Chapter 173 Handling the Food Problems Was the Fundamental Principle
A large number of refugees poured into the Jin City from the Qi Kingdom. If things continued and the food problem could not be solved timely, the Jin City would be in chaos in the future. Xu Linghe was badly bogged down on this issue. He called the ministers to discuss countermeasures, but could not yield any substantial progress. The old ministers all complained that they should not receive so many refugees. But as the governor, Xu Linghe had his own inevitable difficulties. Xu Linghe could bring himself to do nothing to save the refugees from ruin. In order to solve the current predicament, Zhan Ming led the old man to investigate some states and counties, and test the soil in the small areas around those places. Xu Linghe went up the mountains to plant orange trees himself. Yan Wu was just a soul time-traveling from the future, so he was quite satisfied to enjoy the sunshine again. He walked through the country lanes, passed through the rivers, enjoyed the cool breeze among mountains, and breathed the fresh air. His heart became clear suddenly. At that moment, he would like to express his sincere thanks to Xu Linghe, without whom he was just a soul. Yan Wu followed Xu Linghe closely. The two went all the way. Yan Wu did want to give a hand to Xu Linghe to help his benefactors overcome the current predicament.

“What are you thinking about?” The man’s eyes focused, which aroused Yan Wu’s curiosity.

“Is the future as is showed in the chip?”

“The chip only showed a part of the future. In the future, science and technology are so unimaginably powerful.” Yan Wu looked in the distance.

“I really want to see the world you said.”

Xu Linghe was more curious about the things in the chip.

“In that world, you will be like an antique and put in the museum.” Yan Wu did not scare Xu Linghe. Although science and technology could bring changes to the human being, some things would be destroyed faster.

“Can it yield ten loads of rice per unit area?” In the picture, the fields were full of grains in heavy and strong clusters. The full spikes of rice were crystal clear. Xu Linghe could even smell the fragrance of rice.

“In the 21st century, there are also beggars, just like the refugees in the Jin City. They also had to flee from famine. In order to solve the food problem, our government also made great efforts. But things would not go as people wished. Natural calamities are rampant, and not a single grain was reaped.”

“Even if the fields are laden with grains, there still are people getting away from hunger.” Xu Linghe wanted to know more about the unknown world.

“Suffered from natural disasters, people could not have enough food to eat. But many people tried to find way out. Some technical talents emerged out of common people. And among them, the most remarkable was the person named Yuan. His hybridization technique was well-known to the world.”

“Yuan had the breeding technique?” Xu Linghe wanted to know more details. If he could grasp the technique, the refugee’s problem would be solved easily.

“Although I am not an expert, I know some about it.” Yan Wu said. Xu Linghe listened attentively just like a child learning new things.

“To grow seedlings, we must find out a sterile male plant and cultivate a group of male plants of infertility. The stamens will become vestigial, while the pistils are normal. And the plant is usually called ‘initial female plant’.”

“Then, find a special rice variety as a male plant and pollinate the female plant to reproduce more. And these reproductions all remain the characteristics of male sterility, which is called ‘maintainer line’. With the line, the sterile line can keep reproducing.”

“Finally, we also need to find a rice variety to hybridize with the male sterile maintainer, so the crossing plants can regain reproductive ability, which is called ‘restorer line’. With the line, we can produce hybrid seeds in large numbers. It is the process to grow seedlings. Then, we still have to pick up the outstanding seeds to grow seedlings. The rice in the chip is crystal clear because it has been screened out carefully.” Xu Linghe’s feelings changed from surprise to amazement. The Heavenly did bless the Jin city, and he could get such an extraordinary talent. Xu Linghe was full of excitement and admiration for Yan Wu. If Yan Wu knew that the formidable man in front showed great admiration to him, would Yan Wu burst into tears with joy?

“If we start breeding in the early spring, we can get the biggest crop in the second half-year.” Xu Linghe was looking forward to the future.

“This is not a general seedling. It is very complicated. Only one trial can be successful out of thousands of trials.” Yan Wu talked about breeding difficulty. It was harder than in the imagination. How could the ancients know it?

