Chapter 221

“What if we fail? Eighty mu of land needs a lot of seedlings. Better forget about it. We can plant them at the beginning of spring next year.”

Holding no more hope, Ling Chenglong said so while bending to pick up the wild fruit again. Looking at his kind of slouching figure, Ling Jingxuan helplessly spat out a heavy breath, “Dad, you can have a try with Zheng Da and Zhou. Don’t worry about the seedlings. I’ll take care of it/ You only need to sort the land.”

If using the Crescent Spring water to cultivate the seedlings, the survival rate and later growth should be relatively improved?

“Stop it, Jingxuan. How do you know about seed breeding? Don’t waste rice seedlings, besides, it’s already too late to add fertilizer to the fields now.”

Ling Jingxuan had been spoiled by Ling Chenglong before he was thrown out of the family. What he did everyday was reading books. How had he ever done any farming work? In those years he was thrown out, he had also lived a messy life. So without even thinking, Ling Chenglong directly denied his proposal, others also held the same thought. Judging from that none of them responded, one could tell no one believed that he could breed the seedlings, let alone growing late rice.

“How do you know if we don’t have a try? What if we really succeed? As for the after manuring, it’s simple. Dad, look at those rotten leaves all over the mountain. At least one chi thick. Isn’t it the best humus? Put them in the fields, I guess we don’t even need the after manuring.”

Ignoring his denial and others’ suspicion, Ling Jingxuan who just made a random suggesting a moment ago now got more confirmed. The rotten leaves were the best organic fertilizer, which were good for planting vegetables and flowers. So, it should also work on the rice. If it failed, the worst scenario was that he secretly released some Crescent Spring water in the field after the transplanting. Whatsoever, he would let his dad see a good harvest of late rice.

“Rotten leaves make fertilizer? Why haven’t I heard of it?”

Ling Chenglong finally grew some interest again, stood up and looked at strangely. He had always known that how weird this son was now, like raising medicinal fish, making wine and jam. Seeing that he said so, he also couldn’t help looking forward to it again. If they could really grow two seasons of rice, the villagers wouldn’t have to starve then.

“Hmm, but it must be the rotten leaf soil below completely. Our village may have nothing valuable, but got the rotten leaves as many as possible. Only those rotten leaves on Dagong Mountain are enough for our eighty mu of land. Dad, nothing is impossible. If it really wouldn’t work, the worst thing is that we’d lose some money for the seedlings and the workers. But what if we succeed? Eighty mu of rice, enough to sustain our whole family for a years!”

As he said so, not only Ling Chenglong, even others couldn’t help dropping their work at hand. If eight shi(one shi equals to about 60jin) for one mu, it’d be 640 shi! And if we take care of it well, maybe it’d produce 9 shi for one mu! And since it was late rice, we don’t have to pay any tax. All the rice would be their own. The temptation was huge!

“OK! I’ll take Zheng Da and Zhou to collect rotten leaves on Dagong Mountain. But Jingxuan, can you really breed seedlings?”

In the face of the great temptation, Ling Chenglong decisively got moved, the only worry was the seedling problem, no matter how he thought, he did not think Jingxuan can really cultivate the seedlings.

“Hehe…Dad, you rest assured, I promise that you will have seedlings to plant then.”

Hearing his words, Ling Jingxuan couldn’t help smiling. When had he ever done something he wasn’t 100% sure? As long as they bought the seeds this afternoon, he could start to breed the seedlings. He even chose the site—number two warehouse. It was huge, and the temperature and humidity was easy to control, so the germination rate would be comparatively high. And with the help with the Crescent Spring water, in a few days, they would transplant those seedlings.

“Then I will wait for your seedlings.”

Still a little worried, Ling Chenglong’s tone still had undisguised uncertainty. Ling Jingxuan smiled and nodded, using silence to end the topic. However much he said now, it was no use. When they really saw the seedlings, one more word for explanation was redundant.

“Jingxuan, what do you say if we buy a few mu of paddy land to have a try too?”

Everyone went on with their job at hands. And Han Fei moved over and said in a low voice. Actually he had always wanted to buy some land, but since Ling Jingxuan said he planned to purchase a large amount of half-saline land, he could only give it up. But as he had just said so, he felt like itchy in the heart, he also wanted to eat rice they planted themselves.

“It’s good. But don’t buy it too far away, it’d be hard to manage. How about you go to town to ask Guarantor Liu later? See if he got any suitable land for sale. After making sure how many mu it is, tell me, then I’ll prepare the seedlings for you.”

This kind of place, only the field would appreciate, Ling Jingxuan had no reason to say no.

“OK, then later after lunch, I’ll borrow your carriage then. I can buy the seeds for you by the way.”

“Hmm, the children don’t need a carriage to go to school these days anyway, so you can use it.”

Both of them were straightforward people. They instantly reached a consensus and decided to plant the late rice. All of them had more or less excitement and expectation on their faces. Whether it’d work or not, at least, at this moment, they were very happy. Isn’t that life?