Chapter 54 – Receiving Unanimous Praise

After some observation, everyone’s faces coincidentally had joy on them, even Chu Lan, who had always had a cold attitude, was no exception.

Governor Qian praised excitedly, ”Lord Wei has really raised a good daughter! He has actually grown crops on this barren land! In this way, the arable land of my Xingshan County will be greatly increased! This is really a great solution to the people of Xing Shan County’s urgent needs!”

Lu Yuhong, who followed Chu Lan along, was even more direct in his praise: “This is too powerful, isn’t it? There aren’t even a few weeds next to it, so it’s actually possible to grow crops here! And I see that the seedlings are growing better than those in other parts of Xing Shan County!”

Wei Mingting listened to the praise of the crowd, looking at the daughter in front of the well-dressed, the heart rejoiced and proud: “I’m ashamed to say that the daughter has these skills are all her own efforts to get, I as a father did not do what the responsibility, but also did not properly teach her what.”

Complimenting his daughter is the truth, Wei Mingting will not be modest, but saying that he has taught her well, he is truly ashamed of it.

Qian Zhixian said, “Lord Wei, don’t be modest, you are busy also for the safety of the people of Xingshan County, your daughter is now also for the people of Xingshan County to risk the danger of going out of their way to come to the south of the city to carry out the opening of the land, you two father and daughter this love of the people is the same.”

At this time, Chu Lan opened his mouth and asked Wei Ruo, “I have a question I want to ask Ms. Wei.”

“Your Excellency, please speak.” Wei Ruo didn’t dodge.

“I see that this field is still growing seedlings, but ordinary rice should be close to spiking at this time, you are still in the state of seedlings, isn’t it a little too late?” Chu Lan asked.

Just now, everyone was immersed in the joy of successfully planting seedlings in the improved wasteland, forgetting this key point for a moment, as soon as Chu Lan opened his mouth, Wei Mingting and Qian Zhixian both looked at Wei Ruo, their eyes equally filled with doubts about this issue.

Wei Ruo answered, “Please rest assured, Your Excellency, the seeds I sowed in this rice field are new rice seeds brought over from the Huzhou Prefecture side, which are slightly different from the ordinary rice seeds, sown in June and July of the lunar calendar, with a growing period of about one hundred and sixty days or so, and ripening and harvesting only in eleven months.”

At those words the three people in front of Wei Ruo once again revealed a look of surprise.

Regardless of whether it was the Qian Zhixian, who was a human parent official, or Chu Lan, who was in the royal family, or Wei Mingting, who was a military official, they all clearly knew that being able to cultivate rice at different times was tantamount to artificially expanding the area of arable land when the area of arable land was limited.

But right now they hadn’t been able to see the ripe rice, and they didn’t dare to easily believe what Wei Ruo said.

Chu Lan said, “When the rice that Miss Wei has planted here on a trial basis matures, and it is determined that Miss Wei will be able to help increase the arable area of Xingshan County and increase grain production, I will report this matter to the court.”

Hearing this, Qian Zhixian was in a somewhat agitated mood, because if it was reported, most of the credit belonged to the Wei family, but there was no shortage of his share as a Zhixian.

Wei Mingting’s reaction was a bit more muted, without much joy, but it was also evident that he was looking forward to this.

Wei Ruo wasn’t very happy, if someone else had told her these things today, she would still be in a better mood, but Chu Lan, she really didn’t want to have anything to do with him.

Governor Qian then asked Chu Lan for instructions, “Your Excellency, do you think that this barren land in the south of the city can be handed over to the government office and the school captain’s office for large-scale development?”

Chu Lan had orders that he only wanted them people to know about this trip, even the family members were not allowed to say anything, so Qian Zhixian immediately changed his name.

The trial planting of Miss Wei’s family has been successful, and Governor Qian is going to find a way to expand the scale, whether out of consideration for his personal performance or for the survival of the people.

Chu Lan replied, “Xing Shan County is the place under the jurisdiction of Qian Zhi Xian, how the wasteland is to be developed Qian Zhi Xian can make his own decision without asking me for instructions.”

Qian Zhixian: “Under …… this official knows.”

Then Governor Qian asked father and daughter Wei Mingting and Wei Ruo: “Are Lord Wei and Miss Wei willing to contract all the barren land south of this city?”

Wei Mingting didn’t answer immediately, but instead looked at Wei Ruo.

The matter of reclaiming the wasteland in the south of the city was proposed by the daughter, and it was the daughter who spent the time and effort, and if the area of reclaiming the wasteland is expanded afterwards, the hard work is bound to be done by the daughter, so the decision should be given to the daughter.

Wei Ruo replied, ”Father, my daughter feels that the wasteland in the south of the city is very large, so if all of it is left to my school captain’s office to cultivate, it will inevitably be a bit overwhelming, so why don’t we hand it over to the people to cultivate. There are many people in the city who have lost their livelihoods, especially the fishermen who are unable to go out to sea to fish due to the Japanese turmoil, so if we distribute some of the wasteland to them, and then teach them improved cultivation methods, they will definitely do their best to do so.”

Wei Mingting was deeply touched, so he turned his head and asked Governor Qian, “Lord Qian, what my daughter said is true, such a large amount of wasteland can’t be reclaimed with the power of the county office and the school’s captain’s office alone. Why don’t we give it to the people so that they can have land to plow and grain to harvest!”

Qian Zhixian was worried: “It’s not that I’m not willing to share it with the people, but nowadays Japanese invaders are on the rampage, and the south of the city is not a safe place, although Wangyue Mountain isolates the south and east sides of Xingshan County, there’s no guarantee that there won’t be Japanese who will come over the mountain …… If we let too many people freely enter and exit the south of the city, I’m afraid it will bring many Hidden dangers ……”

This is indeed a problem, which is also the reason why Wei Ruo had his nurse apply to the government to reclaim the wasteland south of the city and was rejected in the first place.

“It’s not that difficult.” Chu Lan suddenly spoke out.

Everyone looked at Chu Lan, and Wei Ruo also looked at him.

Chu Lan’s eyes were deep: “Recently, the imperial court will send additional troops to Xing Shan County, and by then, when they set up defenses at Wang Yue Mountain and the important chokepoints south of the city, they will be able to guarantee that the south of the city is free of superiority, so that the people can feel assured that they will be able to cultivate their land here.”

After hearing Chu Lan’s words, Governor Qian and Wei Mingting looked different.

The court is willing to send more soldiers over is naturally a good thing, but I just don’t know if the Wei family who fought against the Japanese unfavorably and the Qian magistrate who failed to bring the people of Xingshan County to eat well will be reprimanded.

Immediately after that, Chu Lan looked at Wei Ruo, “Miss Wei wants the people to come and reclaim the wasteland here, so are you willing to give them the method of improving the wasteland?”

“Of course.” Wei Ruo gave an affirmative answer without hesitation.

Isn’t this nonsense, to divide the wasteland among the people and let them come to the south of the city without teaching them the improvement methods, do you want them to come to the south of the city to dawdle and look at the scenery?

Chu Lan revealed a satisfied look, “The manpower and material resources needed after expanding the scale will inevitably increase, in order to help Miss Wei better reclaim the wasteland, I will send some people for Miss Wei to dispatch, Miss Wei can let go of her hands and feet to do it.”

“Thank you for your kindness, it’s just that I’m different from your male and female, so I should avoid suspicion.” Wei Ruo busily said.