12dz Chapter 806 Numbers Never Before Imagined
Chapter 806 Numbers Never Before Imagined
This completely overturned the couple's worldview, shattering their established beliefs!
"Gudong!"
Old Wu swallowed hard, feeling his mouth dry: "Officer, can this grain really yield 2000 jin per mu? Not 200 jin?"
It wasn't that Wu Laoshi didn't trust the government officials, but rather that the production figures they claimed were simply too astonishing.
The wheat yield of 2000 jin per mu was seven times the yield of wheat he had grown before. Such an astonishing yield was hard for Wu Laoshi to believe.
"Why did I lie to you?"
The official said, "To be honest, I've also farmed before. When I first heard that the wheat yield was 2000 catties per mu, I was also shocked. However, this yield was said by the county magistrate and Commander Yang themselves, so it must be true!"
And you know about Chenjia Village, right?
"Know!"
Wu Laoshi nodded. As more and more merchants from Chenjia Village flocked to Yongliang County, the name of Chenjia Village was known to everyone in Yongliang County, if not everyone. At least the people living in the county town had heard of the reputation of Chenjia Village.
The down jacket that Wu Laoshi was wearing was bought from the merchants of Chenjia Village. If it weren't for the down jackets brought by these merchants, Wu Laoshi's family would have had a hard time getting through the months-long cold weather.
"I heard a while ago that many officials from Liangzhou went to Chenjia Village with Marshal Yang and saw the wheat there with their own eyes. Good heavens, do you know how much wheat can be harvested from one mu of land?"
The official seemed to be showing off, and instead of leaving, he started telling Wu Laoshi a story.
"How many?"
"1166 pounds!"
The official slowly revealed this astonishing figure, "This was witnessed by Commander Yang and the officials of Liangzhou themselves; there is absolutely no doubt about it!"
1166 pounds!
Without a doubt, this astonishing number instantly stunned Wu Laoshi!
In his old mindset, a yield of 300 jin of wheat per mu was already an extraordinary achievement, but a yield of 1166 jin per mu... was a number that Wu Laoshi had never imagined.
Even in his dreams, Wu Laoshi dared not imagine that he could grow wheat with a yield of 1166 jin per mu!
"This Chenjia Village is truly amazing! They've managed to grow such a high yield of wheat!"
Wu Laoshi couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
His wife in the kitchen nodded repeatedly. In the farmers' simple mindset, whoever could grow the most grain was the most capable person.
Because growing more grain means not going hungry, and means that the surplus grain can be sold to exchange for more other necessities, making the family more prosperous.
"That's right! Chenjia Village not only has warm down jackets, but also an endless supply of yellow-feathered chickens and white-feathered ducks..."
The official, in high spirits, continued to recount the many wonders of Chenjia Village, saying, "I've heard that in Chenjia Village, everyone can eat their fill and stay warm, and everyone can make a fortune. The life there is so good, I wouldn't trade it for a god's seat!"
In the end, the official couldn't help but sigh, "If only I had been born in Chenjia Village! Then I could have lived a life of luxury!"
Upon hearing this, both Wu Laoshi at the door and his wife and children eavesdropping in the kitchen nodded in agreement.
Just from the officials' description, they could feel how happy the people living in Chenjia Village were. To be honest, if they could live in Chenjia Village, they would be more than happy to do so.
"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore!"
After envying the wonderful life in Chenjia Village, the official finally remembered his business and solemnly said to Wu Laoshi, "In short, the grain seeds that the government has distributed this time will definitely be high-yielding. Even if it doesn't grow 2000 catties of wheat per mu, it will definitely yield more than 1000 catties. So tell me, do you want these grain seeds?"
"miss you!"
Old Wu nodded like a chick pecking at rice. If he didn't want wheat with such a high yield per mu, he would really be a fool.
"If you want it, you can go to the county government office to pick it up during this period, but..."
The official changed the subject and continued, "These grain seeds aren't given to you for free. After receiving them, you can't sell them; you can only grow them yourself!"
If I were to sell such high-yield grains, wouldn't I be a fool?
While thinking this to himself, Wu Laoshi asked curiously, "What would happen if I sold it?"
"He'll be beheaded!"
Without hesitation, the official replied, "After you receive the grain seeds, the county government will record your name and send people to check on your farmland at any time. If they find that you are not planting grain seeds issued by the government, the lightest punishment will be beheading, and in serious cases... it may even be the extermination of your entire family!"
The official was not trying to scare Wu Laoshi with these words; they were instructions personally given from above!
Both Yang Zheng and his officials attached great importance to this batch of valuable wheat, and therefore formulated very strict policies.
Farmers who received the "Wealth and Prosperity Wheat Seeds" were only allowed to grow them themselves. If they dared to sell them, they would be beheaded at best, and their entire family would be punished at worst.
"Don't worry, officer, I absolutely won't sell it!"
Wu Laoshi was startled when he heard that the punishment was so severe, and immediately made a guarantee to the official in front of him.
Even such a severe punishment could not deter Wu Laoshi's determination to receive the grain seeds, not for any other reason than that the high-yield wheat could yield 2000 jin per mu!
Wu Laoshi couldn't help but fantasize that if he could plant wheat with a yield of 2000 jin per mu, he could harvest 10,000 jin of wheat after half a year of cultivation!
What does 10,000 jin of wheat mean?
The Wu family of five only consumes about 10 jin of grain a day. Ten thousand jin would be enough to feed them for two or three years!
Thinking of this, Wu Laoshi's breathing quickened.
He could almost see the future where, after planting the rich wheat, the harvest would be more than enough for his family of five to eat three meals a day. He would then sell the surplus grain to buy salt, cloth, and other necessities, and his family of five would live a happy life!
"It's good that you know what's important!"
Seeing that Wu Laoshi had made a guarantee, the official nodded and continued, "Also, if you receive the grain seeds, your family's grain tax will increase!"
"what?"
Wu Laoshi was dumbfounded. The reason why the people of Liangzhou, including him, supported Yang Zheng so much was because Yang Zheng had greatly reduced grain taxes after he drove out the imperial court!
During the reign of the imperial court, in addition to grain tax and various other exorbitant taxes, the people of Liangzhou had to hand over half of the grain they earned after a year of hard work to the government!
That wasn't the end of it; they also had to undertake a large amount of corvée labor.
The heavy taxes and corvée labor made it almost impossible for the people of Liangzhou to breathe, and countless people abandoned their land and chose to become refugees.