Chapter 33: Way of making a living

After Shen Yanbei raised ducks in his own paddy field, he passed the big horn Li Auntie, and the whole village knew it within an hour.
The village chief, Shen Dezhong, came to hear the wind. He originally wanted to persuade Shen Yanbei to stop impulsively, but when he went to the field, Shen Yanbeizheng, Gu Changfeng, and Zhou Yu were driving wooden stakes for the periphery of their paddy field and then surrounding them with fishing nets. .
It looks like this is not a joke. Shen Dezhong muttered in his heart and hurried over to take a look, good fellow! A group of tender yellow ducks in the field are pecking around in the seedlings.
Seeing that the fry in the water was about to fall into the duck's mouth, Shen Dezhong was so distressed that he only patted his thigh: "Too foolish! Too foolish!"
"Uncle Zhong? Why are you here?" Shen Yanbei clapped his hands and walked over.
"Shen Yan, even if you raise fish in the fields, why do you still put ducks in?" Shen Dezhong said angrily, "If you want ducks, there are so many bamboo forests next to the village, and you are not short of that few silvers. It's better to buy a piece of wood and raise it there!"
Shen Yanbei was stunned, and asked Shen Dezhong, "How big is Uncle Zhong's forest? How much does it cost per mu?"
Shen Dezhong said unhappily: "It's very cheap! One or two silver an acre!" There are many unowned bamboo forests around the village. Usually villagers want to eat bamboo shoots or cut and dig with bamboo. No one is stupid to spend money. Buy a piece of bamboo land that you can't grow at all, so the price of bamboo land is very cheap.
Shen Yanbei pondered and said with a smile: "Then I really have to buy a few acres. Uncle Lao Zhong will take me to see if he has time."
Shen Dezhong said: "There is no need for another day, I will take you there now, and quickly buy the duck and drive it over!"
Shen Yanbei shook his head: "I have other uses for the bamboo grove. This duck is raised here."
"What about you kid..." Shen Dezhong was so angry that he blew his beard and stared.
"Husband, he won't mess around, village chief, don't worry."
The man's calm voice sounded in his ears. As soon as Shen Dezhong turned his head, he met Gu Changfeng's dark eyes, which were full of trust in Shen Yanbei.
Shen Dezhong frowned, thinking of the piles and pieces that Shen Yanbei had made these days, and seeing Shen Yanbei's calm and relaxed appearance, he sighed and said, "Shen Yan, tell me, what are the ways here? ."
"There's no way, just fight for a time gap." Shen Yanbei asked Shen Dezhong to look at the field. Those finger-thick fry occasionally swam by the ducklings, and the ducklings pecks excitedly, but the fish is better than the ducks. The mouth is so big that the little duck can't eat it at all.
Shen Dezhong's eyes widened slightly, and he understood in an instant. He was worried that the duck would eat the fish, but the fish could not eat more than the duck. While the ducks are growing up, the fishes are also growing...
"The water in the fields is introduced from the Dongjiang River. There are always small fish, shrimps, snails and crabs in the water. Ducks are kept in the fields and do not need to be fed. They can eat the pests in the fields. And the ducks and fish are churning in the fields. When swimming, they also loosen the soil for the rice, and their feces can also add fertilizer to the rice fields.
Shen Dezhong suddenly realized, but he still had doubts in his mind: "Then the duck will not give the rice to the rice when the rice seedlings are headed..." He stopped suddenly, and laughed first, "At that time, the duck also grew up and could kill. Come to eat!"
Shen Yanbei smiled slightly: "Yes. At this time, I will circle the ducks and sell them. After the rice is harvested, release the water, and then come to fish..."
"The fish raised in this rice field is firm and delicious, and the rice field duck is plump and sweet. Whether it is grilled or cut, it is a good choice!"
Shen Dezhong was completely convinced, and his eyes were different when he looked at Shen Yanbei.
How can a scholar grow a field so arrogantly?
but……
It sounds exciting, but whether it's really that kind of thing depends on the harvest.
At this time, a group of people slowly walked over from the ridge. The headed young man looks gentle, wearing an azure long shirt with narrow sleeves and a sapphire blue auspicious cloud band around his waist, with a black jade tied on it. Next to the young man was a middle-aged man with a Confucian hat, a folding fan and an ink-colored robe. The two looked around and talked as they walked. An old man with a respectful look followed them, answering questions from the youth from time to time.
