"When did Zixuan come?"

Standing in the field, Shi Yiwen smiled at Zhang Jingxiu and said, "This is a rare guest."

“Just arrived,”

After answering, Zhang Jingxiu also walked into the field. Looking at the cotton seedlings in the field, he said in confusion.

"Zhiyuan, I think the cotton seedlings here seem to be different from those in other places."

"It's really different. These cottons are onshore cotton I brought from overseas. They are native to...well, there are tens of thousands of miles away from the other side of the ocean. They have long fibers and large output."

Shi Yiwen explained with a smile that most of the domestic planted cotton and grass cotton in this era were native to India or the Middle East. Their yield was small and their fibers were short. Upland cotton represented by "American cotton" was not introduced to China until the late Qing Dynasty. It was not until the 1950s and 1960s that they completely replaced tree cotton and grass cotton.

"Oh, Zhiyuan, it seems that you have brought a lot of good things from overseas, just like the chili you ate here earlier, it was fresh, but it was a little too spicy."

Until now, Zhang Jingxiu still remembers the experience of being so hot that he almost shed tears when he was eating here earlier.

"The spicy taste is important. When it's winter, it feels like... Well, when it's winter, I'll invite you to have authentic ones..."

Sichuan hot pot...at least there shouldn't be chili yet. However, there are base ingredients in the supermarket and carefully cooked base soup, the taste should be less than that when you make it.

"Then I'll have a good time then."

Zhang Jingxiu said with a smile.

I was bored in the fields, so the two walked south along the stone road leading to Zhangjiawan at the entrance of the village. The two walked and chatted.

"Last time you said you wanted to let the people in the north get the benefits of cotton spinning, and I have always had a question in my mind."

"Hmm? You said."

"That is, if all the people in the north change to grow cotton, where will the food come from then on? After all, the food is cheap and the flowers are expensive, and the people seek profit, so they will naturally be willing to grow cotton."

“Is it possible to have all cotton planting?”

Shi Yiwen asked back.

"Why is it impossible? Jiangnan now has something about "mung rice fighting for fields" and "flower rice fighting for fields". I heard that in Jiangnan, most people change to plant mulberry cotton. After all, the income from spinning mulberry cotton is much higher than that of growing grain. Even if the imperial court collects rice as tax and buys rice and pays it, his personal income is much higher than that of growing rice."

“Stock supply and demand…”

Shi Yiwen explained casually.

"If the same acre of land is higher than the income from growing economic crops, then people will naturally turn to growing economic crops. However, market demand is always constantly adjusting. Now flowers are expensive and food is low, so people are willing to grow flowers, but if the food is expensive, they are naturally willing to grow food. Moreover, even in Jiangnan, is there a family who is so bold that they change their fields into mulberry fields?"

Turning back and looking at his own Zhuangzi, Shi Yiwen said.

"Just like my farm, in order to let them grow all cotton and cultivate good varieties, I have worked hard to get them to agree that farmers are generally conservative and stable. No matter what they do, they will leave food fields. Even if cotton is making money... cotton cannot be eaten, so they have to keep food. If I didn't supply them with 400 kilograms per person, the fields in the farm, although they are my fields, wouldn't be willing to plant all cotton."

Looking up at a cotton field in front of him, Shi Yiwen said.

"You see, after leaving the farm, we went so far, there were only a few households who planted cotton. These cottons were all underwritten in the factory, and even in advance. But even so, each household only planted one or two acres, at most two or three acres. Even if they did, they knew that growing too much cotton was not only worth it, but they couldn't even eat.

"Is this the same thing as the low grain after the harvest hurting farmers?"

"It's different. After a bumper harvest, the grain is low and the farmers are injured. No matter how much they are injured, the food can always be eaten and will not be hungry. But if the silkworm cocoons and cotton can't be sold, it's cheaper and can't be exchanged for much food, it will starve people to death! Who dares to take the life of a family?"

After a smile, Shi Yiwen mentioned Jiangnan again.

"Jiangnan... Jiangnan is not only a billion mu of arable land. If one mulberry and silkworm farming is more than a dozen taels, it is more than ten times more than rice planting. But have the people used all the land to plant mulberry trees? In the end, there will be food fields left."

It is true that people pursue profits, but they are not idiots.

"I understand."

Nodding, Zhang Jingxiu did not continue to ask this question. Then they continued to walk along the official road while chatting. Just as the two were about to return to the village, the scene ahead attracted Shi Yiwen's gaze. On the official road, several people in ragged clothes were dragging their children's hands and sticking wooden sticks, and walked blankly towards the direction of the city. Under the willow trees on the side of the road, there were several people with pale faces and skinny faces.

This is the first time Shi Yiwen has seen - a refugee.

Although it has been more than a year since this era, Shi Yiwen has never seen the legendary "refugees". Perhaps it is because of the environment that he has not been able to contact them.

"I don't know where there is another disaster."

Zhang Jingxiu said softly, with a hint of pity in his eyebrows. He took the initiative to go forward and gave alms to a few copper coins.

Following him, Shi Yiwen asked a little, and as Zhang Jingxiu said, they were all people who were forced to come out to beg for survival because of severe drought at home.

Seeing Shi Yiwen and the others stopping, a group of ragged victims immediately surrounded him.

"Young Master, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

As begging, when he took out some copper coins to give alms, a woman holding two children in her hand pushed the little girl to her and bowed repeatedly.

"Young master, you are a good family at first glance. My daughter is only eight years old and very sensible. She will definitely starve to death with me. I will only save you and be kind, buy her home, be a maid, and give her a way out..."

The little girl pushed in front of her was frightened in her big eyes. Her black little hand tightly grasped the woman's hand, looked back nervously at her, and said timidly.

"mother……"

The girl's voice was not loud, but as soon as she opened her mouth, tears flowed down her both of them.

"Xi'er, don't blame me for being cruel. If you don't do this, my mother and I will starve to death..."

This scene in front of him made Shi Yiwen's heart tight. Although he had seen the four words "selling sons and daughters" countless times in the book, he never expected that this scene would appear in front of him.

Looking at the poor mother and daughter, watching the woman thrust, she pulled her daughter to kneel down and kowtow to him:

"Young Master, you have bought my daughter. She is young, eats little, and works well. She only asks you to be kind to your son and give us three ways to live..."

Seeing the woman kneeling on the ground and kowtowed and begging, he was touched by his heart. Just when he was about to get the silver, he saw the beggars nearby flashing in the eyes of the beggars.

Even if the money is given to this woman, she may not be able to be kept. What if it is robbed? This person was not saved, but instead harmed him.

After pondering for a moment, Shi Yiwen slowly squatted in front of the little girl and reached out to support her little hand.

"You two mothers and mothers are up. I don't have enough girls at home, but I still have a cook who cooks food in my factory. Although it's harder, you can have enough food and clothing for all your mothers. Are you willing to go?"
Chapter completed!