Ouyang Che said, "That's exactly. What Fan Sheng said is the farming method that ripenses a year. But since twenty years ago, our court has been planting double-season rice on Liangzhe Road. The planting effect is very good, but it can greatly improve the harvest. Yes, Fan Sheng didn't plant it, and he still followed the old rules and planted rice according to the method of ripening a year. Our customers have long complained, but because he is the manager of the Fan family and treats people very fiercely on weekdays, no one dares to object."

Chen Bing said, "But what he said makes sense. This method of using both fields is indeed wonderful."

Ouyang Che shook his head and said, "I don't know the farming ground and don't know the tricks. I'm sorry to know that the paddy field is shallow. If you raise fish, the water will become very turbid, and the fish will taste very fishy and have very poor palatability. The paddy fields are extremely narrow compared to rivers, lakes and seas. If the fish move less, the meat will be soft, glutinous and crispy, and the taste is also very poor. Not to mention that people in Tiaoxi Village don't eat it, even if they are fish shops, they will not actually collect fish in the paddy field. Most of the fish are rotten in the field. Haha, if you want to talk about the fat field, it will be considered to be fattening his field."

Chen Bing seemed to hear what he meant and asked, "Why?"

Ouyang Che became more and more excited as he spoke. He stood up in a daze, started to dance and said, "Okay, I'll just tell the truth about Tiaoxi Village to the officials and the young lady. As for how to arrange the next year, you will make plans after listening."

At this time, Ouyang Xiang half-lifted the curtain and winked at Ouyang Che. Ouyang Che thought about it slightly and understood his intention. His old face turned slightly red, and his body sat back again, saying, "I was so excited just now, I'm so sorry."

Instead, Liu Zhiyuan appreciated his true nature of daring to act and did not blame him. Ouyang Che continued, "The land in Tiaoxi Village is actually more than 1,800 acres, and should be around 1,900 acres."

He saw Chen Bing and others showing surprise and said, "It was indeed 1,800 acres, but there was a dam in the middle. This dam was not included in this 1,800 acres, but it was also owned by the Fan family. In the past, when farming, it was only necessary to lead the water from the dam into the field, which was extremely convenient. Perhaps the dam was hidden through the Tiaoxi River. Although it was very small, it had never dried up. I don't know when the water in the dam was less and less, especially in the past two years, the water was directly under the bottom and could no longer be used for cultivation. We originally wanted to dig a canal to attract the water from the Tiaoxi River into the field, but Fan Sheng strongly opposed it, saying that this method was exhausting the people and the money was very expensive. He said it was better to dig wells on the spot, which cost less and save manpower. It was a long-term solution to divert water into the field. Although it took manpower and financial resources, it might be a one-time solution, but Fan Sheng, hey..."

Ouyang Che shook his head, sighed, and continued, "So in this field, a well was dug every fifty steps so that irrigation could continue. However, the dry pond had a lot of land. Fan Sheng once took people to measure it, and there were about 100 acres, so I said that the land in Tiaoxi Village was 1,900 acres."

Chen Bing was surprised and thought to himself: "Turn the water from the Tiaoxi River into the fields is indeed a one-time and all-round way. I also use well water to irrigate this paddy field? Even those who don’t know how to farm well know that using well water is laborious and time-consuming. What did Fan Sheng think?"

Chen Bing suppressed the doubts in her heart for the time being. She continued to listen to Ouyang Che saying, "But nearly 100 acres of land have not been planted yet. We once mentioned to him that the land was soaked in water for a long time, and the fields were very fertile and suitable for planting. It would be better to plant beans for two years to strengthen the field, which would increase the fertility of the ground. Then, it would be OK to plant rice, millet, or wheat. But he disagreed with anything. Such a good field has been wasted now. Over time, this good field will also become wasteland. It is a pity."

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Ouyang Che replied to Liu Zhiyuan and said, "Half of them are planted by Fan Sheng's family."

Liu Zhiyuan continued to ask, "How do you pay the rent on weekdays?"

Ouyang Che replied: "In addition to the vinegar money and rice and grain given to the government, each stone must be given to Fan Sheng two dou of rice for rent."

