I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 360 Capitalist Quotes
Tang Zhao purchased 300,000 taels of tea seedlings from the four major families at a high price of 20 wen per seedling.

"When you're out in the world, you're bound to get ripped off," Tang Zhao thought, her heart aching. She earnestly instructed, "It must be delivered before three months!"

The shopkeeper of the Yang family smiled, his face full of wrinkles. "Your Highness, rest assured, the four families will deliver the seedlings to your door on schedule." After saying this, he bowed deeply before taking the contract and leaving by boat.

Gu Ci comforted him, "Zhao Hui found a hot spring near the farm. How about we go soak in it and relax?"

Tang Zhao was heartbroken and devastated. "I won't go. My tea plantation isn't finished yet."

"I've always wanted to ask, why did you have people make ridges on the slope?"

"Preventing soil erosion," Tang Zhao said, his fighting spirit rising again when talking about the tea garden. "Minzhou is rainy, and the soil on the slopes is severely eroded. The red soil is already low in fertility, and with this erosion, it has even less fertility. So you see, no one plants tea trees on the slopes."

"I have people dig ditches and ridges along the contour lines, which can effectively intercept water and soil and also has a drainage effect. After the ditches and ridges are completed, farmyard manure is applied to improve the soil fertility, which will greatly increase the tea yield."

By then, she will be able to take control of tea administration in Jiangnan and even Chongqing!
Gu Ci warned, "The four major tea companies might tamper with the tea seedlings."

It's a given that they'd tamper with things; otherwise, they'd be letting down Tang Zhao for the dirty tricks he'd played on them before.

But so what? Would they still dare to give her rotten tea seedlings?

As long as the tea seedlings can grow into tea trees and produce tea smoothly, Tang Zhao is confident in taking the lead in tea administration.

After all, she relied not on the quality of the tea leaves, but on the tea-making techniques that had been refined over thousands of years.

Even the lowest quality tea could be exported overseas by Tang Zhao!

With a sense of relief, Tang Zhao spurred his horse and galloped off towards the farm like an arrow.

Gu Ci lagged behind by half a horse length, closely guarding Tang Zhao's back.

Tang Zhao returned to the farm and, as usual, first toured the entire farm, offering pointers and supervising what was happening. Seeing that the workers were doing things exactly as she had planned, she was even happier and waved her hand, saying, "We're having a pork stew for lunch today, all you can eat!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!" The workers were overjoyed and, despite being covered in sweat, worked even harder.

Time flies, and before we knew it, it was the 27th of the twelfth lunar month. After lunch, the workers were about to go back to their thatched huts for a nap when Foreman Ge rushed over to announce, "No work this afternoon!"

"Why?" the workers asked hastily. Was it that Her Highness was going to fire them?

"What else could it be?" Steward Ge glared at this blockhead. "Today is the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, and there are only three days left until the New Year. Shouldn't you all go home to buy New Year's goods and have a proper New Year?"

"With wives busy at home, there's no need for us," the workers complained. "One hundred coins a day, that's fifty coins for half a day, and we can't bear to spend that!"
Manager Ge knew exactly what they were thinking. "Don't worry, Her Highness the Princess said that this afternoon is a paid holiday. No work is required, but you'll still get paid!"

The workers were all dumbfounded. "Manager, you're not kidding us, are you? Is there really such a good thing in the world?"

"Hmph!" Manager Ge turned and left with his hands behind his back. "Believe it or not! I've already notified everyone. If you want to work, then keep working!"

"They're distributing wages and New Year's goods at the manor. If you're late, you won't get any, so don't blame me!"

Upon hearing this, the workers dared not delay any longer and ran towards the manor!
"Ouch!" Steward Ge was knocked off his feet by a young boy. After finally regaining his balance, he shouted angrily, "Put your clothes on properly! You dare to offend Her Highness the Princess? You'll regret this!" However, no one paid him any attention.

An angry Steward Ge: They still need to be properly trained!
At the entrance of the manor, a large number of workers had already gathered, and the personal guards of the Protector General's Mansion were maintaining order.

"Line up properly and put your clothes on! Anyone who dares to push or shove will face consequences!"

After working on the farm for half a month, the workers had developed a good habit of queuing. Upon hearing this, they quickly and neatly stood up, craning their necks and trying to see into the farm.

At the front of the line, Chunfeng took out an account book and called out a name, "Tian Qi".

"Hey!" A man in his thirties stepped forward, head down, not daring to look around.

"Work for fifteen days, the wages are 1,500 cash. If you are diligent and hardworking during the work period, you will be rewarded with 500 cash. The total is two taels of silver."

Tang Zhao personally handed him a two-tael silver ingot, saying, "Go to the Prince and collect your New Year's gifts."

"Hey, hey!" The man, feeling dizzy, took the silver and walked unsteadily to Gu Ci. Gu Ci pointed to a pile on the right, "One pound of pork, ten pounds of rice, ten pounds of wheat, ten pounds of soybean oil, and a set of bowls and chopsticks."

"So much?!" The man stammered, "I...I can't carry all of this by myself!"

"Go home and bring a few more people with you. Don't worry, your name is on all these things, they won't get lost."

"Hey!" The man carefully put the silver in his hand away, bent down, picked up the rice on his back, and hurriedly ran home with the pork in his arms.

"Tian San!" Qiu Yu called out from the other team, "Where's Tian San?"

"Here I am!" Tian San, who had just been watching Tian Qi receive his New Year's gifts, stepped forward with a fawning smile and said, "Hello, young lady!"

Qiu Yu said coldly, "You'll work for fifteen days and earn 1,500 coins. But given how you've been slacking off and shirking your duties lately, take this pay and don't come back after the New Year."

As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, Tian San's face instantly turned deathly pale. "Miss!"

Ignoring Qiu Yu, he took out a one-tael silver ingot and a string of five hundred copper coins, stuffed them into his hand, and then waved him away.

Tian San refused to leave. He stubbornly stayed where he was, as if rooted to the spot, and tugged at Qiu Yu's skirt, pleading, "Girl, please give me another chance. I will definitely correct my mistakes and work hard!"

Qiu Yu frowned and pulled her dress back. "Correct? In the past two weeks, the squad leader in charge of supervising your team has warned you no less than three times. When have you listened?"

"If it weren't for the princess's kindness and desire for you to have a bountiful New Year, she would have kicked you out of the manor long ago and sent you to starve!"

Tian San's hands, which were clutching Qiu Yu's skirt, were forcibly pried open by the guards. His feet left two marks on the ground as he shouted, "Your Highness! Please give me another chance! I promise I won't be lazy again, Your Highness!"

Seeing this, the men behind Tian San trembled with fear, remembering what they had done over the past two weeks.

Tang Zhao suspended the payment of wages, letting the workers watch and imprinting Tian San's miserable state deeply into their minds, and said, "I am lenient towards my subordinates, but that does not mean I will indulge them indefinitely."

"Minzhou may not have much else, but there are countless people who want to make money," Tang Zhao said, quoting the famous capitalist saying, "If you don't do it, there are plenty of others who are willing to!"