Courtyard House: My Hidden Wheat Seeds Caused a National Sensation

The commune leader standing to the side had already turned ashen-faced. He stepped forward and said in a somber voice, "Comrade H, this is my serious oversight. I actually allowed such a person of questionable character to infiltrate the ranks."

Please rest assured, his position is now effectively terminated.

Qin Yaoshan's vision went black, and his ears began to ring.

Although the position of deputy brigade leader is not high, it is a very lucrative post in the village.

During the autumn harvest, some grain slipped through our fingers; during the New Year, villagers would send us dried goods from the mountains and fields; not to mention the leisurely life without having to work in the fields... all of this vanished in the blink of an eye, like a dream.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Under such a calm yet weighty gaze, any attempt to defend oneself seems pale and laughable.

Hello, fellow villagers.

Mr. H stopped looking at him and turned to face the people in the room. His smile was much more amiable. "I came here this time because I heard that wheat with a yield of 600 jin per mu has grown in our brigade's experimental field."

I was so happy that I came to see it for myself.

"How about we go check on the wheat first?"

"Okay! Okay! I'll go right away, I'll go right away!"

The brigade leader and the Party branch secretary nodded repeatedly and hurriedly led the way.

The group headed towards the experimental field, leaving the previous tense atmosphere behind.

Qin Yaoshan was left all alone, watching those departing figures. A surge of anger mixed with shame, indignation, and helplessness welled up in his chest, but he could only clench his fists tightly and grit his teeth.

The wheat on the two-tenths-acre plot was quickly harvested and threshed.

The scale rod is raised, the weight slides, and finally comes to a steady stop on a number.

"One hundred and sixty-six jin!"

The brigade leader stared at the scale, his voice cracking with excitement, "One hundred and sixty-six catties for two fen of land! That's equivalent to eight hundred and thirty catties for one mu! And then add in the 13% loss due to drying..."

He counted on his fingers, his words slightly slurred with excitement, "The final yield per mu... is approximately... 722 jin!"

"It's done! It really worked!"

A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the crowd.

Although some members of the Qin family still looked at Li Jianye with suspicion, most villagers beamed with genuine joy and gratitude.

Everyone knows what these heavy grains of wheat mean—it means that the tight belt can be loosened a little, that the porridge in the pot can be thicker, and that there is the confidence to survive and hope to live a better life.

"Seven hundred and twenty-two jin?!"

The ever-composed Mr. H, and the man beside him known as "Old Deng".

The elders exchanged a glance, and both of them showed undisguised shock on their faces.

They thought 600 jin was already a pleasant surprise, but they didn't expect the actual number to increase by more than 100 jin.

Compared to the current national average yield of only a little over 100 jin per mu, this figure is not simply a doubling, but more like a sharp ray of light cutting through the heavy twilight.

"Great! That's wonderful!"

Mr. H clapped his hands and laughed, his eyes filled with satisfaction. He looked at Li Jianye, who had been standing silently by the field, his eyes full of undisguised praise. "Comrade Li Jianye, you have made great contributions to the country and the people."

Li Jianye took a deep breath, the scent of soil and ripe wheat filling his chest.

He straightened his back, met the approving gaze, and said in a clear and calm voice, "I just did what I was supposed to do."

A faint blush rose on Li Jianye's cheeks, and he nodded, pursing his lips.

"There are some things I'd like to tell you, but I don't know if it's a convenient time?"

"Naturally convenient."

He quickly responded and followed the elder, who was called Mr. H, to an old locust tree in the corner of the courtyard.

The shadows of the trees swayed gently, and all around was quiet.

Mr. H turned to the side and introduced him to another thin old man who had been standing under the tree.

"This is Mr. Deng, who is in charge of many important matters."

If I am ever busy in the future, you may consult with him.

"Mr. Deng."

Li Jianye immediately bowed and greeted him, but his mind was as clear as a mirror—how could he not know the weight of this person?

Old Deng smiled and nodded, his gaze gentle yet scrutinizing.

