Chapter 211: Chapter 144: Idea to Modify the Clan Tree; Results of the Wilderness Rice
During this ti, the two hundred or so newcors had adapted to and co to understand the rules of Cheng Family Village.
Life in the village continued on track, and with the addition of the newcors, its developnt beca all the more bustling and rapid.
With hope for the future, everyone was full of drive, working hard for a better tomorrow and cherishing this hard-won life.
That night, after finishing his work, Cheng Zongyang took a topographical map he had designed and entered the Wilderness World.
He needed Ma San and the others in the Wilderness World to help him run a sand table simulation.
He couldn’t possibly tell the people of Cheng Family Village where the Geomagnetic Stones would be placed. Only a few of his elders could know.
With sothing like this, the fewer people who knew, the better.
Therefore, he needed Ma San and the others to help him with the layout and offer suggestions.
The fish pond in his Wilderness World territory wasn’t finished yet. After all, it was quite large, and stabilizing the soil would still take so ti.
After Ma San and the others used the soil they had gathered to create a model of Cheng Family Village, Cheng Zongyang began to mark the intended locations for the Geomagnetic Stones and said,
"My idea is to use these Geomagnetic Stones to stop outsiders from using the roads to enter Cheng Family Village’s territory.
"Therefore, I plan to place Geomagnetic Stones along the outer edge of Cheng Family Village’s territory, on obvious mountain paths, and across flat terrain, leaving only the steep and dangerous routes untouched.
"The goal is to form a protective barrier, but the area is large, and we need to leave room for farmland, livestock pens, and so on. What do you think? Are there any problems with this layout? Feel free to share your own ideas."
After he finished, the group stared at the sand table on the ground, deep in thought.
Cheng Zongyang didn’t rush them; he wanted to crowdsource their wisdom. Once they reached a general consensus, he could simply report back to his elders.
After a mont, Han Mo spoke first. Pointing to the eastern region on the sand table, which was the direction leading deeper into the Inner Mountain, he asked,
"My Lord, the areas you’ve left open are almost all in the region leading from Cheng Family Village toward the Inner Mountain. Aren’t you worried that people could enter the mountains from another direction and take a detour to get here?"
Cheng Zongyang nodded. "I’ve explored parts of the deeper Inner Mountain. It’s almost entirely treacherous climbing paths, so it’s highly unlikely anyone would approach from that direction. Besides, our own villagers still go into the mountains to hunt, so we naturally have to keep their paths clear."
Emperor Huang said, "But that ans the total protected area will be huge. There are countless paths into the mountains; people can always find a way around. Do you have enough Geomagnetic Stones for that? My idea is to completely surround the village and strictly inspect everyone coming in or out. As long as they wear items made of Stone Hide, they won’t be affected. This would also protect the village from Fierce Beasts. The farmland isn’t that important; we can just have people patrol it."
Ma San shook his head. "That would be too restrictive. According to the Lord’s map, the area is massive. The number of Geomagnetic Stones might not be enough."
Luo Zheng nodded in agreent. "Exactly. Walling it off is not feasible, and it would restrict the villagers’ freedom to enter the mountains. My thinking is the sa as the Lord’s: a targeted deploynt. We should focus on the paths used to enter and exit the mountains, and we won’t have to worry about outsiders taking detours.
"Besides, the mountains are teeming with venomous insects and snakes. Countless people who venture into the Inner Mountain die from them. Even a Martial Artist, if struck, would die full of regret without an ergency antidote!
"The Lord has Seven Herbs Powder, so our villagers aren’t worried about that, and they don’t wander far from the Inner Mountain paths anyway. If a truly powerful expert were to co, the Geomagnetic Stones would likely have a limited effect on them."
"..."
Cheng Zongyang listened with great interest as they all presented their ideas and refuted each other’s points.
They all made very reasonable points.
In the end, after much discussion, they ca to a conclusion that was largely the sa as Cheng Zongyang’s but much more thorough.
Their plan was a twofold approach: targeted deploynt and deterrence.
The first part involved placing Geomagnetic Stones on the easiest routes leading to Cheng Family Village, then gathering venomous creatures to place in areas where the stones couldn’t be set. The second part involved scattering animal and human skeletons in certain areas.
This would signal to people that the area ahead was dangerous and to stay away. Even if they tried to take a detour, they would run into nests of venomous creatures.
In the end, Cheng Zongyang decided to adopt the plan they had devised together.
