Chapter 949: Scolding and High-Yield Grains [3]

Old Master Jing: "Why just one sentence? Mr. Qin, please continue. Tell me more, tell me in detail, don't be so brief!"

He then shouted to everyone around him, "No one is allowed to interrupt. If you have any questions, wait until Mr. Qin finishes speaking. Otherwise, I will have the students and soldiers beat you up!"

"Yeah, yeah!" The students, soldiers, government officials, and villagers present all covered their mouths and nodded, indicating that they would not interrupt.

This is a high-yield grain, and it concerns human lives. They must listen carefully and never interrupt!

Qin Xiaomi continued, "In addition to taro, there's also a kind of mountain yam. Both are like kudzu root, with high yields, but they're more nourishing than kudzu root."

"The minimum yield per mu for taro and sweet potatoes is 3,000 kilograms. Due to the temperature difference between north and south, the yield per mu will decrease in our Northeast Province, but the estimated minimum yield per mu can reach 2,000 kilograms."

"Taro has a soft and powdery texture, and a light yet fragrant flavor... Hmm? It has a similar texture to chestnuts, but is softer and fluffier. It's less nutritious than chestnuts, but it can be used as a complementary grain and eaten every day."

"Taro plants prefer moisture, but they are somewhat resistant to drought and cold. When frost falls, the taro leaves begin to wilt, but the taro tubers are unaffected. So, as long as you harvest them before October, just like you harvest soybeans, the taro and potatoes won't get frostbite and rot."

At this point, the crowd was almost out of control, and Gao Zhenzhi began to struggle violently. Jing Lao's attendant had to use a lot of strength to hold him down.

Ding ding ding, Captain Zhong rang the gong and shouted, "This is about food. Shut up! Anyone who dares to interrupt will be arrested immediately, no matter who you are!"

Phew, after hearing this, everyone calmed down their pounding hearts and continued listening.

Qin Xiaomi: "This is the situation with taro. Now let's talk about mountain yam."

"Mountain yam is a plant that almost no one outside of Lingnan Prefecture has heard of. It's quite similar to kudzu root, but more nutritious and has the richer texture of taro. It grows in the mountains of Lingnan Prefecture, so compared to taro, it's not picky about the soil. It can be grown in the mountains, even on the roadside, or right under your wall."

"The yield per mu is also very high. In the south, the lowest yield per mu is around 2,000 catties. Here, the lowest yield per mu is around 1,500 catties."

"Yam is a little more drought-resistant and cold-resistant than taro, but taro tastes a little better."

The taste of taro, especially fried taro stewed with chicken, is so delicious that no one can resist it.

"These two types of potatoes have been eaten by mountain people in Lingnan Prefecture for many years. They can confirm that, while the juice may cause itchy skin, they are harmless when eaten raw."

Qin Xiaomi looked at Master Jing and the others and said, "That's all. You may ask questions now."

Old Master Qiong: "Is the minimum yield per mu really 1,500 kilograms or more?!"

The villagers also shouted anxiously, "Yes, yes, is the yield per mu really that high? Nowadays, the high-yield soybeans are only 300 to 400 kilograms per mu. Mr. Qin, your 2,000 kilograms per mu yield is exaggerated!"

Gao Zhenzhi was delighted by these words and winked at Zheng Qianjia, asking him to help him attack Qin Xiaomi.

Zheng Qianjia's external image has always been that of an honest and upright person, but the matter of high-yield grains is of great importance, comparable to the Zhang family's ancestors making paper and the Yong family of the Yong Dynasty bringing back cotton seeds to this land.

Therefore, Zheng Qianjia questioned on his behalf: "Mr. Qin, although taro is a high-yielding grain, it is not very cold-resistant. It will have difficulty surviving in the Northeast Province."

"It also has a major drawback: its growing period is too long, taking more than half a year to mature and be harvested. Northeastern states are in the cold season from March to September, so taro cultivation may not be widely promoted in the Northeast."

Seeing Zheng Qianjia's words were meaningful, Elder Jing didn't interrupt him, but nodded in agreement. "Boss Qin, Zheng Qianjia is right. The previous dynasty also tried to grow taro, but it couldn't complete its growth period in the Northeast Province, and it wasn't a serious staple food like rice or wheat, so it was abandoned and not widely cultivated."

