old lady in red

Mrs. Zhang was talking about the introduction, when she heard her mother-in-law asking, she hurriedly said: "This thing is called sweet potato. My father said that this thing is just like the yam eggs here. It is a crop that can satisfy the hunger."

At first, Shimei thought it was a potato, but found that the color was wrong. The skin was wrinkled and the color was dull due to dryness.

It's clearly a sweet potato.

Shi Mei picked it up and looked at it carefully, then broke off the handle, sniffed it, a sweet and greasy fragrance came to her nostrils.

But sweet potatoes are good.

But, this sweet potato is too small!

So small that Shi Mei grabbed three with one hand?

Shi Mei's hands are not big!

Mrs. Zhang said it was a gift from Jia Amnesty?

Jia Amnesty actually used cheap food like sweet potatoes as a gift?

Shimei's heart skipped a beat, and she thought of a possibility: Could it be that sweet potatoes haven't been popularized in the era of Red Mansions?

Shi Meimo firmly grasped the sweet potato in her hand, calmed down and asked Zhang Shi: "Have you ever eaten this thing?"

Mrs. Zhang smiled: "No, it's the first time my daughter-in-law knows about this."

Shi Mei patted her forehead, and immediately realized that she had asked the wrong person. Zhang's family is well-educated, and Zhang's family has been trained in the court since childhood. How do you know about farming and mulberry economy?

Shi Mei was very excited and ordered: "Nurse Lai, ask Lai Da to find Jia Mei and tell him to come quickly."

Jia Mei happened to go home to attend the ancestor worship, and got summoned, thinking that Shi Mei had some orders, so she came here quickly.In the end, Shi Mei asked him if he recognized sweet potatoes.

Jia Mei broke off a section, smelled and tasted it and said, "It looks like cassava, which is more delicate than cassava. My nephew can be sure. At present, no one in the Jiangnan area grows this kind of crop. I don't know where it came from, auntie? Is it a vine crop like yam eggs, or a shrub like cassava? As long as there is a place of origin, my nephew can be responsible for inquiring."

The joy in Shimei's heart couldn't hold back: "Can you guarantee that we didn't promote the cultivation of this kind of crop in the Great Moon Dynasty?"

Jia Mei nodded: "Nephew can guarantee it!"

Shi Mei was very excited: "Would you put down the work at hand for a while?"

Jia Mei nodded: "No problem, please tell my aunt if you have something to do."

Shi Mei said: "Grandma, you just said that this thing is a tribute from your father's students, do you know where your father's students are officials?"

Mrs. Zhang said: "This daughter-in-law really knows that that person is my father's student ten years ago. Because he has no connections, he was sent to the county magistrate in poor Fujian. Because of this, he lost his life, so no one wants to be an official there, so he got a county magistrate, which is really lacking."

Shi Mei stared at Jia Mei: "If I told you to go to Fujian to investigate the cultivation methods and acreage of this crop called sweet potatoes, and then buy more than a thousand catties of sweet potatoes and try growing them, would you be willing?"

Jia Mei immediately bowed and replied, "Nephew, I'll go back and pack my luggage."

But Shi Mei said: "Don't worry, this is not an easy matter. Not only do you need to know how to cultivate sweet potatoes, but you also need to know the climate and soil for cultivation, and the difference in yield between different cultivated lands. There are no details, only related to the cultivation of sweet potatoes. You have to investigate carefully.

Remember, it's a secret visit, so it's best to keep quiet and not attract anyone's attention. "

Jia Mei finally understood now that her aunt attached great importance to this trip to the south, and she bowed again: "Don't worry, my nephew, my nephew must be careful in words and deeds, and will never delay this trip."

Shi Mei nodded, and asked again: "How do you plan to go to Haijiang?"

Jia Mei said: "My nephew is going to pretend to be a silk seller, and buy some imported goods from the sea and regions on the return trip, and bring some earthen instruments back home by the way."

Shi Mei said: "It's very good. However, since it's a complete set of things, since it's selling silk, I might as well bring the second shopkeeper of our silk and satin shop.

You know how to plow in spring and harvest in autumn, but you may not be as good at buying and selling silk as he is.If you are the shopkeeper, you are afraid that you will reveal your secrets, so it is safer to simply pretend to be the owner who goes out to inspect the business. "

Jia Mei was very heartbroken when she heard the words: "My aunt is thoughtful, and my nephew takes orders."

Shi Mei told Madam Lai again: "Go and get Jin Dalai!"

For a while Jin Da came.

Shi Mei ordered: "Uncle Mei is going on a long trip, you send two good men to him."

Jin Daying said: "Your maidservant will make arrangements now."

Jia Mei declined and said, "Nephew can bring a second shopkeeper to help."

But Shi Mei said: "Selling and selling must be accompanied by a nursing home, and this trip is a heavy responsibility, and no mistakes are allowed. As for the candidate, you can choose it yourself."

