vstars Chapter 972 Bai Lu and Gu Liang Introduce a Potato-Growing Course to the Jurchens
Chapter 972 Bai Lu and Gu Liang Introduce a Potato-Growing Course to the Jurchens
"All you need to do is bring potatoes produced on the grasslands, or cattle and sheep that are fat and strong from being fed potatoes, to the trade market to exchange them."
They finally understood Bai Lu and Gu Liang's true intentions.
This is a completely new way of living!
The Jurchens were responsible for cultivating the highest-yielding potatoes on the vast grasslands using new technologies.
The Han people, on the other hand, cultivated rice and other crops that they were more skilled at in the fertile fields of Pingzhou.
Then, they exchanged goods through the border market!
The grassland is no longer just a place for grazing; it has been transformed into potato fields.
The Jurchens were no longer just herders; they also became farmers.
They can obtain the most basic survival guarantee in the simplest way.
Higher-level needs, such as fragrant and sticky rice, exquisite silk, and delicious tea, could be obtained through the Pingzhou trade market by exchanging their surplus potatoes for these items...
This is an economic cycle with a clear division of labor and mutual benefits!
An unprecedented glint flashed in Wanyan Zongbi's eyes.
He was a smart man and immediately figured out the key point.
By doing this, the Jurchens could not only completely get rid of hunger, but also greatly improve their living standards.
All they need to do is change their ancestors' habits and pick up a hoe.
More importantly, once this cycle is formed, the Jurchen tribes will never be able to leave Pingzhou or Dawu again.
Because only here can they find rice and goods that they cannot refuse, and only here do they possess the divine seed technology that allows them to make a living.
This is no longer just trade; it's a deep integration.
"Lady White Snake..." Wanxing Zongbi's voice trembled slightly, "Do you... want all of us Jurchens to farm for you?"
Bai Lu met his gaze and smiled calmly, a smile that conveyed an air of complete control.
“No, I don’t want you to farm for me,” she said slowly.
"I want you to create a new era where you will no longer go hungry or bleed, for yourselves and for your descendants."
The scene was completely silent, save for the whistling of the wind across the grassland.
They looked at the slender Han Chinese woman before them, whose words carried the weight of mountains.
She glanced at the resolute-looking young official beside her, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Yes, there's no need to go hungry or bleed.
This is the deepest longing etched into their bones, passed down through generations.
The fighting between tribes never ceased in their struggle for a barren pasture and to snatch more prey during the harsh winter.
Now, a golden road lies before them, the only price being the change of their way of life that has lasted for thousands of years...
Wanyan Zongbi's breathing became heavy, and he clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force.
He knew that this was a crossroads, and the fate of the Jurchens would be changed by his decision at this moment.
He took another deep breath, as if trying to inhale all the air from the grassland into his chest, and then spoke with an unprecedentedly solemn tone: "Lady White Snake, Lord Gu, we believe what you say."
“This magical thing…this potato, we are willing to plant it. Please teach us.”
The other tribal leaders behind him echoed his sentiments, their voices rising and falling, filled with urgency and longing.
"Yes! Teach us!"
"We'll do anything as long as we have enough to eat!"
"Please, Lady White Snake, have mercy!"
Gu Liang and Bai Lu exchanged a glance and saw the unspoken understanding in each other's eyes.
The time has come.
Gu Liang stepped forward, raised his hand and gestured for everyone to be quiet.
“I understand your feelings. Lady Bai is kind-hearted, and I also hope to see no more famine on the grasslands. However,” he changed his tone, becoming serious, “this divine seed and divine law are the most precious treasures bestowed upon the Great Martial World by Heaven, and they must never be easily passed on to outsiders. Without rules, there can be no order. If you want to obtain them, you must pay the corresponding price.”
Wanyan Zongbi felt a chill run down his spine; he knew that the real negotiations were only just beginning.
He asked in a deep voice, "Lord Gu, please tell me, what do you want? Gold and silver? Cattle and sheep? Or furs?"
Gu Liang slowly shook his head, his gaze sharp as he looked directly into Wanyan Zongbi's eyes: "We want these too. But what we want even more is something else—your warhorses."
"Warhorses?" Wanyan Zongbi frowned.