Once that matter was settled, Li Xingyun spoke up. "My Lord, the Wilderness Rice can be harvested tomorrow. Are you sure you don’t want to help out yourself?"
Hearing this, Cheng Zongyang smiled. "You all can handle it tomorrow. I still have to place the Geomagnetic Stones. I’ll just take so for myself later on."
"Yes, My Lord!" Li Xingyun said with a cupped-fist salute.
Cheng Zongyang then walked toward the one-mu plot of glistening golden rice paddies.
The Wilderness Rice, which reached nearly to his chest, was bent low under the weight of its countless ears. The grains themselves were about the sa size as those of outside varieties, each one plump and full. Every stalk of Wilderness Rice bore an abundance of ears, which was the reason for such a high yield.
"About how much grain does a single stalk yield?" Cheng Zongyang asked Li Xingyun.
Li Xingyun was visibly excited.
"My Lord, I have never seen such a high-yield rice! Today, I took a stalk from several different spots. After threshing, a single stalk yields about a pound and a half of grain. Because we didn’t use many seeds when planting, the stalks are spaced far apart.
"This one-mu plot has two thousand, four hundred and seventy-five stalks. We estimate a total harvest of around three thousand, seven hundred pounds, give or take fifty pounds.
"My Lord! Even after husking, that’s two thousand to two thousand, five hundred pounds of rice! (Estimated yield of 65%; in ancient tis, husking was done by hand-pounding, not with modern machinery). My Lord, this is practically immortal rice!"
The others were also overjoyed. They were the souls of common people, and the highest yield they had ever seen from a one-mu plot was rely three or four hundred pounds.
And yet, this one-mu plot, despite being sparsely seeded, had produced a terrifyingly large harvest. In their eyes, it was no exaggeration to call it immortal rice.
Cheng Zongyang smiled. "This bountiful harvest is all thanks to your excellent care. However, don’t husk this rice. We’ll save it for seed."
"Rest assured, My Lord. We will clear several more mu of land before spring arrives," Li Xingyun said.
"Handle it as you see fit. I won’t interfere in this matter."
With this kind of rice, the Cheng Family was guaranteed to beco the most powerful grain or seed rchant.
But that would require enough Power to protect their assets; otherwise, they would sooner or later be swallowed whole.
Therefore, he had no plans to sell the seeds for the ti being. At most, he would only sell the hulled rice.
He cut down a stalk of rice. Looking at its heavy ears, he felt a surge of joy.
For any farr, the sight of a bountiful harvest brings a profound sense of satisfaction, both physical and spiritual.
’Involuntarily, his thoughts turned to Elder Yuan from his past life. It was because of him that the nation’s food supply was never controlled by foreign powers.’
’But in this world, perhaps the Cheng Family will beco that kind of grain rchant, the one that controls the source!’
Pushing aside his thoughts, Cheng Zongyang took a tal-encased Geomagnetic Stone and the entire stalk of rice before leaving the Wilderness World and returning ho.
His family hadn’t gone to bed yet, so he once again gathered everyone in the ancestral hall to discuss the matters of the Geomagnetic Stone and the Wilderness Rice.
This would also be his chance to explain why he had people dig pits to bury animal carcasses after the great fire three months ago. This ti, his maternal grandfather, Zhou Fengshun, was also part of the eting.
His grandfather was in charge of supervising all the farmland, and the old man was extrely dedicated to the task.
Only those who have starved can know the true value of food.
Once everyone was assembled, Cheng Zongyang placed the Geomagnetic Stone and the stalk of rice—which stood nearly five feet tall—on the table.
Instantly, everyone’s eyes were drawn to the stalk on the table, laden with an incredible amount of grain!
"Is... is that a stalk of rice?"
Zhou Hansong stared at the stalk on the table, his expression full of disbelief.
’It’s enormous!’
But the appearance of the grain itself was sothing everyone present knew all too well.
Cheng Zongyang said with a grave expression, "That’s right. It’s a stalk of rice. And a single stalk yields about a pound and a half of grain!"
At these words, everyone’s eyes went wide.
While everyone was still reeling in shock, the old man couldn’t wait any longer. He carefully took the ear of rice, plucked off a few grains, and tossed them into his mouth to chew.
Tasting the fresh, fragrant, and familiar flavor of the grain, Zhou Fengshun stared intently at his grandson, his voice trembling with excitent.
"Yang’Er, where did you get this?!"
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