Shi Mei was telling Jia Mei that the manpower was not for supervision, but for his personal safety.

Jia Mei was originally afraid of spending money.At this time, it is not easy to say goodbye.

Jia amnesty and important politicians stayed in Jinling to participate in the autumn. Originally, Shi Mei was still considering whether to go to Beijing in advance, or to wait for Jia amnesty and Jia Zheng to go together.

Don't worry about it now.

The sweet potatoes are harvested in August, which coincides with the time of the Jiashe brothers.

Shi Mei decided to stay in Jinling to try planting sweet potatoes, and return to Beijing together with his brother Qiu Wei.

Mrs. Zhang was just puzzled. She never expected that a few small sweet potatoes would cause such a big reaction from her mother-in-law, and even specially arranged for Jia Mei to go to Fujian for inspection.

Because Zhang was shocked, she just looked at Shi Mei giving orders in such a stupid way, and when Jia Mei went out, she remembered: "Oh, look at my daughter-in-law's brains, she even forgot to write a letter to my senior brother. In this way, Uncle Mei has gone There is also a care."

Shi Mei said: "Tell me that my family sells foreign goods, ask him to take care of it, don't mention anything else."

Shi Mei is not afraid of people competing for success, but she is afraid that painting a tiger will not become a kind of dog.

Mrs. Zhang was stunned for a moment, but she agreed, with doubts in her heart, it's just a little sweet potato, it's not gold or silver, what about it?

But it should be.

No matter how kind the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law are, they are not mothers and daughters, and they cannot speak presumptuously.

Shi Mei glanced at Mrs. Zhang and said, "No one should mention this matter!"

Zhang's heart skipped a beat, couldn't his father mention it too?

She is not Mrs. Wang, she doesn't understand and doesn't talk obtrusively.

Besides, it's not a matter of principle, and I won't be disobedient and just make my mother-in-law angry.

After Mrs. Zhang left, Jia Min walked in briskly, sat down next to Shi Mei, her eyes were full of curiosity: "Mom, what's wrong with that sweet potato?"

Shi Mei smiled: "It's hard to tell now, we'll know when Jia Mei comes back, don't worry, I'll tell you when the time comes."

Jia Min rubbed Shi Mei's arm coquettishly: "Tell me a little bit, otherwise, I won't be able to sleep today!"

Shi Mei was overjoyed by the beautiful and beautiful daughter, and said with a smile: "Okay, really, how old are you, and you still act like a baby like Lian'er?

Let me tell you, don't go out and talk nonsense, I have a hunch that our family will rely on this sweet potato for dinner in the future. "

Jia Min stared at the little star: "Mother, what do you mean?"

"Just as Shennong tasted all kinds of herbs, people have herbal medicines to cure diseases and save lives. People discover cotton and no longer need to endure the cold. If this sweet potato is widely planted, there will be no hungry people in the world."

Jia Min was very surprised: "There are no hungry people in the world? Isn't it, what a credit this is?"

Shi Mei smiled: "I won't say it, you just want to ask, and you don't believe it?"

Jia Min wrinkled her nose: "Are you kidding me?"

Shi Mei scratched her pretty nose: "Don't tell anyone!"

Jia Min said: "Am I that stupid? I definitely won't say it. If it's true, it's a leak of secrets. If it's false, people won't laugh at our family."

Shi Mei smiled knowingly, talking to smart people is not tiring at all.

The next day, Jia Mei set off with twelve carts of silk.

Jia Mei went to Haijiang, and Shi Mei asked Lai Dajinda to go to the farm to inspect the farm, and to solve the farm's winter storage and preparations for next year's spring plowing.

Lai Dajinda didn't know why Jia Mei was sent to Haijiang after returning home. Could it be that Jia Mei's errands were not in line with his wife's wishes and she was sent?

Haijiang is not a good place, there are Japanese pirates and miasma.

The two felt that the wife's ability to send them to inspect the farm was a sign of trust in them, and they dared not be sloppy in the slightest, lest they end up being assigned.

So be more attentive.

Since Jia Mei left, Shi Mei has not been idle. She started to walk around the clan's field, chatting with the tenants in the fields, asking about the cultivation of yam eggs.

Then ask about the planting time of farming.

Although Shimei has never planted land, she also studied farming when she was in school. She probably knows that sweet potatoes belong to vine cuttings, and also knows that sweet potatoes are a little later than potatoes.

She wondered if there was any conflict between growing sweet potatoes and yam eggs.

Furthermore, Shi Mei feels that yam eggs and sweet potatoes are both things that grow in the soil, and the cultivation techniques of the two may have some similarities.

After that, Shi Mei was slapped in the face and gained knowledge.

The yam eggs, which look like potatoes, do not grow in the soil, but grow on vines like pepper tomatoes.

Moreover, the yield of yam eggs is relatively low, and the taste is not satisfactory.