Warhorses were the lifeblood of the Jurchen people; they were the foundation upon which they roamed the grasslands and relied for survival.
Although the Han people also had horses, they could not compare with their warhorses, which were raised on the grasslands from a young age, in terms of endurance, speed, or quantity.
This is one of the few advantages they have when facing the Great Wu army.
“That’s right, warhorses.” Gu Liang emphasized, “In the past, we traded warhorses with you at high prices and in limited quantities. From now on, this rule will be changed.”
Bai Lu took over the conversation at the right moment. Her voice was clear and gentle, yet every word struck the hearts of the Jurchens: "We have three conditions. Listen carefully."
She held up one finger: "First, we will establish an agricultural technology extension station next to the trade market. All tribes that want to learn potato cultivation techniques must send their brightest young people here to receive standardized training."
“We will teach you everything from seed selection, germination, cutting, and sowing, to field management and pest and disease control, without reservation.”
The condition sounded reasonable, and Wanyan Zongbi nodded.
Bai Lu held up her second finger: "Secondly, all trained tribes can receive the first batch of superior seed potatoes from the promotion station. But this isn't free."
"You need to exchange it for cow or sheep hides; the price is negotiable."
"Furthermore, you must sign a contract stipulating that each year, after using the potatoes yourself and exchanging them for rice at the border market, you must send the best portion back to the extension station as seed potatoes for the following year."
"We do not want to see anyone hoarding divine seeds or using inferior potatoes to pass off as the real thing, thus ruining this hard-won gift."
This measure, while seemingly controlling the seed source, is actually to ensure that the superior traits of potatoes can be sustained.
After a moment's thought, Wanyan Zongbi also felt that there was nothing wrong with it; it was a long-term guarantee.
"Then, what about the third one?" he asked in a deep voice, knowing that this last one was the real key.
Bai Lu's gaze sharpened. She slowly extended her third finger and said, word by word, "The third, and most important, rule is that all tribes that acquire the technology and seed potatoes must increase the number of warhorses they send to Pingzhou each year by 20% on top of the existing trade!"
"This 20% is not a transaction, but the price you pay for acquiring this essential skill!"
"what?!"
"An increase of 20%?!"
"This...this is going to kill us Jurchens!"
Before the words were even finished, the Jurchen leaders immediately erupted in uproar.
The annual warhorse trade with Da Wu was already a painful expense for them, and now they had to give away an extra 20% for nothing—it was like cutting off their flesh!
One hot-tempered leader immediately roared, "Impossible! Warhorses are the legs of our warriors!"
"If we give you 20% more, how are we supposed to hunt? How are we supposed to protect the tribe?"
"That's right! This condition is too harsh!"
Wanyan Zongbi's expression also turned extremely ugly.
"Everyone, please calm down," Bai Lu's voice rang out again. "Let's do some calculations first."
She walked up to the small mountain of potatoes and asked, "If this acre of land yields 3,000 catties of potatoes, how many people can it feed? And how many cattle and sheep can it fatten?"
“Isn’t it better for you to use your extra cattle and sheep to exchange for our Dawu’s grain, cloth, and iron pots, and live a peaceful life, than to ride on horseback, enduring hunger and plundering everywhere?”
She looked at the leader who was the most vehemently opposed: "You say that warhorses are the legs of warriors, then let me ask you, if a warrior is so hungry that his stomach is practically sticking to his back, will he still have the strength to draw a bow while riding a horse?"
"Is his knife still sharp?"
The leader was speechless and his face turned bright red.
Bai Lu continued, "We, the Great Wu, don't want your warhorses to fight against you. Look to the north, look at those even more barbaric and unreasonable tribes."
"Only when the border defenses of Dawu are secure and Pingzhou is peaceful can your trade last and your peaceful lives continue."
"We now have a stronger cavalry, and we are protecting this land that can feed us all, for all of us."
"Can't you understand this principle?"
At this moment, Gu Liang added in a deep voice, "Lady Bai is right. An extra 20% of warhorses will ensure the food and future of the entire tribe, and will ensure that your descendants will never have to experience the fear of famine again."
"Whether this deal was a loss or a gain, I think the Fourth Prince should have his own judgment."
All eyes were on Wanyan Zongbi.
He remained silent, his mind in turmoil.