The three of them strolled in the field. The old man saw Shen Dezhong at a glance and called out from a distance: "Old Zhong!"
Shen Dezhong looked back, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes squeezed, and smiled: "Lao Guo, why are you free to come over?"
The old man said something to the young man before answering Shen Dezhong: "Come and walk!"
Shen Dezhong smiled and glanced at the two people beside him. When he glanced over the middle-aged man, his eyes changed slightly. Then he looked at the group of calm young people walking, his eyes flickered.
"Long inside." Shen Yanbei approached, smiling and arching his hands. The visitor was Guo Changmao, the head of the ten li and eight townships. Last time, he and Shen Dezhong went to the county government to help Shen Yanbei to complete Gu Changfeng's household registration.
The old man stroked his beard, nodded in response, and turned to introduce the young man: "This is Shen Yan, a talent in Shenjiacun." He also introduced to Shen Yanbei and others: "This is Li Gongzi, Li Gongzi wants to appreciate the farmland scenery. I will show him around."
The visitor was full of demeanor and prestige, and Shen Yanbei smiled and performed a literary hand-off: "Young Master Li."
Li Gongzi nodded slightly, his eyes fell on the lively ducks in the fishing nets, and asked with interest: "Why are ducks stocked in the fields?" Upon closer inspection, there are still fish in the rice fields.
"Young Master Li, you don't know anything!" Shen Dezhong smiled with a proud voice, "This way of raising fish, rice and duck together is what Shen Yan came up with!"
Immediately, I will elaborate on the principle of the polyculture of fish, rice and duck together. The plausible appearance seems to have proved that this polyculture method has successfully increased production and achieved a bumper harvest.
Shen Yanbei raised his eyebrows, feeling strange in his heart. This village chief was just half-trusted, how could he blow him up now?
Li Gongzi nodded as he listened: "This method is wonderful!"
"Absurd praise." Shen Yanbei smiled embarrassedly.
Li Gongzi looked straight at Shen Yanbei: "This is a good way, but have you ever thought about how to solve so many ducks?" The duck here is small in size, the meat is too woody, and the duck meat still has a nasty smell. It's delicious, because most local farmers raise chickens.
The other party meant nothing more than ducks can be farmed in large quantities, but they can't be sold or they are useless. Shen Yanbei sternly said: "My duck species is a specially selected large white duck, which is better than the domestic ducks raised in the farm. The ducks raised in the rice fields have more tenacious taste and more delicious meat, so I don't worry about buying them. In addition, ducks grow fast and can lay eggs after three months of maturity. Duck eggs can be marinated into salted eggs. Folks here like to bring a basket with them."
"This duck can definitely be sold! Even if it can't be sold, you can still use it to cook in a restaurant!" Shen Dezhong added.
"Oh?" Li Gongzi was a little confused.
Shen Dezhong said: "The Tongfu restaurant in the town was opened by Shen Yan and his husband."
Li Gongzi frowned slightly, and the director Guo Changmao looked at Shen Yanbei in surprise: "The restaurant did you open?" In the past few days, many villagers who went to the town to do business said that there was a Tongfu restaurant in the town. The taste of his food is so exaggerated that he wants to taste it too.
Shen Yanbei turned his head and glanced at Gu Changfeng, who was still pursuing the fishing net, and said that everyone was more acceptable: "That was for my husband. There were no ceremonies when we got married. I felt ashamed and thought. I was trying to compensate him, so I took more thoughts."
Guo Lichang followed his gaze and looked at him, wondering in his heart. Rumors that Shen Xiucai has changed her temperament and even her preferences are still true!
Li Gongzi stretched his brows, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes: "You have a very good idea." He and his wife have been to Tongfu Restaurant for tea, and the environment and food are very good.
"You value me too much, I just don't want my husband to work too hard." Shen Yanbei smiled shyly.
Gongzi Li thought what kind of husband could make Shen Yanbei so affectionate. When Gu Changfeng walked to Shen Yanbei to talk to him, Gongzi Li was stunned and couldn't help but look at Gu Changfeng.
"It's all surrounded."
"Thanks." Shen Yanbei smiled and said to Gu Changfeng: "This is Li Gongzi."
