flstandardbreds Chapter 179 Planting Cotton
Chapter 179 Planting Cotton
Liang looked very unhappy.
This damn girl, how could she speak so ruthlessly?
Noticing the gazes of the people around her, Liang still managed a smile.
"Whether you come back or not, your father and I are waiting for you at home."
After saying that, without waiting for Chu Qing to speak, Liang turned around and left.
Now that this girl has Shen Tang as her backer, she can only go along with him.
Liang hit a wall with Chu Qing, and when she returned home and saw Shen Dazhuang, she was naturally full of complaints.
In the early morning of New Year's Eve, the lights in the Shen family ancestral hall were already lit.
All the males in Shenjia Village, from the eighty-year-old man to the two-year-old child, were standing outside the ancestral hall.
Today, opening the ancestral hall for ancestral worship is not just as simple as opening a yard.
It is located in the deepest part of the ancestral hall, where the ancestral tablets are enshrined.
In the past, the cleaning room would not be opened unless there was something important going on, except when someone was designated to do the cleaning.
The tablet of the Shen family's ancestors was placed on the innermost table.
The incense burner and candles were all available, and there were two candles on both sides that were over one meter high and as thick as thighs.
This candle must be lit from New Year's Eve to midnight until the first day of the first lunar month.
Shen Tang and Liu were dressed neatly, both wearing the imperial robes and imperial robes, and stood at the front.
In previous years, the elders of the Shenjia Village would be the first to pay homage to their ancestors, and then everyone would pay homage one by one according to their seniority and age.
But this year, Shen Tang was the first to pay his respects, and they were arranged from the most respected to the most humble, from the oldest to the youngest.
After Shen Tang and Liu had burned incense, everyone started.
It is no wonder that people start worshipping before dawn, and by the time everyone finishes worshipping, a long time has passed.
Li Zheng Shen originally wanted Shen Tang to read the eulogy, but Shen Tang declined.
Therefore, when everyone finished worshipping, Shen Lizheng stood at the head and began to recite the sacrificial words.
"The descendants of the Qingshan Shen family have reverently prepared incense, paper money, three kinds of meat and vegetarian fruit, without shying away from ordinary rituals.
I bowed my head and wept, paying my respects to the gods of heaven and earth, the sun, moon and stars.
On New Year's Eve, the descendants of the Shen family paid homage to their ancestors, commending their merits, showing respect to future generations, and teaching their descendants filial piety.
The virtue of our ancestors is that harmony brings peace, and farming and studying are passed down from generation to generation. Even in the face of storms, the family tradition remains.
Be frugal and prudent, respect and support your parents, be as kind as water, endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens, and continue the legacy of your ancestors."
By the time the ancestor worship ceremony was over, it was already dawn.
When Shen Tang and Liu returned home, Shen Qingqing had already prepared breakfast.
The mother and daughter ate a little and then went back to rest.
In the afternoon, Shen Tang went to the school.
The school had been on vacation half a month ago and is now vacant.
In the afternoon, Shen Tang met with Shen Lizheng and the village elders to discuss matters.
When Shen Tang arrived, everyone had already gathered in the school.
"I don't know why the Marquis wants us here."
"It must be something urgent."
Shen Tang called them together because he really had something to discuss.
"Everyone, Shen Tang gathered everyone this afternoon because he really has something to discuss with you.
As you all know, I was promoted to the rank of marquis for my contributions to quilts and cotton-padded clothes. Now, I and three other servants are jointly responsible for cotton matters. Shen Tang is a member of the Shen family, and I came here today to ask if you are willing to join the cotton business.
"From planting to harvesting, to removing seeds and drying cotton, many people are needed. My cotton mill needs a lot of cotton.
Shenjia Village can grow cotton and sell it to my cotton mill."
Shen Tang explained his purpose.
If I consider planting cotton, it will take even more time.
She had already told the other three families that cotton planting could be outsourced, so naturally, she could also let the Shen family participate.
Everyone in Shenjia Village looked at each other in confusion.
Their excess land had been contracted by Shen Tang to plant fruit trees, and there was almost no extra land left to grow cotton.
If you want to grow cotton, you either have to convert part of the paddy fields into cotton fields or purchase additional land.
Shen Tang saw everyone's hesitation and said:
"The price of cotton is several times that of grain."
The current market price of grain is more than ten cents. If it is several times more, it would be at least dozens of cents!
This pound of cotton costs dozens of coins. If you plant hundreds of pounds of cotton, you will at least make a certain amount of silver!
"I won't hide it from you all. Low-yield cotton fields can produce about 300 kilograms per mu, medium-yield cotton fields can produce about 500 kilograms, and high-yield cotton fields can produce close to 700 to 800 kilograms per mu."
Shen Lizheng and everyone else quickly thought it over in their minds.
Even if you plant two acres of low-yield crops, you can still earn about 600 kilograms a year, which means dozens of taels of silver!
Shen Tang is rich and he really wants to make money for everyone.
"After the New Year, I will be returning to town, so I would like to ask the village head, the elders, and the uncles in the clan to discuss this matter again.
If you are willing, I will bring the seeds to you at that time.
Also, if you're willing to plant cotton, you can bring other relatives and friends along."
Shen Tang looked at everyone.
"Those who are willing to farm should report the amount of land to the village head, along with the number of relatives and friends.
I'm sorry to bother Uncle Li Zheng with this matter."
Shen Lizheng spoke hurriedly,
"No trouble, no trouble."
This Shen Tang is not only the backer of their Shen family, but also their God of Wealth!
After Shen Tang left, everyone couldn't wait to get up and leave.
Sure enough, this New Year, everyone was discussing cotton planting.
After Shen Tang handed the matter over to Shen Lizheng, he no longer asked about it.
After all, if you can't lead a team, you will just work yourself to death.
Shen Lizheng is Shen Tang's right-hand man in Shenjia Village.
Sure enough, ever since Li Zheng Shen spread the news, people have been coming in and out of his house every day.
Not only that, it happened to be New Year, and many people in Shenjia Village visited relatives and friends.
In addition, now that Shen Tang has emerged in Shenjia Village, families that had little connection with Shenjia Village in the past have also started to visit.
The spread of cotton planting became more widespread.
There were even families who were on good terms with Liu and they came to her house specifically to ask for news.
Shen Lizheng was even more grinning from ear to ear.
He and the elders of the village told Shen Tang that the price of a pound of cotton was several times that of grain, and everyone in Shenjia Village wanted to grow it.
But deciding how much to plant is a difficult question.
"If you ask me, we only need to keep a few acres of land to grow enough food.
The remaining money was used to buy land for growing cotton."
"Isn't this appropriate?"
"What's inappropriate about this? If the Marquis could reveal this news to us, there must be a reason for it. Otherwise, why would she be the Marquis and we are still peasants?"
"Village head, why don't we team up and go get a bigger piece."
Since the people in Shenjia Village followed Shen Tang to plant fruit trees and buy rice seeds, their minds have become more active.
Shen Lizheng thought this method was very feasible.
So, everyone in Shenjia Village pooled their extra money together, bought some land, and used it to grow cotton.
On the tenth day, Shen Tang received the statistical figures from Shen Lizheng.