Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 279, Section 278: Skin and Bones
There was no farming during the Qin Dynasty.

Asking her to instruct an experienced farmer is bound to be presumptuous and impractical.

But that's okay. Farming techniques have only just started to improve. Even if it's just theoretical, as long as she gathers enough information, she can still make progress.

For example, books like "Farmers' Sayings" from the Ming and Qing dynasties suggested planting on hillsides during Grain Rain and planting in river bends during the Beginning of Summer. Although we no longer have the 24 solar terms, we can still explore the planting climate.

The *tu*, used in the Tang and Song dynasties to improve seed germination rates.

The methods of seed selection, seed preservation, seed storage, and thinning in the Wei-Jin period text "Qimin Yaoshu".

If that doesn't work, there's the Han Dynasty's "Fan Shengzhi's Book," which not only contains the earliest method of fertilizing and mixing seeds with pesticides ("sowing method"), but also methods such as millet-wheat rotation, intercropping, and relay cropping...

As for the crucial agricultural implements such as seed drills, hoes, and curved plows, they are now stored in the Imperial Treasury's warehouse.

Looking at her notes, she was now very much looking forward to the conversation that was about to begin.

Before long, the Minister of Agriculture stepped aside, while the common people entered the hall trembling with fear.

……

They looked very old.

This "old" doesn't refer to age—the oldest person is only under fifty, and most are in their early thirties.

Their hair was messy, haphazardly cut short, and had irregular buns on their heads. The hair strands were gray and white, dry, coarse, and utterly unattractive.

what?
You asked, "Our bodies, hair, and skin are given to us by our parents, and we dare not damage them"?
The common people are not qualified to observe such etiquette. Even nobles, officials, and scholars would not allow them to participate in major sacrificial rites.

From birth, they only need to do one thing: survive.

Qin Shi looked over and saw that they had dark skin, red cheeks, and even thick, unsightly chapped skin on their faces.

They were all thin, some tall and some short, but all somewhat hunched over – this was due to years of heavy physical labor and inadequate nutrition.

Not to mention the high cheekbones, the thick knuckles, and the black, grimy nails that are never clean and sometimes even show signs of breakage...

Not only was he old, but he was also emaciated.

From Qin Shi's perspective, the emaciated disaster victims deliberately selected in later TV dramas are all more rounded and plump than they were.

And this group consisted of the most skilled farmers, recruited from various regions by the Director of Agriculture.

Indeed, there is no idle land under heaven, and farmers are still starving to death.

She smiled, her expression incredibly gentle:

"I've come all this way to invite you gentlemen because I have a farm there, and I want to try a method to increase the millet yield by two bushels. You don't need to worry about your homes being unattended; you can work on the farm for a year, and if it doesn't work, you'll still receive a monthly allowance of millet."

"If it succeeds, you will take these excellent millet seeds and planting methods back to your hometowns and teach them to the local villages and counties."

The official in charge of grain management opened his mouth, then closed it again.

It seems rather inappropriate for a queen to make such a serious promise to these common people for a mere few bushels of grain.

but……

He watched quietly again. The queen didn't mention her Kunlun secret method, nor did she say anything exaggerated about yielding a thousand catties per mu. Instead, she simply and even conservatively said that each mu would yield two more dou...

Is this a coincidence or intentional?

For these people who have spent their entire lives working the land, they know the nature of the fields all too well.

If you say that the yield is a thousand bushels of millet per mu, they themselves will not believe it.

But if it's said that each acre yields two more bushels—these noble people are so capable and knowledgeable, could it really be that they have such a method? Plus, with no worries about their families, these simple words immediately put their minds at ease!
In fact, Qin Shi was simply putting himself in Qin Shi's shoes.

Regardless of class, era, or background, the demands of working people around the world are nothing more than the same old truths: in later generations, people talk about money; now, they talk about food.

As for why only two or three bushels were mentioned...

If the pie in the sky is too big or too round, the probability of being scammed is much higher than the probability of hitting the jackpot, making it difficult to gain people's trust.

This is especially true for farmers at the bottom of society.

Sure enough, the common people boldly raised their heads and involuntarily looked at the people around them, clearly also deeply moved.

Qin Shi did not urge them, but waited quietly for a while before saying, "It has not been easy to be separated for a year, so if you are willing, you may bring your wives and children with you."

"If you don't want to, you can still take two bushels of millet home."

The governor of the grain administration opened his mouth, thinking to himself that the common people were not well-versed in etiquette and had always been more afraid of authority than of virtue. If local officials were to be even slightly weak in their governance, they would probably be taken advantage of.

The queen can give an order at any time. Why should we treat them with respect and courtesy?
But with a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind, and seeing the two chief secretaries beside the queen looking indifferently, unmoved by anything, he fell silent again.

Qin Shi, seeing this from above, also sighed slightly.

Officials each have their own stances, and King Heng of Qin had many class enemies.

Meanwhile, the large group of commoners below the steps were filled with apprehension for the queen's kindness—they didn't want to work for the nobleman, they just wanted to return to their hometown as soon as possible!
but……

Even the most honest commoner knows that one cannot disobey a noble person.

After a long silence, someone finally bowed respectfully, trembling with fear.

"Your Majesty, I have no wife or children, only a widowed mother at home. May I bring her along?"

They traveled by Guanzhong warship, which was both stable and fast. Apart from some seasickness, it was the most comfortable journey they had ever had.

The fact that they were willing to send out warships just to summon them shows that the matter of the noble race must be very important, so how could they easily let them go?
It would be better to bring Mother along. Whether the mother and daughter live or die, at least we won't have to worry about them like we did when they were conscripted to the battlefield.

People have a herd mentality; once someone starts something, others will naturally follow.

With this person taking the lead, the rest of the group eventually agreed.

Aside from their fear of powerful figures, the real reason was that even when they returned to their hometowns, after paying their taxes, there wasn't a single grain of millet left in their homes!

Since that's the case, I might as well just stay at the noble manor and make a living for myself, one more day at a time.

Qin Shi didn't care what they thought—she had made a promise, and she would keep it. The other party wouldn't dare, and she didn't have the time to painstakingly gain their trust.

You'll understand once you've lived on the farm for a while.

As for whether reluctance will lead to inefficiency...

As a farmer, even if you are unwilling, when you stand in the field and see the crops, you will definitely not be willing to ruin them.

In this world, it's not just gentlemen who can be deceived by their principles.

She smiled and agreed: "Those whose parents have no one to take care of them can also be brought along—Chi Nu, you should arrange for the official to discuss and prepare for this matter with the Inner Historian."

More people mean more mouths to feed, but nowadays no one is idle! Since Your Majesty says the estate is vast, one more person or one less person makes no difference at all.

While the young woman lacked experience dealing with court officials, she was exceptionally confident in how to appease and manage these commoners who shared her background.
"promise."

　I'm here! Sorry for the long wait.

　　(End of this chapter)