"Comrade Jianye, I have a question."

How did you manage to make your wheat grow so exceptionally well?

"I've always loved to look around and think wildly since I was a child."

Li Jianye spoke in a plain tone, deliberately avoiding any words or phrases from books—at this moment, he was just a farmer who knew a few words but had never been to school.

"After seeing a lot, I've noticed that children born to parents with good looks are often handsome; even if the father is of average appearance, if he marries a beautiful wife, his children are often good-looking too."

I wondered, if people are like this, can crops in the field be treated in the same way? Later, when I went to the city, I made a special inquiry and learned that for crops to produce seeds, the pollen of the male flower must fall onto the stamen of the female flower.

Isn't this just like a marriage between a man and a woman? If you choose a healthy pollen and a strong stamen, will it produce even better seeds? And so, I started experimenting.

At this point, he smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"Perhaps it was luck, but I actually managed to figure it out."

These words made Mr. H and Mr. Deng laugh at the same time, and their laughter echoed in the quiet courtyard.

"The words are simple, but the truth is profound."

Old Deng stroked his sparse beard and then asked, "What do you think of the method of deep plowing and dense planting? Experts from the north say that burying the most fertile soil layer deep allows the roots of crops to grow thicker and stronger."

They strongly advocated for tilling the soil as deep and planting it as densely as possible.

"This idea...sounds really absurd."

Li Jianye almost couldn't help but laugh.

He certainly knew where the suggestion came from, and he was even more aware of the role of that foreign expert.

"In my humble opinion, the proper way to farm should be as follows: First, choose good seeds."

Different soils and different crops require vastly different seeds.

Secondly, it requires meticulous cultivation.

Deep cultivation is beneficial, but excessive depth can damage the soil; dense planting is even more undesirable, as there must always be room for ventilation and light between plants.

Thirdly, fertilizer should be applied skillfully and water should be used accurately.

Fourth, take good care of the animals and prevent diseases and pests.

Only when all these things are done can things be considered safe.

"Good! Well said!"

A light suddenly shone in Mr. H's eyes as he stared intently at the young farmer before him.

These words struck a chord with him.

Thinking of the heavy ears of wheat, a thought quickly became clear in his mind—this was the person he was looking for, someone who could perhaps make the land produce more grain and give the people a few more grains of rice in their bowls.

Moreover, at this time of year, many things are quite delicate.

Li Jianye came from a clean background and learned everything on his own, without ever having received any formal education.

This may seem like a shortcoming to people today, but at this time, it became the most reliable foundation.

It would be most suitable for him to take charge of the selection and breeding of superior seeds.

Perhaps this young man can bring some unexpected surprises.

Mr. H relaxed his brows, his smile carrying an undeniable sincerity.

"Jianye, come back to Beijing with me."

I think you should use your skills in more important areas.

After you go back, go to the Academy of Agricultural Sciences; they need people like you even more there.

Mr. H placed a small bag of wheat grains in his palm and examined it against the light.

The grains were plump and golden, and when he looked up, there was a heavy weight in his eyes.

"Just for this,"

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear: "He's qualified to be a first-level researcher."

He paused for a moment, then gave a number: "Monthly salary of three hundred and forty-five yuan."

Li Jianye remained silent for a moment, only hearing a soft sound in his own throat.

Good guy.

He understood the weight of the title of Level 1 Researcher; it was a position on par with top engineers and academic giants.

What's even more shocking is the amount of money.

These days, an ordinary worker who works diligently for a month earns only around thirty yuan; but the renowned "God of War" in the alley...

He Yuzhu's monthly income of 37.5 yuan is already the envy of many.

And he, rose to the top in one step, with 345 pieces.

"I'll do it."

Li Jianye answered without the slightest hesitation.

"but,"

He then added, in a calm yet firm tone, "I have one additional condition."

"speak."

"I want to think about something else besides breeding—making some tools that will make it easier for farmers to work in the fields."

Mr. H nodded slightly.

