, "Sigh, it's all because the manor is so short of people I can trust. This has exhausted my brother Lan. It's all Shi Tou and the others' fault! It's harder to teach them to read than to kill them. Otherwise, I could have spared a few to help you."

He was indignant, pointing out the window and cursing, then he put on a smiling face and looked at Xiahou Lan: "How about we find a wife for my brother Lan? If my brother Lan gets a wife, he'll have a good helper."

"Xian-ge'er!" Xiahou Lan blushed instantly and exclaimed, "You think I'd rather find myself a rich young lady? You're already thirty, why are you thinking about your brother who's only sixteen!"

"Hey, what are you saying? Sixteen is a good age for falling in love."

"I'm not talking to you anymore, bro, I'm going to sleep!"

Before Zhang Xian could finish speaking, Xiahou Lanteng ran off in a flash.

"Ha, that brat!"

He watched with amusement as Xiahou Lan fled, shook his head, and lifted his feet, which were red from being soaked in the basin.

Just as he was about to wipe his feet, the door was pushed open again, and Xiahou Lan returned.

"What? You're smitten? Which girl have you taken a fancy to? I'll personally go and propose marriage to you!"

Xiahou Lan, who had rushed in, quickly braked and stopped.

"Brother Xian!!"

"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. What's on your mind?"

My own little brother Lan is easily teased.

Xiahou Lan breathed a sigh of relief: "I forgot to mention earlier, didn't Blacksmith He finish cutting and drilling the armor plates a few days ago? So, according to your request, I found some skilled old women to sew, and the armor you requested has been made."

"really!"

Zhang Xian didn't even have time to dry his feet before shoving them into his cloth shoes and dragging Xiahou Lan outside.

"Come on, come on! Why didn't you tell me about something this important sooner? Take me to see it!"

"Hiss, Brother Xian, don't be in such a hurry." Xiahou Lan said, trying to dissuade him after being pulled and causing him to stumble.

"Urgent! I'm in a really bad mood for your son, Xian!"

The thought of armor made Zhang Xian's heart soar.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!* Several flapping sounds rang out, and a falcon flew in from nowhere and landed on his shoulder.

"Go away, I don't have time to play with you. Go find a tree to rest under."

He dismissively swatted the falcon away.

Click-click—

The eagle took flight and cried out twice before flapping its wings and disappearing somewhere else.

Money cellar.

Stacks of copper coins were piled up like a small mountain. This was the most secluded place in Peach Blossom Spring, and ordinary people could not get close to it at all.

Xiahou Lan ran to the back of Qianshan and laboriously dragged out a box, bringing it to Zhang Xian.

"It's right here, Brother Xian!"

"But I don't understand, why do you need such heavy armor? Most people would have a hard time just carrying it, let alone wearing it."

“You don’t understand, your Xian-ge’er is born with superhuman strength! He always lets A-Yun have her way.” Zhang Xian said as he opened the box.

Simple and unpretentious!

Quite simple and unpretentious!
Without any decoration, the dark nail plates didn't even have a single polishing treatment; they were just the natural color of iron.

There was no other way; could he really expect a blacksmith's apprentice and a few old women to have any experience in armor making?

It's already quite an achievement to be able to sew the armor plates together with the animal hide.

Thanks to the water-forging hammer, after replacing the hammerhead with a hundred-refined steel needle, holes were easily drilled into these armor plates.

Each piece of nail plate has eight holes: two at the top and bottom, and two on the left and right.

Zhang Xian picked up the armor and raised his hand to see two square, smooth cowhide plates inlaid with countless armor plates, connected by eight cowhide straps.

“This is body armor,” Xiahou Lan said from the side.

"I can tell." Zhang Xian nodded and put the armor over his head.

The armor was only as wide as his body, and a leather belt hung on his shoulders.

He reached into the box again and pulled out two more pieces of armor with inward curves.

These two armor pieces are narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The narrow side has a leather strap similar to the body armor, and several leather straps also hang down from the wide side.

He glanced at him a few times, then looked at Xiahou Lan: "Brother, did you put on your armor too early?"

“I think so.” Xiahou Lan nodded and helped her son, Xian Ge’er, remove the two suits of armor.

"These two should be armpit armor," Zhang Xian muttered to himself, slinging the two inward-curving armor pieces over his shoulders.

