vstars Chapter 970 Buying High-Yield Rice from the System Shop
Chapter 970 Buying High-Yield Rice from the System Shop
This time, it's no longer a simple barter system.
Under Gu Liang and Bai Lu's planning, a trading zone of considerable size was established.
On one side was the warehouse of the Anguohou Trading Company, piled high with mountains of rice, bolts of cotton cloth, neatly stacked tea bricks, and gleaming iron pots.
On the other side were huge pastures and fences prepared specifically for the Jurchens to receive the livestock they brought.
Before dawn, billowing dust appeared on the horizon.
Unlike the previous cautious approach, this time, countless Jurchen tribes poured in from all directions, almost all of them coming out in full force.
They drove herds of cattle and sheep, and led horses of varying heights, all heading towards Pingzhou Pass.
Leading the way was still Wanyan Zongbi.
His complexion had improved considerably, and he was wearing a brand-new cotton robe that he had obtained from Dawu.
Upon seeing Gu Liang, he dismounted from a distance, a warm smile on his face, and greeted him in Mandarin, much more fluently than before:
"Lord Gu! I've come again! This time, I've brought the best horse from our tribe!"
Gu Liang greeted him with a smile: "Fourth Prince Wanyan, we have prepared the finest tea and are just waiting for you."
The atmosphere between the two sides was familiar.
Gu Liang's gaze passed over Wanyan Zongbi and fell upon the dark mass of horses and cattle behind him.
A surge of excitement welled up inside him; this was the scene he had always dreamed of!
The transaction began quickly.
The horse inspector sent by the Ministry of War initially intended to use the stringent standards of the capital to nitpick.
A Jurchen man led a magnificent black horse over. The horse was exceptionally fine, with high shoulders, long legs, and bright, intelligent eyes; it was clearly a superior warhorse.
The horse inspector's eyes lit up, and he was about to step forward when the man arrogantly patted the horse's back and shouted, "I want to exchange this 'Wind Chaser' for thirty bags of rice, ten bolts of cotton cloth, and two large iron pots!"
The horse inspector was stunned: "One horse, and you want so many?"
The Jurchen man stiffened his neck and said, "Of course! He's the Horse King of our tribe!"
"With this grain and cloth, our whole tribe can have a good winter!"
"If you don't change, plenty of others will!"
Before he could finish speaking, the chief of another tribe immediately stepped forward and shouted to Gu Liang, "Lord Gu, his price is too high! My horses may not be as good as his, but ten of them can still be worth one of his! I only want grain, and we can discuss it!"
Gu Liang saw it clearly, and a smile appeared on his lips.
This is what he wants!
As trading became the norm, the Jurchen people also began to understand the importance of waiting for the right price to go.
They no longer blindly drove cattle, sheep, and horses here, but began to plan how to use their best resources to obtain the greatest benefits.
What is the greatest deficiency of the Great Martial Arts?
They're warhorses!
Gu Liang immediately made the decision and said to the man, "It's done! Thirty bags of rice, ten bolts of cloth, and two pots, I'll give them to you right now!"
The man was overjoyed, and the Jurchens around him also erupted in huge cheers.
This price greatly stimulated them.
They immediately rushed out their tribe's best horses, shouting loudly as they tried to sell them for a good price.
The Jurchens herded cattle and sheep into a line, where the employees of the Anguohou Trading Company counted and appraised them, and then exchanged them for vouchers of corresponding value.
With their coupons, they could freely exchange them for the rice, cloth, tea, and even ironware they needed at the freight yard.
The entire process was well-organized, fair, and transparent.
The Jurchens who had obtained the supplies they wanted beamed with genuine joy.
A burly man, carrying a heavy sack of rice, grinned and said to his companion, "With this, my mother will be able to eat her fill! She won't have to eat frozen meat anymore in the winter!"
Several women gathered around a smooth piece of cotton cloth, stroking it with obvious affection and chattering about what kind of new clothes they would make for their children.
What excited Gu Liang the most was that the ordinary horses that were rejected by the Ministry of War's horse inspectors and did not meet the standards for warhorses, as well as some old and weak cattle and sheep, were all bought up by Bai Lu's caravan.
Gu Liang asked Bai Lu, puzzled, "Lady Bai, these horses are dull and the cattle and sheep are old and weak. They can't be used for military purposes, and they won't fetch a good price if we sell them back to the mainland. What use are they to us?"
Bai Lu smiled mysteriously, pointed to the workshop under construction in the distance, and said, "Lord Gu, we want the warhorses, but we also want the meat."
"Meat?"
"Yes."