Gu Changfeng nodded lightly.
Li Gongzi didn't say a word, only the look in Gu Changfeng's eyes was a little puzzled.
Where does he seem to have seen this person?
Where is it?
"Why don't we go and take a look?" Guo Lichang asked.
Li Gongzi retracted his gaze and nodded.
When the three of Li Gongzi left, Shen Yanbei directly asked Shen Dezhong: "Uncle Zhong, what is the origin of this Li Gongzi?"
Shen Dezhong was surprised: "How do you know?"
Shen Yanbei smiled without saying a word, and Shen Dezhong had to say: "Last time I went to the county, I saw the man next to Li Gongzi at the county government office. It is said that he is a new master..." He praised Shen Yanbei as wishing Shen Yanbei. Beineng put a name in front of nobles.
The chief accompany him, the master follows, and his surname is Li.
"The new county magistrate is named Li." Shen Yanbei thought to himself. This county magistrate can make unannounced visits to the civil society when he took office. It doesn't look like a corrupt official...
Li Zhiyuan, who was walking in the front, asked the master in a low voice: "What do you think of Shen Xiucai?"
"Being smart, being humble and polite, just...too much love for children."
Li Zhiyuan smiled and shook his head: "This is not a bad thing."
Thinking of Li Zhiyuan and his wife's ups and downs, the master sneered and nodded hurriedly.
"Don't judge people by appearance, emphasizing love and justice, young and thinking..." Li Zhiyuan stopped abruptly when he said.
He remembered! When he encountered a robber on his way to the capital to rush for the exam, a tall young man saved him!
But here is more than a thousand miles away from the capital, this is another double...
Maybe the two are similar in appearance?
Li Zhiyuan sighed with emotion, thanks to the boy's help at the beginning, otherwise he would not be able to catch up with the exam, nor would he marry his beloved, and there would be no today.
Even if he doesn't know where the benefactor is, he can't thank him.
Zhou Yu stayed in the field to watch the ducks, Gu Changfeng packed up the tools and went home, while Shen Yanbei followed Shen Dezhong to see the bamboo forest.
The bamboo forests with no edges can be seen, tender green and dark green are intertwined, layer upon layer. The sound of the wind whizzed past, and the bamboo leaves were like surging waves.
The warm spring sunshine shone into the bamboo forest, falling sparsely on his shoulders, and Shen Yanbei raised his eyes and looked around. The bamboos of the bamboo forest are vigorous and upright, the ground is full of thick fallen leaves, and the dry leaves creak with one foot. He deliberately took a look at the fallen leaves. There were a lot of insects in the rotten leaves, and the soil underneath was moist and dark. When he dug inside, he could see earthworms.
"Uncle Zhong, I want to buy ten acres of bamboo land."
"Do you really want to buy?" Shen Dezhong's eyes widened. He just said casually, he didn't expect Shen Yanbei to be so serious.
"Buy it, this bamboo forest is pretty good." Shen Yanbei said, clutching a thick bamboo. It's a pity that I didn't bring a chopper, or I could get a bamboo rice bowl for my wife to taste at noon.
Shen Dezhong looked strange: "What did you buy for?"
"Raise chickens." Thinking about the tender and smooth taste of Zhulin Chicken, Shen Yanbei was about to move.
"Raising chickens?" Shen Dezhong's face darkened, "Shen Yan, Enke will be opened next year. You, a scholar, don't focus on studying and studying, and think about the way to make a living all day..."
"Uncle Zhong, pen, ink, paper and inkstone are so expensive, I don't want to make more money how to afford it." Shen Yanbei expressed helplessness.
"This..." Shen Dezhong didn't know what to say for a while. It is indeed a fee to study, and the two elders of the Shen family are gone again... but it is not plausible that they have always been like this.
Seeing that the old man's complexion was not very good, Shen Yanbei quickly comforted him: "Uncle Zhong, I know your painstaking efforts. Don't worry, I will study hard."
"It's good if you understand." Shen Dezhong said earnestly, "It's still the same sentence, if you have something to say to Uncle Zhong, the villagers are also happy to help."
"Then dare to be good, if I really raise chickens, my husband will be too busy alone, Uncle Zhong, help me find two honest villagers to help raise chickens!"
Shen Dezhong: "..."