"Can."

He then changed the subject, saying, "But before the new project yields results, the treatment must be in accordance with the rules."

I'll assign you to be a level 13 technician, with a monthly salary of 55 yuan.

The two items together total four hundred.

"Wait until you actually make something,"

He looked at Li Jianye with expectation and scrutiny in his eyes, "Level 8 agricultural machinery engineer, or even higher, is not out of the question."

A farmer without a diploma can start as a level 13 technician, with the same treatment as a university graduate; add the title of a level 1 researcher, and he's comparable to an expert who has returned from overseas.

Earning 400 a month, personally recruited by someone like Mr. H—it sounds like a fantasy at first glance.

But this is indeed a story that might have happened in that era.

Of course, the prerequisite is that you have to hand over a bag of golden wheat seeds first.

Mr. H's high regard is both an opportunity and a sword of Damocles hanging over his head.

If Li Jianye remains mediocre afterward, his meteoric rise will quickly come to an end.

"become."

Li Jianye smiled and readily agreed.

Over the past few months, he has not only been tending to those few rows of wheat fields.

He also secretly collected and improved corn and sorghum seeds, quietly unlocking two brand-new achievements in the system.

The reward was two gifts: one was the blueprints for a small, ingeniously designed integrated tiller, and the other was a detailed explanation of how to make a down jacket.

The tillers need to be put into operation right now.

As for down jackets, they can be postponed for now.

High salaries and high positions are readily available, but along with them, one is likely to face sidelong glances from the knowledge community and cold stares from technical peers.

Does Li Jianye care? He is completely at peace with himself.

His prior knowledge of agronomy, accumulated in a previous life, is sufficient to qualify him as a "researcher".

The backbone of the system; the blueprint given to him by the system gave him the confidence to turn the paper locomotive into a real tool in the field.

"Then it's settled."

Mr. H made the final decision: "Go and pack your things, and we'll set off today."

***

Li Jianye turned back to the simple farmhouse, his movements swift and efficient.

A few changes of clothes packed into a small bundle constituted all my luggage.

"That's all?"

Seeing the light bundle on his shoulder, H was slightly surprised. "You didn't even bring your bedding?"

"I'm not bringing it."

Li Jianye shook his head, his smile revealing a simple consideration, "Take them all with you. What if I come back one day and there's nowhere left to lie down?"

Things in the city can be purchased upon arrival.

However… I need to ask you for some advance payment for vouchers and certificates.

"No need for advance payment."

As he spoke, Mr. H took out a stack of tickets from his briefcase, along with ten thick, dark ten-dollar bills, and handed them over. "This is a reward for your donation of seeds. You deserve it."

"Thank you, sir!"

Li Jianye took it with both hands, glanced at it briefly, and was secretly shocked.

The variety of coupons far exceeded expectations: grain coupons, meat coupons, cloth coupons, oil coupons... and even a rare bicycle coupon.

"It's the end of the month, this should be enough for you to get by."

H's voice pulled him back to reality, "Once we're settled in the city..."

After thanking the leader, Li Jianye's smile became more genuine.

Next month, he will be among the "quota" residents of Beijing.

He's a person now.

Ever since the household registration system that separated urban and rural areas was established in 1958, rural children have wanted to erase the word "rural" from their identity records.

Writing characters is harder than climbing to heaven.

Going to the city to work, get married, or study might at most earn you a temporary residence permit, but that thin piece of paper can't buy you real city residency.

Especially for rural girls who marry into the city, not only is it difficult for them to obtain urban residency, but their children are also unlikely to get urban residency.

To change one's agricultural household registration to an urban household registration...

To get the rationed food in the city, you have to wait for that rare "agricultural to non-agricultural" conversion.

The indicators are unacceptable.

Even a large factory like Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill only has two slots a year.

Li Jianye has gotten a huge windfall this time.

"Let's go."

Seeing that the matter with the production team was settled, Mr. H called Li Jianye to get in the car.

They drove towards Beijing, chatting happily.