Reason told him that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance for the Jurchens to be completely transformed.
But emotionally... surrendering more warhorses would be tantamount to weakening the Jurchens' most prized military strength.
This gave him an instinctive sense of resistance.
Bai Lu and the others...
The Sinicization of the Jurchen people...
He raised his head, looking at the boundless grassland, and then looked back at his people, whose eyes were filled with expectation and struggle.
He recalled the children and elderly who froze and starved to death in the tribe last winter, and the bloody conflicts that erupted with neighboring tribes over water resources...
Bai Lu is right. What kind of warrior is a warrior who can't even fill his stomach?
What use are warhorses to a tribe that cannot even protect its own people?
Perhaps... it's time to change my way of life.
After a long while, Wanyan Zongbi let out a long breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
He turned around.
"We agree!"
He turned to Gu Liang and Bai Lu again, this time bending down even lower.
"Let's do as Lady White Snake and Lord Gu say! We're willing to set up a promotion station, we're willing to exchange our harvest for seed potatoes, and we're also willing to provide Da Wu with 20% more warhorses every year!"
He raised his head, his gaze intense, "I only ask that you keep your promise and let us Jurchens also live a life where we have enough to eat and wear!"
A smile finally appeared on Gu Liang's face.
He stepped forward and helped Wanyan Zongbi up, patting him firmly on the shoulder: "Fourth Prince, don't worry!"
"I, Gu Liang, in the name of the civil officials of the Great Martial Army, guarantee that as long as you abide by the agreement, the gates of Pingzhou will always be open to you! Our granaries will always have a share for you!"
Bai Lu nodded with a smile.
The small mountain of potatoes gleamed with golden light in the afterglow of the setting sun.
Gu Liang acted swiftly and decisively. Just three days later, a region covering dozens of acres was fenced off in the most conspicuous location on the outskirts of the Pingzhou border market.
Hundreds of craftsmen and soldiers were dispatched to the area, and with the generous support of the Pingju Chamber of Commerce, a brand-new complex of buildings rose from the ground.
The building features a simple and practical style with blue bricks and gray tiles, and a huge plaque with an inscription by Gu Liang hangs above the gate.
Pingzhou Agricultural Technology Extension Station!
The name was a bit of a mouthful for the Jurchens, but they quickly gave it a more direct name—the Divine Seed Station.
According to the agreement, Wanyan Zongbi selected seventy-two people, who came to the promotion station in a grand procession.
Their arrival caused quite a stir in Pingzhou.
These Jurchen youths were all tall and strong, with resolute faces and eyes that held the wariness and arrogance of steppe wolves.
They wore fur coats and habitually carried small knives at their waists, making them stand out from the surrounding Han people who were dressed in cloth and had a gentle demeanor.
The team responsible for reception and instruction was personally selected by Bai Lu.
The foreman, surnamed Wang, is an experienced farmer who, under the guidance of Bailu's new farming methods, has become Pingzhou's leading potato planting expert.
He also had a dozen or so men selected from the garrison troops. They not only knew how to farm, but were also accustomed to obeying orders and dealing with foreign tribes.
The first lesson was held next to Experimental Field B, which had created the miracle of a yield of 3,000 jin per mu.
Mr. Wang stood by the field, with several baskets of potatoes of various shapes in front of him.
He didn't preach any grand principles; he simply picked up a small, ugly potato with disease spots on its skin and asked the group of Jurchen youths, "Have all the potatoes you've seen before looked like this?"
The Jurchen youths looked at each other, and one of the bolder ones nodded: "Yes, they're small and don't taste good."
Master Wang smiled, tossed the small potato aside, and then solemnly took out a superior seed potato from another basket. It was about the size of a baby's head, with a smooth skin and a bright yellow color.
"So, would you like to grow something like this?"
The eyes of all the Jurchen youths lit up instantly, and their breathing became rapid involuntarily.
This is the divine object they saw on the day of the harvest!
"Yes!" This time, their answer was unanimous, filled with longing.
"Good!" Master Wang held the large potato high. "To grow good fruit, you must first have good seeds! This is the first lesson you will learn—seed selection!"
"From this day forward, forget that you are brave hunters, forget that you are proud shepherds. Here, you have only one identity: students! Students of the farmers!"