Bai Lu's eyes gleamed with the shrewdness of a merchant. "These old and weak cattle and horses can be slaughtered on the spot, and some can be made into dried meat and jerky, which can be sold to the army in Pingzhou as military rations. The price is much cheaper than transporting them from the interior."
"The other part, using the new recipe I brought, was simmered into soup and meat sauce, and then sealed in earthenware jars."
These are exquisite canned goods. Transported back to the capital, a simple dish of grassland-style meat sauce served at banquets for high-ranking officials would be worth far more than a live cow.
Gu Liang suddenly realized and was deeply impressed by Bai Lu's business acumen.
This is practically a perfect industry chain!
They processed low-value goods from the Jurchen people into high-value-added goods, and then used the profits to subsidize the expenses of the trade.
In this way, the cross-border trade will not only avoid losses, but may even generate profits!
Looking into the distance, the Jurchens exchanged their generations-old cattle, sheep, and horses for grain and cloth that would allow them to live in peace, their faces bearing simple and contented smiles.
Looking over here, cartloads of strong warhorses are being continuously transported into the pass.
The horse administration problem that had plagued the Great Wu Dynasty for decades was also solved.
Both sides feel they've come out on top... (▔□▔)
Gu Liang felt a surge of heroic spirit.
He knew he was doing something unprecedented!
The success of the Pingzhou border trade gave everyone hope!
But Bai Lu's gaze went even further.
She knew very well that exchanging grain for warhorses was ultimately a stopgap measure.
No matter how wealthy the Anguohou Trading Company was, it couldn't withstand the long-term supply of grain from Liangzhou to the entire Jurchen tribe.
Transportation costs, manpower losses, and time cycles are all huge problems.
To ensure the long-term operation of the trade market and the complete stability of Pingzhou, the fundamental issue of grain supply must be addressed.
She must create her own granary in Pingzhou, the place closest to the front line!
That night, Bai Lu was alone in her room and opened the system shop.
"Search: High-yield crop seeds! Suitable for various climates..." Bai Lu murmured to herself.
An option quickly popped up in the system store.
[Item Name]: Cold-resistant, high-yield rice seedlings, Gu Shen No. 1!
【Item Description】: Super rice seedlings that have undergone genetic optimization, possessing extremely strong heat resistance, cold resistance, disease resistance, and lodging resistance.
The growth cycle is shortened by 20%, and the yield per unit area is expected to be more than three times that of traditional rice varieties.
It has a fragrant and glutinous texture and is rich in nutrients.
Exchange price: 3 VND/plant.
[Special Note]: This is the seedling form. It will take root as soon as it is planted, without the need for breeding, which greatly improves the survival rate.
A hint of joy flashed in Bai Lu's eyes.
That's it!
Three times the yield per mu!
This means that if it can be successfully promoted, Pingzhou alone will be enough to become a major granary!
The price of 3 coins per seedling seems expensive. According to the traditional planting density, about 10,000 to 20,000 seedlings are needed per mu (unit of land area), which would cost 30 to 40 taels of silver. This cost is enough to make any farmer hesitate.
But for Bailu, if this investment succeeds, the returns will be immeasurable.
Without hesitation, she immediately ordered: "Purchase 15,000 seedlings of Gushen No. 1 rice."
This quantity is just enough to plant one acre of land.
[Exchange successful, cost 45 taels of silver. Item has been delivered to the designated location: Warehouse No. 1, Bai Family Farm, outside Pingzhou City.]
After doing all this, Bai Lu's lips curled into a mysterious smile.
The next day, she found Gu Liang, who was handling trade documents in the government office.
"Lord Gu, would you be interested in doing something with me... a major undertaking that would benefit the people?" Bai Lu winked playfully.
Gu Liang put down his pen and asked curiously, "Competing with the people for profit? What shocking plan does Lady White Snake have this time?"
"It's nothing outrageous," Bai Lu said with a smile. "I just wanted to invite you, a local official who cares so much about agriculture, to join me as a farmer for a day. What do you say?"
Gu Liang was even more puzzled, but seeing the light in Bai Lu's eyes, he still readily agreed: "That is indeed my wish, I dare not ask."
The two arrived side by side at a secluded farm under the Bai family banner outside Pingzhou City.
At the farm, the manager had already received orders to clear out an acre of prime paddy field and move loads of lush, green rice seedlings with well-developed root systems out of the warehouse.
Gu Liang was stunned when he saw the rice seedlings.
Born into a farming family, he had read many agricultural classics and could immediately recognize the extraordinary nature of these seedlings.
Their leaves were broad and glossy green, their roots were robust, and each plant was brimming with vitality—this was unlike any rice seedling he had ever seen before...
