The Princess of Northern Land
Chapter 367: Prosperity (7)_1

Chapter 367: Chapter 367: Prosperity (7)_1

"They’re planted in rows."

"Indeed."

"It has been one and a half months since planting, there should be a harvest soon."

"Look, the machinery is getting back into the fields." Manual labor was in full swing here, and the rice transplanting machines were busy on the other side. The villagers watched as the machines went about their work, leaving behind a verdant landscape. They watched enviously.

"Master, it would be great if you could produce a few more machines."

"Indeed."

Everyone was watching eagerly.

"Hurry up with your work, let’s try to finish early," Lou Zheng shouted. Since April, the Lin Family had given everyone leave to unseal the wasteland for cultivation. Due to the recent surge in demand, the products manufactured in the Lin Family’s workshops has been insufficient for their sales, and new orders have been piling up. Lou Zheng worried that if this situation continued, the Lin Family might need to hire more workers.

If more people were hired, they would lose their jobs and many of them would certainly cry.

That being said, many shrewd villagers thought of this, which is why most villagers had asked their relatives and friends for assistance when it was time to plant rice.

These outsiders, upon seeing the transformation of Shili Village over the past year, were green with envy. Some residents of neighboring villages even requested their relatives living in Shili Village to ask if they could also come to the workshop for work.

However, the Lin Family categorically declined all of them.

Left with no choice, these people resorted to hoping they could work in the fields. After giving it some thought, Lin Ziyin took in a few honest farmers as long-term workers.

Fortunately, the Lin Family was benevolent. Even those who only came to work long-term, tending to the crops, received decent wages. Their children were also allowed to attend the private school.

Villagers from neighboring villages vied fiercely with each other for the chance to work, employing every means at their disposal, such as asking for favors through their connections or making a self-recommendation. After Cui Da and others scrutinized a few people, they selected a dozen or so workers.

By mid-May, surrounding areas of Shili Village and Ding’an Temple, as well as Chu Suifeng’s farm, were brightly green.

Finally, the rice transplantation season was over, and work in the workshops gradually returned to normal.

"Bah, I can’t wait to see them fail." Mrs. Yan spat towards the black soil. "The Northern Land has never grown rice well. I look forward to seeing the Lin Family lose and everyone crying with them."

"Hold your tongue." Mr. Ma shot her a glare. "In the next few days, Zhicai will need Lou Zheng’s signature for the evaluation. Behave yourself. If your nonsense affects Zhicai, I will skin you alive."

"I have the decency, and I don’t go gossiping about it." Mrs. Yan muttered, and then saw Ma Youcai, who had just been released from prison. Her resentment flared up again.

Ma Youcai had spent over five months in prison, and judging by his emaciation, he had suffered a lot. Upon his return, Mrs. Yan cursed at the Lin Family many times in secret.

Since being released, Ma Youcai had been holed up at home, barely ventured outside. He plunged into bed early every night, and only showed aggression at meal times, scrambling for food with anyone, including Mrs. Yan and even the two children from the Ma Xincai’s family.

No one in the Ma family knew how to handle Ma Youcai’s ill-mannered behavior. In spite of Ma Zhicai’s reproof, Ma Youcai was relentless in his ways.

Feeling stifled by Ma Youcai’s situation, Ma Zhicai started packing for the city ahead of the exam. "Father, I will stay at an inn in the city to avoid the rush when it’s time for the exams."

"Why find a separate place? You can share a room with your father," suggested Mrs. Yan.

"Father’s place is far too small, and there’s constant coming and going. It wouldn’t be conducive to my studies," Ma Zhicai objected.

"Zhicai is right. He needs a quiet place for studying. There are many scholars staying at the city inn. It would be beneficial for him to interact with them," Mr. Ma supported his son.

Hearing this, Mrs. Yan did not dare to object further, even though the idea pained her to part with the money. But then again, if her son was successful in the exams, she would finally be able to hold her head high. Having realized this, she eagerly helped Ma Zhicai pack.

Ma Xincai also wished for his brother to succeed, so when he saw Ma Zhicai ready to leave, he smiled and gave him a few words of advice, "Zhicai, study hard. You’re smart, I believe you can pass the examinations."

Looking down on his older brother who could only toil in the fields, Ma Zhicai merely let out a cold snort in response to his well-wishes.

Seeing Ma Zhicai’s arrogant behavior, his sister-in-law, Mrs. Huang, grew upset. If Ma Zhicai passed the examination, would he even spare them a thought? Her enthusiasm for his success faded at this point.

"Start adding green fertilizer immediately." Seven to eight days later, the rice fields of Shili Village were teeming with life. Lin Ziyin inspected the seedlings in the fields and immediately ordered the long-term workers and servants to fertilize them.

Farmyard manure was different from chemical fertilizer. If too little was used, it was certainly not ideal.

Luckily, the land was fertile, and they had already added base fertilizer when ploughing. This time, they didn’t need too much green fertilizer to support the seedlings’ growth.

Initially, the villagers were skeptical about Lin Ziyin’s method of planting rice. But a month later, upon seeing the growth of the rice plants in the fields, they were thoroughly convinced. Judging by the seedlings, they were surely looking forward to a bumper harvest this year.