The Humble Family's Daughter Has A Spatial Pocket!-Chapter 1082 - 905, Assistant

After the onset of spring, temperatures rose again, and the ice and snow atop Yunlian Mountain began to melt. Water flowed fiercely from the source of the Dan River, bringing life back to the stretches of Ganzhou Guard that had run dry for over a decade.

The Wang Clan, following a personal trip to Shiqukou by Xiao Yeyang and Daohua, moved their entire family to Ganzhou Guard.

Ganzhou Guard was vast and sparsely populated. Wang Qi, after repeatedly studying maps, sought Xiao Yeyang’s approval and finally chose to establish a village in the southeastern part of Ganzhou Guard.

Wang Qi took the one thousand and one hundred taels of silver funded by Xiao Yeyang and, after drawing up a layout of the village, got ready to report to Ganzhou City.

Xiao Yeyang, upon meeting Wang Qi, didn’t immediately set him to work, but instead gave him two days to familiarize himself with the people and affairs of the garrison, with Zhang Da showing him around.

During this time, to his surprise, Wang Qi discovered craftsmen were actually tinkering with tuff that Madame Xiao had dug up from Shiqukou, and he couldn’t help but express his amazement to Zhang Da, "Lord Xiao truly spoils Madame Xiao."

Zhang Da replied, "Sir, Madame Xiao is not just any ordinary woman sequestered at home. I’ve heard from Dong Yuanxuan that the method for making glass was learned by Madame Xiao from storybooks."

Surprise flashed across Wang Qi’s face as if he found it hard to believe.

Zhang Da said with a smile, "Sir, when I first heard of it, I didn’t quite believe either. But then, considering the molds for making honeycomb briquettes and the idea to transform sloping hills into terraced fields, both conceived by Madame Xiao, it seems quite plausible."

"High-yielding crops like maize, potatoes, and cotton, all are being cultivated by Madame Xiao. Now, there are two people the people of Ganzhou Guard are most grateful to."

"One is Lord Xiao, who led his troops to reclaim the Dan River; the other is Madame Xiao. The high-yield grains sold in her Four Seasons Grain Store have freed the people from hunger."

Wang Qi listened attentively; his knowledge of Madame Xiao was limited to what he heard through his clansmen.

However, after hearing from Zhang Da, his perspective began to change.

Although the customs of Xiliang were not as strict as those in the inland provinces, women were still expected primarily to stay home, taking care of children and managing households. A woman like Madame Xiao, who had made a name for herself, was rare indeed.

Zhang Da continued, "Sir, when you have time, you might want to take a look at the terraced fields outside the city. Dong Yuanxuan mentioned that Madame Xiao has been busy with the water diversion project into the terraced fields, aiming to cultivate rice."

Wang Qi’s interest was piqued, "No one here in Ganzhou Guard has ever grown rice before, I’ll have to take a good look at that."

Then, Zhang Da took Wang Qi to see other parts of the garrison.

Meanwhile, somewhere else, Xiao Yeyang accompanied Daohua to Qingyang Ranch.

Qingyang Ranch, which was barren upon their arrival, was now lush with grasslands and herds of cattle and sheep.

As Daohua and Xiao Yeyang rode through the ranch in the carriage, they came to the front of the Dan River.

Looking at the trickle of the Dan River, Daohua smiled and said, "I made the right choice buying this ranch and the hills across from it."

There were five continuous hills that had been cultivated into farmland totaling over one hundred thousand acres.

Xiao Yeyang smiled, "Indeed, you chose well. This year, all the lands nearby the Dan River and the hills have increased in value; nowadays, to purchase them, one would need to spend at least half more silver."

Daohua, surprised, said, "Has the price increased that much?" fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Xiao Yeyang, "The Imperial Court has a rule that no taxes are levied on newly reclaimed lands for the first three years, and now that everyone is planting high-yield grains, they can harvest within the same year. Ganzhou Guard’s finances have always been tight, so Uncle Dong suggested raising land prices."

"Even with the price increase, compared to other provinces, the land here is still quite cheap."

Daohua, "But isn’t the standard of living here lower than in other places?"

Xiao Yeyang, "Don’t worry, the increase is still within what the people can afford."

Daohua nodded, didn’t say more, and crossed the bridge with Xiao Yeyang to the other side.

The lowest terrace had been converted entirely into paddy fields by Daohua. At this moment, tenant farmers had finished irrigating the fields and were busy with flooding and fertilizing.

The seedlings in the adjacent field had already sprouted, growing lush and vibrant, a cheerful sight.