The inward curve of the armor piece perfectly protected the armpits and waist that the body armor failed to protect.

The few leather straps hanging down at the bottom are for tightening, which is why he said he put on the body armor too early.

If you put on the body armor first, the tightly bound leather belt will be exposed, and if someone cuts it, the armor will fall apart.

Xiahou Lan put down her armor and helped Zhang Xian tighten it at the front and back. Although the old woman from Taoyuan's workmanship was a bit rough, it was very comfortable to wear.

I jumped around a couple of times wearing the armpit and waist armor, and it worked very well and was very secure.

"Isn't it heavy, Brother Xian?" Xiahou Lan couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement as she watched Zhang Xian jump so effortlessly.

"How could it be heavy? This is nothing." He raised an eyebrow at Xiahou Lan and said, "Time to put on the armor."

He lowered his head, and Xiahou Lan put the two armor plates on him. The two heavy pieces of cowhide armor made a dull thud.

"These places have buckles. Lan Di, look at where the hooks are on my armpit and waist armor and hang them up for me."

"okay."

Xiahou Lan fumbled around and fastened the edges of the two armor plates and the armpit and waist armor one after another.

Several leather straps, slightly longer than usual, dangled from the gaps.

Wearing only body armor and armpit and waist armor, Zhang Xian's carrying capacity skyrocketed to [36/99 jin].

Later, Xiahou Lan used this to take out skirt armor, shoulder armor, arm armor, wrist armor, and greaves.

After donning the armor, Zhang Xian's carrying capacity also increased dramatically, until...
In the dimly lit money vault, Zhang Xian, who was over 1.8 meters tall, made a visual impact no less than 2.5 meters tall.

The thick iron armor almost completely covered his entire body.

The helmet was also covered with iron plates, and there was an iron neck brace at the bottom that covered the neck and half of the shoulders.

The exposed part of the armor was almost entirely iron, with only a few leather straps visible under the armpits and on the sides of the waist.

The inner leather straps tightened the armor, making it appear both robust and somewhat form-fitting.

The plates, almost one on top of another, resemble the scales of a pangolin, which are aesthetically pleasing and also provide excellent shock absorption.

【79/99 jin】

Its load-bearing capacity is almost maxed out.

Weighing seventy-nine catties, this is something even the Song Dynasty infantry armor would find hard to match. Although Zhang Xian's armor design was copied from the infantry armor, perhaps due to craftsmanship issues, this set of armor is not as dashing as the infantry armor.

"Such top-notch armor would be wasted if it didn't come with a hammer. Brother Lan, remember to remind Blacksmith He to forge me a long-handled hammer the size of a peach kernel tomorrow, made of solid iron!"

Xiahou Lan's eyes twitched as she looked at Zhang Xian, who resembled a steel behemoth.

"Xian-ge'er, is this really not heavy?"

"Heavy?" Zhang Xian jumped twice, his armor plates rattling loudly.

"Where is it heavy? Look how easy it is for me, isn't it?"

Seeing the bouncing around, Xiahou Lan's eyes twitched even more violently.

Yes, yes, it's not heavy. Go tell the bricks under your feet that you're about to crush!
"Xian-ge'er, tell me seriously, did you eat a strange fruit?" Xiahou Lan asked him earnestly.

"Strange... Oh, what kind of fruit is that?!"

Zhang Xian recalled the storybook he had completely altered.

He said sternly, "Brother Lan! The Master said, 'Do not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits.' How can you be so ignorant! Those are just stories from folk tales!"

Yes, yes, I didn't believe it before, but please stop jumping around, this money pit is really hard to repair.

Xiahou Lan followed Zhang Xian, the steelworker, out of the money cellar in a daze.

When he returned to his room and drifted off to sleep, he dreamt of his son, Xian Ge, bouncing around in a suit of armor that would be difficult for an ordinary person to carry.

The next day.

When Huang Zhong saw a giant steel beast charging towards him, he almost grabbed his four-stone bow to shoot it.

Fortunately, he recognized the voice as that of his own family head.

No, is someone still asleep?

Still dreaming?

"Hansheng! Look at this armor I'm wearing! What do you think?!"

Armor? You call this thing armor?

Who has a kind soul who wears this?!

(End of this chapter)