Farmers generally do not cultivate large areas, but only choose barren land and plant a small amount.

It belongs to a crop that is better than nothing.

Then, Shi Mei went to inspect the farms outside the city, and wanted to choose a small farm as a trial planting base.

Then, Shi Mei found out that the twelve elders in the clan knew her every move with a clear understanding.

Fortunately, because these people didn't know what Shi Mei wanted to do, they came to ask in twos and threes.

It was only then that Shi Mei discovered that the farmland of the clan was not suitable as a base for trial planting.

Rongfu's control over its own farm is very weak.

Everything on the farm is almost invisible.

This discovery made Shi Mei feel a little downhearted.

This half month was wasted.

In October, Du Zongyuan was officially hired by Rongfu to give lectures.

In order to dispel everyone's doubts, Shi Mei personally designed the teaching schedule.

Shi Mei does not interfere with the content of the textbooks taught by her husband, but Shi Mei sets up a work and rest time.

According to the modern teaching time, morning classes start at seven o'clock.

There are eight days of classes in ten days and two days of rest.

Take a six-day rest in January.

Compared with other private schools, there are three more days of rest and bathing time.

The reason Shi Mei gave was that the children are still young and their stamina is limited.When they are formally enlightened in the future, they will work and rest according to the time of the Imperial College.

In this regard, Du Zongyuan can do it, and he just used the two-day rest to go out to visit friends and meet people.

On the first holiday in October, Shi Mei personally led Jia Zhu, Jia Lian, Jia Min's aunts and nephews, together with a few accompanying children from the clan, to the farm to hunt.

This day is the ninth day of October.

The children gathered in the front yard of Rongfu, waiting for Shi Mei and Jia Min.

Shi Mei took Jia Min, accompanied by Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Wang to the front yard, and suddenly her eyes lit up.

Good guy, but I saw seven children wearing uniform clothes, all dressed in strong clothes.

Her hair was neatly tidied up and wrapped in a Wusheng scarf.

He wears sheepskin wristbands on his hands, deerskin boots on his feet, leggings on his legs, and a strong leather belt around his waist. A sheepskin water bag and a dagger are hung on the belt.There are bows and arrows on the shoulders and a quiver on the back.

Jia Zhu and Jia Lian also had an extra bag of snacks around their waist.

Seeing this outfit, Shi Mei was immediately delighted: "Who cleaned it up at this time, um, it's pretty good!"

Jin Da’s son, Jin Shan, came out and said: “I’m going to report to my wife, it’s my little preparation. My wife said that I’m going to let the boys have field training, and I bought this outfit for the boys according to the outfit of a scout. Walking in the field is easy, and it doesn’t affect horseback riding and archery. If the wife thinks it’s not good, I’ll modify it for the young man!”

Shi Mei smiled and said: "This body is good, you did a good job, wait until the cashier to receive the reward!"

Shi Mei saw that the young man spoke clearly and handled things quickly, so she asked, "What's your name, and where do you work?"

Jin Shan said: "My name is Jin Shan, and I am in charge of the gate control of the mansion. I am also ordered by my uncle to accompany the two young masters to ride horses and shoot arrows, and practice boxing and martial arts."

Nanny Lai said at this time: "My wife doesn't know him. He is Jin Da's son. He is the one who takes care of the boys in the mansion. His wife takes care of the laundry room for you. There is a boy who has been in charge for a few years." Four years old, just got a girl in August. Last month, Jinda gave you a red egg, and you even rewarded the child with a golden lock of longevity!"

Shi Mei remembered: "It's a blessing to have both sons and daughters!"

This kid is the leader of the Rongguo Mansion's nursing home, in charge of the security of the Rongguo Mansion.

Jin Da is a scout trained on the battlefield, and his son's martial arts is probably not bad.

Shi Mei said: "Since you are the one who leads the children to practice martial arts and swords, and you don't want to bother the two masters, the safety of the children's field hunting this time will be more difficult for you."

Shi Mei looked back at the seven children: "Are you all happy to go hunting?"

All seven said: "Happy!"

Shi Mei said: "Don't be too busy to be happy. This time the field hunting is different from the past. This time we will conduct field survival training."

Jia Lian's eyes lit up: "Grandma, what is field survival training?"

Shi Mei said: "We are not allowed to bring dry food. Let's go to the wild to find what to eat. If we hunt rabbits, we will eat meat, if we hunt wild fruits, we will be vegetarians. If we can't find anything, we will starve. Now we all know, who? Afraid of suffering, quit now, and grandma won't blame me!"

When the seven children heard this, they found it very interesting, and none of them flinched.

And so on, until Dongyue.

Shi Mei took the children on five field hunts.

Those prying eyes disappeared.

Everyone lost interest in Shimei, and suddenly realized that it turned out that they were bored of staying at home and just went out for a walk to relieve boredom!