No matter how high the yield of something is, if it cannot complete its growth before the weather turns cold due to temperature restrictions, it will be useless for farmers to harvest it.

"You can't harvest it halfway through, because then the tubers won't be fully grown and you won't be able to eat them."

"Times are advancing!" Qin Xiaomi suddenly said something that no one except Jiang Dalang could understand. He then continued, "The records you're talking about are from the previous dynasty. The Great Wei Dynasty has been established for over a hundred years, and people in Lingnan Province have long been growing taro."

"What I asked the Huang Family Trading Company to deliver is the early taro seeds. It only takes 150 days, or half a year, for them to fully mature."

"Also, we can grow seedlings indoors... just like bean sprouts. First, grow them in a warm room for half a month, and then transplant them into the field when the weather warms up."

"Although it's a bit troublesome, taro and sweet potatoes have a high yield per mu, and they don't require fertile farmland; they can be grown on ordinary land. If each family takes over a good piece of land and plants one or two mu, they can harvest an extra 4,000 kilograms of grains each year."

"Four thousand kilograms! Add to that wheat, soybeans, millet, and other crops grown in other fields. How many lives can be saved by eating all of this mixture?!"

"If we had high-yield grains like these when the Eastern Desert Army attacked, we wouldn't have to worry about running out of food and fodder. With enough food and fodder, why would we still be afraid of the Eastern Desert Army?!"

We still have to be afraid of that. After all, the relationship between our abundant food and grass and the East Desert Army's use of force to break into the city is not very big.

"The method of raising seedlings and transplanting them? Without an actual planting record book, you, daughter of the Qin family, are just talking nonsense and fooling the people of the world!" With the help of the Zheng family's servants, Gao Zhenzhi finally broke free from his restraints and shouted loudly.

After hearing this, Qin Xiaomi said to Master Jing, "Master Jing, you are not doing well. Why is the duck quacking again?"

"Daughter of the Qin family, how dare you humiliate me, I...Mmmmm!" Gao Zhenzhi was covered with her mouth by Captain Zhong, and was knocked to the ground with two bangs, and tied up with ropes.

Captain Zhong grabbed his hair and slammed his head to the ground. Finally, he asked, "Are you awake? If not, I will help you wake up again."

He really didn't wake up. The more he hit his head, the more dizzy he felt.

"Don't you students believe that if three people walk together, one of them can be my teacher? I really don't understand. Is what Mr. Qin said wrong? He is so right, but just because you lost face, you act like a madman. Where did all your more than ten years of study go?" Captain Zhong was really puzzled.

"Poor boy, go and teach them. After all, they are the students you brought here." Old Xun ordered.

Old Master Jing had no choice but to fulfill his duty as a teacher. He sat on the ground next to Gao Zhenzhi, patted him on the back, and said, "Zhenzhi, I, along with many other famous scholars and teachers, as well as powerful officials in the imperial court, have also been humiliated. But if the other person's words make sense, we will listen... Stubbornly pursuing one's own way, closing off the five senses, focusing only on one's own path, and ignoring the achievements of others, will only narrow one's path further and further, until there is no way out, and one will be completely abandoned by heaven and earth."

Gao Zhenzhi was stunned and kept silent with his head down.

Old Master Jing sighed. Although he wanted to abandon the student, he still helped him up, untied him, removed the cloth gag from his mouth, and said gently, "I give you two choices. One is to have someone send you back to Taifu Restaurant to rest, and the other is to stay. But you must not speak again, otherwise I will send someone to send you away, and your journey will end."

Gao Zhenzhi remained silent, but ultimately made the wise choice: "Thank you for your guidance, sir... I choose the second one. I promise to keep my mouth shut."

The high-yield grains with an output of 2,000 kilograms per mu, and two kinds of grains at that, were already serious enough to affect the private warehouses of the Aristocratic Family Alliance, so he had to stay and hear the whole story.

Moreover, it would be too shameful to leave like this, and he would never be able to hold his head up for the rest of his life, so he must not "escape" now!