The two returned to the residence along the mountain road. Zhan Ming had been waiting for them anxiously, so he came to greet his master from the distance.

“Wash your hands and take the meal.” The old man took the washing hand water to them. But young men were full of energy indeed who were still vigorous after walking miles of mountainous roads. Yan Wu was hungry already, and finally knew how terrible the hunger was after having his physical body. Zhan Ming followed the old man to two counties and made feasible investigations to the mountainous forests. They made pictures to demonstrate the climate changes and rainfall, as they planned to take advantage of the local land to plant seedlings. Local dishes of the Long county were served for supper. Yan Wu was quite excited, because he could finally enjoy the food as the 21st century, red oil cold noodle. Besides, there were honey zongzis made by honey and self-made corn flour with chili oil and pickled vegetables. It tasted sweet and sticky with a unique flavor.

“Are you also a traverser?” Yan Wu could not help asking the old man. Otherwise, how could the old man make the food with the same flavor as the food in the future?

“Traverser? I do have trousers!”

The old man showed his clothes and was confused by the young man’s question. Yan Wu jerked his mouth and thought that the old man did not come from the future. Xu Linghe certainly understood Yan Wu’s question and knew that everything was possible in the immortal and devil realms. As a person coming from the south, Zhan Ming did not stomach the food in the Long County, so he ate little, let alone those spicy and sour food. Xu Linghe had some worries in his heart, so he did not have any appetite. The old man could not bear to see that, so he took a rice zongzi and put some local honey on it. It was really a good choice that could help digestion.

“It is the food of the future, and people will eat them every day.” Yan Wu took one more bowl. It was sweet and spicy. It had been the hour of rat when they finished the meal.

They got up early. Today’s task was rather arduous. Xu Linghe came to the village and gathered strong and young men. All the villagers came to the gate of the village to wait for the official early on the news that an official would come to the village. The village head was quite hospitable. Zhan Ming recognized the village heat at first glance. Wasn’t he the head of the Xitou Village? Why did he appear here? Zhan Ming was puzzled. On the other hand, the village head himself did not expect it, and he left the Xitou Village for the fear that he might be killed as he once had some links with Yan Bo.

“I didn’t expect that it is you, Your Excellency!” The village head said respectfully. But Xu Linghe was wary of him, because the village head got close to the traitor.

“Are you the village head?” Xu Linghe cast a cold glance and scared the village head to take several steps back. The village head regretted having gone over to Yan Bo’s side, as he had planned to get something beneficial out of it. But to his surprise, Yan Bo died early. And the village head had no choice but to find another way out. However, he did not expect that he would encounter Xu Linghe one day, so the village head had the crust to face them.

“Gather all the able-bodied men in the village.” Xu Linghe ordered. The village head retreated in a hurry. Within the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, all the young and strong men flooded to the end of the village. The village head stuck his big belly out and walked there with something of a swagger.

“Have you still remembered this person?”

“We’ve seen in the Martial Club before.” Zhan Ming would not certainly forget him. This person was quite familiar with Yan Bo and Mentor Jie.

“He should behave himself well.” Xu Linghe cast a glance at the village head as a warning.

“How many vacant farmlands? Report the real number.”

The old man began accounting the lands to know it well. It was the first time the villagers had met such serious officials. So they all answered the questions carefully. The more Xu Linghe listened, the more he fawned. There was little fertile farmland in this huge village, and the young and strong labor forces had nothing to do. With the on-the-spot investigations these days, Xu Linghe found that the forest and mountain lands had been deserted for a long time. It could not go on. How could it provide enough food for a large number of people from limited land?

“Zhan Ming, inform the villagers about the situation.”

“Yes.”