Daohua, smiling at Xiao Yeyang, said, "This year, we won’t need to transport rice from Beijing."

Xiao Yeyang instructed the official in charge of managing military farmland to learn well from this example. Meanwhile, he took Daohua with him, "Didn’t you plant medicinal herbs? Show me. If they grow well, I might encourage the military households to plant some, too."

"The biggest expenses for the army, apart from provisions and arms, are the medicinal herbs used for treating injuries and illnesses. If we could be self-sufficient, it would save a considerable amount of expenditure."

Daohua took Xiao Yeyang to see the herb fields, followed by officials who carefully recorded everything.

...

After returning from the terrace fields, the next day, Xiao Yeyang took Wang Qi with him to the Jinwei Guard.

Xiao Yeyang looked at Wang Qi and asked, "How much do you know about the commanders of the nine guards of Xiliang?"

Wang Qi replied, "Sir, apart from the Ganzhou Guard, the commanders of the other eight guards were all promoted by Wei Du, the Commander."

"Among the eight, Commander Pang of the Lanwu Guard is known for his straightforward nature and doesn’t curry favor with Mr. Wei, thus he is excluded; while Mr. Zhu of the Jinwei Guard is a rare official who loves the people and has often disagreed with Mr. Wei, he’s not given due importance."

"The other five almost all look up to Mr. Wei as their leader."

Xiao Yeyang raised an eyebrow and glanced at Wang Qi.

He knew the general situation through the reports sent back by the Jinling Guard; this Wang Qi, though not an official, had a thorough understanding of Xiliang.

"There are four guards bordering Xiliao—Ganzhou Guard, Jinwei Guard, Jianzhou Guard, and Xintunwei. The military town of Ganzhou Guard has been built, and the one for Jinwei Guard is in the planning stages."

"This trip, apart from observing the training situation of the border army at Jinwei Guard, is also about implementing the construction plans for the military towns of Jianzhou Guard and Xintunwei."

"You should know that Wei Hong probably doesn’t really want me to stay in Xiliang, nor does he want to change the situation here. Upon arrival at Jianzhou Guard and Xintunwei, we might face obstruction."

Hearing this, Wang Qi’s expression turned serious. He knew that convincing the commanders of Jianzhou Guard and Xintunwei not to hinder the construction of the military towns would likely be the first test Xiao Yeyang had for him.

...

In the blink of an eye, over a month had passed, and it was May.

The day before the Dragon Boat Festival, Xiao Yeyang returned to Ganzhou City.

"I’m back!"

Daohua greeted Xiao Yeyang with a smile at the doorway, noticing he had gotten darker and thinner, she felt a little distressed: "Can you rest for a few days this time you’re back?"

As Xiao Yeyang walked in with Daohua, he nodded with a smile, "The military towns for Jianzhou Guard and Xintunwei have started construction, and I’ve left people there to oversee the border army’s drills. I can rest at home for a while."

Delighted by this news, Daohua immediately said, "Then I must take good care of you."

The two returned to their room, and Daohua personally attended to Xiao Yeyang’s washing up: "Did Mr. Wang offer much help on this trip?"

Xiao Yeyang nodded, "This Wang Qi... is a fine strategist. After weighing the pros and cons, the commanders of Jianzhou Guard and Xintunwei dare not obstruct the construction of the military towns."

"In terms of internal affairs, he has quite the insight, no wonder the Wei Family has been suppressing the Wang Family for decades; he truly is an outstanding person."

Daohua said with a smile, "As long as he can help you, that’s good. People in Beijing despise the harsh cold of Xiliang, none wish to come here, and there’s so much to do. How can you handle it all alone?"

"Having someone to handle the tedious official duties and unnecessary social engagements would put my mind at ease. You just need to keep control of the army in your hands; focus on the main direction for everything else."

Xiao Yeyang hugged Daohua tightly and said with a smile, "You always care for me the most."

Daohua smiled and lightly punched him.

Meanwhile, Wang Qi also returned to his residence within the guard. As soon as he entered the gate, he noticed that the grounds seemed different, much smoother and more leveled than before.

"Sir, you’ve returned!"

Seeing Zhang Da approach, Wang Qi immediately asked, "What happened to the road?"

Zhang Da quickly answered with a smile, "Do you remember the cement Madam Xiao wanted to make? Not two days after you left with Mr. Xiao, the cement was successfully created. The grounds of the guard have been renovated, making walking on it much better than before. The cement has now been taken to repair the city walls and roads."

Wang Qi was stunned: "Madam Xiao wasn’t kidding, after all."