"Lady White Snake, where...where did this rice variety come from? It's so robust!" Gu Liang couldn't help but ask.
"It was a gift from a friend from afar, who said it came from a sacred mountain overseas," Bai Lu explained, half-jokingly. "I invited Lord Gu here today so that you could witness with your own eyes whether this immortal seed can truly blossom and bear fruit on the land of Pingzhou!"
After saying that, Bai Lu actually took off her exquisite embroidered shoes, revealing her bare, jade-like feet. She rolled up her trousers and stepped into the cool paddy field first!
Gu Liang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled nonchalantly.
Lady White Snake's actions are always so unpredictable.
He followed Bailu's example, taking off his official boots, rolling up the hem of his long robe, and stepping into the field.
The feel of the earth in spring is slightly cool, yet incredibly real.
The farm manager wanted the farmers to do the work, but Bailu waved him off.
“We’ll take care of this acre of land ourselves.”
Thus, the powerful Marquis of Anguo and the promising new court nobleman, just like the most ordinary farmers, bent over and carefully planted the verdant seedlings of the No. 1 Valley God rice seedlings into the fertile soil of the paddy field.
Bai Lu and Gu Liang were a little awkward at first, but they quickly got the hang of it.
The two chatted as they planted rice seedlings.
"Does Lord Gu know what it means if an acre of land can produce an extra shi of grain?" Bai Lu asked.
"It means a family of three can live for two more months," Gu Liang answered without hesitation, his tone heavy.
"What if it yields three or even five more stones?" Bai Lu gazed into the distance, her eyes filled with longing.
"...This means that we can not only ensure that the people under our rule have enough to eat and wear, but also have enough surplus grain to trade with the Jurchens for more warhorses, more cattle and sheep, and even... their loyalty!"
Gu Liang was shocked upon hearing this.
He suddenly raised his head and looked at the woman beside him whose beauty was still undeniable even in the mud!
She wasn't just doing business; she was using a businessman's approach to... build a long-term, stable future for the Great Wu Dynasty!
As the sun sets, its golden rays bathe the paddy fields, making them shimmer and sparkle.
An acre of land was neatly planted with lush green rice seedlings, swaying gently in the evening breeze.
Gu Liang and Bai Lu stood side by side on the edge of the field. Although their clothes were covered in mud, they felt incredibly fulfilled and at peace.
"Now, all we can do is wait," Bai Lu said softly.
“Yes,” Gu Liang nodded, his eyes full of anticipation, “I’m waiting to see how Bai Niangzi’s immortal seed will create miracles in this Pingzhou!”
Under the meticulous care of the manager of Baijia Farm, that one-acre experimental plot of Gushen No. 1 is growing vigorously at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In just over ten days, the originally slender seedlings became thick and upright, branching out more branches and leaves, showing a vigorous vitality far exceeding that of ordinary rice!
Gu Liang would personally come to the field every three to five days to check on it, and each time he was amazed.
His initial dismissive attitude towards Bailu's claims about the overseas immortals eventually turned into a firm belief in them.
That day, the two stood side by side on the ridge of the field once again, looking at the lush green rice paddies.
"At this rate of growth, the yield per mu will probably more than double by the time of autumn harvest," Gu Liang exclaimed sincerely.
"Lady White Snake's actions will benefit future generations."
"If this rice variety can be promoted throughout Pingzhou, how can we worry about the security of the border!"
Upon hearing this, Bai Lu gently shook her head, her gaze fixed on the boundless grassland beyond the pass: "No matter how good the rice is, it can only be planted in fields with water sources!"
"Pingzhou has limited land; if we want to truly feed everyone, and even help the Jurchens completely escape hunger..."
“We also need a less picky crop.”
She paused, then changed the subject: "Lord Gu, do you know what a potato is?"
Gu Liang paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "I know, in our Great Wu we call them earth eggs or yam beans more often."
“I’ve seen it. It came from the west. It’s said that it can grow if you bury it in the ground.”
"But... that thing has a low yield, and when it grows, it's only about the size of a baby's fist. It tastes bland and doesn't have a good texture."
“Except in years of famine when there is absolutely nothing to eat, people are unwilling to put in the effort to grow crops.”
"Or maybe it's because our family used to like it; I've seen you always cutting potato shreds and stuff like that."
Dawu has potatoes, but they're too small.
“That’s right, that’s the usual way of planting,” Bailu said. “But what if we change our approach?”
"Instead of planting the small and numerous ones, we specifically select the largest and best potatoes. Instead of burying them directly, we cut them into pieces, ensuring that each piece has a bud, and then use the rootstock of these pieces for planting."
"Will this result in the next generation of potatoes growing bigger and more abundantly?"