Chen Bing and Liu Zhiyuan were both shocked. When they looked at each other, Liu Zhiyuan said with some doubts: "You have to pay two dou of one stone? One acre of land will only cost three bits of grain. This is six dou of rice. The rent is too high?"

Ouyang Che knew that Liu Zhiyuan did not believe his words, and smiled bitterly, "I know that Liu Guanren may not believe it, but this is indeed the fact that we encountered in Tiaoxi Village. The court only had one ten taxes, but he was good at Fan Sheng, but he asked me for six dou of rice per acre. Liu Guanren, you have seen a lot of people in Tiaoxi Village just now. Everyone has a good face and a thin skin. But who is as fat as Fan Sheng?"

Liu Zhiyuan was speechless. He had never thought that the Fan family would actually charge such a high rent. It was tantamount to forcing these tenant customers to the dead end. He looked at Chen Bing, and Chen Bing had already had a scheming in her heart. She nodded slightly to Liu Zhiyuan, patted the tabletop, and shouted: "It's you!"

Except for Liu Zhiyuan, everyone present didn't understand. Ouyang Che looked around and said, "Is this the second wife?"

Chen Bing said, "The land belongs to me and Guanren Liu. The Fan family will leave Tiaoxi Village soon. This spring farming matter is particularly important. I see that the village will be responsible for the farming matters in the future."

Ouyang Che was stunned and said hurriedly: "How can this be done?"

Chen Bing said, "I think the method you proposed is also feasible. Since you can farm, why not leave this land to you? Okay, don't refuse anymore, this matter is decided."

Ouyang Che was excited. The one he had wanted for many years would finally have a chance to achieve. After thanking Chen Bing and Liu Zhiyuan and others, Chen Bing said to Liu Zhiyuan: "Knowing, it's getting late, I think it's better to go back now. The matter here cannot be handled in one or two days. You and I will come back in a few days."

Before leaving, Chen Bing said to Ouyang Che, "Brother Ouyang, there is one more thing. I don't trust Fan Sheng very much, so you must register the number of households, people, the exact acres of cultivated land in Tiaoxi Village, and the exact acres of cultivated land Fan Sheng. I will hand it over to me when I come back. As for the rent and how much land I will plough, I will think about it and answer you again and again when I go back."

After watching Chen Bing and others leave, Ouyang Che was still standing there, thinking about what happened today, he was reluctant to leave for a long time, but Ouyang Xiang had stood beside him at some point and called Ouyang Che a few times. Ouyang Che shook his head slightly, held Ouyang Xiang and said, "Xiang'er, go, follow me into the house. Brother, cook some delicious food for you today!"

Liu Zhiyuan did not ride a horse as usual, but sat in the car with Chen Bing and others. At this time, the small carbon furnace was burning in the car. Liu Zhiyuan asked Chen Bing, "Have you thought about this rental?"

Chen Bing looked at the red charcoal burning in the charcoal furnace, shook his head and said, "I haven't thought about it yet. Zhixing, how can the rent collected by the Fan family be so high? How can the villagers in Tiaoxi Village live this life after paying the rent?"

Liu Zhiyuan said: "My Liu family's land in Huating is at least 30% less than the harvest here, and the rent is less than that in the yamen. It is 15 taxes and one. In this way, those tenants can still buy some food and live a little easier after selling food. But this is too much to draw two buckets per stone in Tiaoxi Village."

Chen Bing nodded and said, "I really have a scheming in my heart. Knowing and practicing, is the 10 taxes and one in the court too high?"

Liu Zhiyuan said, "During Taizu, our dynasty was in trouble. In order to rest and recuperate, we set up a ancestral system of thirty taxes and one. However, as the national strength of Qi in the north became increasingly strong, our dynasty was increasingly difficult to defend the territory, and the military strength was also increasing. During the Renzong period, the ancestral system was changed, and the thirty taxes were raised to twenty-five taxes. Later, the officials continued to increase taxes. Until the current officials were in power, the taxes had reached the level of 10 taxes and one. The people everywhere were talking about the miserable life, but there were many people who could not survive. These two Zhejiang roads were better, but the situation in the north was very bad. Alas, this happened to Anxu's rebellion."

Chen Bing sighed and said, "Rise is the suffering of the people, and death is also the suffering of the people."
Chapter completed!