Yan Wu came from the 21st century, and he had seen remote and backward places. But it was the first time for him to see such a poorest village

“Take the farm tools to the mountain, and each household can get one taels of silver.” The villagers went home quickly to take the hoes at the words of taels of silver. The village head murmured, trying to figure out the big shot’s intention. It was a grand sight when a mass of people flooded in. On the empty land of the top of the mountain, Zhan Ming took the measuring gauge, and Yan Wu took the lime. The ground was lined with the lime and divided with a distance required by the old man. The crowds were very spectacular and came to the open space on the top of the mountain. The white spaces were made in order according to the old man’s requirements. However, the villagers were confused and tried to ask, but were scared back by the village head. Zhan Ming began calling over names household by household. The villagers received the taels of silver per head, and they were wild with joy. When knowing that they could have their own land, they cried with happiness. No one had ever expected that the system of public ownership would be changed into a private one. Yan Wu did not expect it, either. In ancient times, such an advanced system could be put forward. He thought the governor of the Jin city was really amazing. The old man taught them in person. Don’t overfeed the seedling, and the distance between the saplings should be kept two feet. Besides, don’t apply fertilizer to the seedling roots, otherwise, they would be rotten. The old man also used the dead leaves, which greatly improved the survival rate. The villagers studied it carefully. It was the first to study so attentively. Zhan Ming carried the orange seedlings and assigned them. The villagers became more active after owning their land. They worked ahead at full steam, planting or watering. The old man busied himself with teaching more people. He even taught the villagers how to transplant and grow seedlings. Yan Wu was rather surprised at the old man’s ability, because they should be the technique in the 21st century. How could the old man know it? The villagers were originally rough fellows, but the old man instructed them with great patience. When it was time to have supper, the mountains were covered with lush green seedlings everywhere they saw. The villagers carried the farm tools back, and they had been exhausted after working all day long. But the old man was still full of energy and did not come back to the residence till it was dark. Yan Wu prepared the supper. The dog swayed when seeing the old man. Yan Wu threw a steamed bun to it.

“Your Excellency?” The village head entered the courtyard.

“Village head.” Yan Wu greeted him. It seemed that the village head came to find Xu Linghe for certain things. Yan Wu entered the room, followed by the village head.

“Villagers have prepared some local dishes. Your Excellency, please try them.” A great clamor rang from the courtyard. The dog barked at the strangers. The old man’s shout scared the dog to hide immediately. Villagers squeezed into the door. A day’s work had battered everybody, and Zhan Ming had been exhausted. But it could not block their passions. Xu Linghe was surrounded by the villagers, and he could not refuse their kindness, so they walked out of the courtyard together. Yan Wu had planned to show his ability, but was disturbed by the villagers.

“Your Excellency is coming.” A woman prepared the bowls and chopsticks. The dishes smelt delicious on the fire. Villagers lit up the bonfire and set up a simple tent. The main seat was covered with cushions. Xu Linghe was invited to the main seat. The woman served the dishes well. Yan Wu’s stomach was groaning for food, so he took up the chopsticks to enjoy the dishes. The dishes looked simple but tasted delicious. The luscious sweet potatoes were steamed well, and fried in the cover of rice grains. They were golden and crispy. Yan Wu ate five ones in a row. The village woman was rather happy to see that, and served a small dish of fennel beans. Yan Wu even could not put down his chopsticks. It was also the first time for Xu Linghe to taste the food of the mountainous areas. It did have a distinctive flavor.

Knowing the identity of Xu Linghe, the village head became more assiduous, hoping Xu Linghe to let go of him. The villagers danced around the campfire. Xu Linghe was in high spirits. These simple people expressed their gratitude in their own way. Young men and women danced with bamboo poles. The bamboo swayed up and down, and the girls danced lightly and gracefully. Their shoes flashed in the bonfire, and their skirts drew beautiful arc lines in the air. Even the coldness in winter could not withdraw the young people’s enthusiasm. An old artist blew Hulusi, with a mixed feeling of mildness and sorrow. The scene also attracted Yan Wu, so he joined them to sing and dance, though his performance was somewhat incompatible with the graceful dance. The crowds were seethed with excitement. Women, men, children, as well as the old women who took off the apron, joined the party together. Joyful sounds filled the night sky. Perhaps people forgot temporarily the sorrow brought by the war. Even the village head was pulled into the dancing party. His chubby body looked a bit clumsy.