Ch. 171..175: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 171-175

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Instant Fame (7)_1

"Yes, as the old saying goes, pig manure benefits the soil for one season, chicken manure benefits the field for three years. The traditional fertilization methods of farmers are not very good, their fertilizing power is not sufficient. If you want the vegetables and crops to grow well, the fertilizing power must keep up." Lin Ziyin said.

"There’s quite a lot of land that has been reclaimed in the Manor, but it seems like 500 chicks are not enough?" After understanding, Hei Er asked in return.

"We don’t have enough manpower for the time being, we can only raise this many. Let’s raise more when spring comes." Lin Ziyin replied helplessly. She had seen the workers in Prince Ling’s Manor. Most of them were soldiers wounded in war, and the rest were offenders of minor crimes. With Prince Ling and Hei Yi’s black-armored soldiers there, the offenders didn’t dare to run, but dutifully stayed to work in the Manor. After all, the crimes they committed were minor and as long as they worked well, they could soon return home. If they ran away and were caught again, they wouldn’t be able to live. By then, they would either be sent to the battlefield to die or be sent to the mines to mine; both options would surely be fatal. It’s better to do the work peacefully and strive to return home as soon as possible.

"I will bring some over to Miss after a while." Hei Yi waited for her to calculate how much oilcloth was needed, and then he and Hei Er returned to the manor.

With the oilcloth and the chicks accounted for, Lin Ziyin began her preparations.

"Grandpa, you’ll have to take much care when building the warm tent." Lin Ziyin said with a smile.

"Alright, I’ll take care of the building," said the old man who was busy all his life, he wasn’t too comfortable with sudden idleness.

Lin Ziyin certainly wouldn’t let him do laborious work. Overseeing the warm tent is light work; entrusting it to him seemed right.

It was easy to find Master Yin. These days, he had been busy tidying up the last touches for the private restaurant at the foot of Ding’an Temple.

Upon receiving the news from the martial monk, Master Yin found Lin Ziyin early the next day.

"Master Yin, I have a new batch of work for you. Although it seems like a misuse of materials, I am not at ease if it’s handed over to others." Lin Ziyin said with a smile, and handed him a blueprint.

"Although the work is simple, who cares, we know each other. Ok, just leave it to me. You can rest assured now." Master Yin was very straightforward. "However, this fireplace being built like this, it does seem a bit of a waste of bricks."

"That’s alright, I need them." Lin Ziyin said with a smile.

Given the owner was not concerned about the materials, coupled with Lin Ziyin introducing him to the work at Ding’an Temple, also educating him about the pan beds and earth dragon methods, Master Yin didn’t lose any momentum and ordered bricks to be delivered to the barren land the next day. Then he started working with his crew.

It was not yet the busy farming season, and reclaiming the land was still ongoing. Busy villagers watched as the Lin family brought in tile workers to build walls on the reclaimed land. Some couldn’t help but steal glances in between their work, sparking occasional discussions among small groups.

However, with the presence of the old man and others like Kong Yi and Kong Er, villagers could only whisper and didn’t dare approach to ask questions.

The pace at which the walls were being built was naturally swift. In just around ten days, a long row of brick walls stood tall on the fields, arousing envy from many villagers. They were still living in straw huts, yet they never thought the Lin family, apparently flush with silver, were already building houses on their land for leisure.

Everyone felt envy, jealousy and hatred, but they all knew that the Lin family was protected by Prince Ling and the Si family, and no one dared to cause trouble.

As days went by, it turned into early autumn. The Lin family’s land reclamation work was paused as the village began its autumn harvest.

In this world where livelihoods hinge on rain, the villagers nearly emptied their homes to work on their crops. Most villagers grew sorghum and soybeans. If left to mature for too long, they would burst open under the harsh sun, resulting in severe waste.

Therefore, the villagers were busy all night long nearly every day.

The Lin family didn’t have much land, so Yu Shaohui and a few men finished the job in just a day. Then everyone continued with their own work.

At this time, Master Hui Lian from Ding’an Temple also sent a martial monk to ask whether the private restaurant was ready to open its doors, as everything in the temple was really well prepared.

"Master, let’s open the day after tomorrow," Lin Ziyin said with a smile. She thoroughly inspected the rooms and found that everything had been built according to her requirements. The place was simple and elegant, each room had a fire bed and a fireplace, it wouldn’t be cold in the winter.

The kitchen’s stove was built exactly as she designed, with a clear layout and a marble countertop that looked clean and tidy.

"Isn’t that a bit rushed?" Master Hui Lian was a bit puzzled. He was eager to open the restaurant, but preparing everything in just one day seemed a bit of an overreach.

"It’s okay, the ingredients are plentiful now and our home spice supply is nearly full. We only need to prepare a few more vegetables," Lin Ziyin answered with a smile. "Fortunately, we don’t have that many guests each day."

That made sense. Agreeing, Master Hui Lian remembered the menu Lin Ziyin created and the price tag on every dish left him hanging in suspense. These expensive vegetarian dishes, would anyone want to come and eat them?

However, reality proved that Master Hui Zhen was wrong in his speculation.

On the first day the private restaurant opened, without any advertisement, all ten tables of vegetarian feasts were fully booked. Customers were full of high praise and the following two days of reservations were quickly snapped up. The private restaurant was definitely booming.

Seeing stacks of silver, even the Zen-like Master Hui Lian was dumbfounded.

Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Calculation from Various Parties (1)_1

"This... this is a day’s earnings?" Master Hui Lian asked excitedly. Ding’an Temple is a prominent temple, and as the Guest Monk, he has seen plenty of silver in his time. However, earning from vegetarian meals was unheard of. In Master Hui Lian’s opinion, vegetarian dishes were too commonplace, and were usually beneath the notice of the wealthy nobility.

The price of the vegetarian meals was quite high, making it unaffordable for the common people. On the day the service was launched, he had expected no customers. However, the reality took him by a very pleasant surprise.

"Amitabha Buddha." The host abbot closed his eyes and chanted the Buddha’s name, seemingly indifferent to the silver piled up before him.

Master Hui Zhen couldn’t resist making a playful, triumphant face at Lin Ziyin, to show his joyous mood.

"Soy sauce, seasonings, vinegar, chili, and spices; no one outside can replicate them. Hence, I have no worry about our vegetarian meals becoming famous. However, our family’s production ability is currently limited, so we might have to reduce our supply for the monks of the temple," Lin Ziyin said.

"There is no need for self-reproach," said the host abbot, finally opening his eyes. His gaze, clear and sharp, rested deeply on Lin Ziyin.

Lin Ziyin sat upright. She held the host abbot in great esteem; from her rare encounters with him, she knew him to be a kind and understanding man.

"The life of a monk should be unattached to all worldly things. Benefactor, your kind heart alone has already provided tremendous help to our temple’s monks. The temple is very grateful for what you’ve done. As for the matter of seasonings, please do not worry about it," said the host abbot, gazing at her with respect and goodwill.

Lin Ziyin felt relieved after hearing his words. If she had any unnecessary mental burden regarding trivial matters of food seasoning with the monks at the temple, it wouldn’t have been good. The abbot indeed had an exceptional character.

Thinking of the relationship between the abbot and Chu Suifeng, as well as the temple’s previous kindness towards her family, Lin Ziyin decided to help the temple out once more. "Master Host, Master Hui Lian, I am not going to lie, my family is currently busy with the experimental farming. Would you be interested in joining?"

"What experimental farming?" Master Hui Lian asked with interest.

Master Hui Zhen shot him a glare and Hui Lian realized his overeagerness was unbecoming of his monk status. Glancing at the host abbot, who was watching him, he quickly bowed his head in subdued embarrassment.

Lin Ziyin smiled slightly, "As monks, you must live like humans, eating and drinking as they do. Here in Feng City, the weather is much colder than in Jiangnan. The yield of rice is unbearably low. If the Prince hadn’t mandated it, I suspect no one in Feng City would be willing to grow rice."

After a deliberate pause, Lin Ziyin continued, seeing that they were hanging on to her every word. "The monks in this temple mainly consume coarse food. Particularly, there are many martial monks who need more nutrients due to their rigorous training. If it continues like this, it’s not good for the monks."

"Benefactor Lin, you observe keenly. Indeed, winters in Feng City are longer and colder than in the south, making it unsuitable for rice planting. The rice yield here is pitiful. Depending on beans and millet for sustenance is not a sustainable solution for soldiers guarding the border," Master Hui Zhen replied with a sigh.

"Feng City is abundant in rainfall and the summer and fall temperatures are not much lower than the south. So why doesn’t rice grow well here?" Lin Ziyin asked back, "Does the Master know the reason?"

"In every leaf and flower, there is a universe. This lowly monk does not have the answer," said the host abbot in a serious tone.

"Though some of the temple land is managed by the monks, most of it is leased to nearby farmers. We monks merely rely on heaven for good harvest; we have no clue about the low yield of rice," Master Hui Lian answered with a bitter smile.

Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Calculation from Various Parties (2)_1

"I speculate that maybe the seeding time is incorrect," said Lin Ziyin after pondering over it.

"We sow in May. Any earlier than that, the temperature is too low for the seeds to germinate," Master Hui Lian explained hurriedly, "Winter in Feng City is slightly longer than in the south after all."

"You can sprout the seeds beforehand," Lin Ziyin said, "As long as the temperature is maintained, seeds can be propagated indoors, and then transplanted in May."

"How are they transplanted?" Master Hui Lian asked with surprise, "Aren’t they directly scattered onto the field?"

"That’s why I want to change the way we cultivate rice. I wonder if the temple dares to try this with us?" Lin Ziyin questioned.

Horrified, Master Hui Lian widened his eyes, not readily agreeing this time.

Both the host and Master Hui Zhen tightened their frowns seriously.

Lin Ziyin stayed patient, sipping tea quietly while waiting for their final decision.

Indeed, even for Ding’an Temple, the lands are their lifeline. Like farmers, nobody dared randomly making decisions involving their land.

"How sure are you, benefactor?" After a long silence, it was the host who broke it.

"Hard to say, I am just trying this out myself," Lin Ziyin answered lightly, not promising too much.

"Please give us a moment to contemplate and discuss, benefactor," the host told her cautiously.

"Take your time, masters," Lin Ziyin courteously replied.

Hui Zhen and Hui Lian shared a deep glance before following the host out of the guest room.

Left alone in the room, Lin Ziyin relaxed, indulging herself in her own company. The sound of the chanting from outside brought tranquility to her heart for no reason.

Only after an hour did Master Hui Zhen and the others return.

"Benefactor Lin, we appreciate your courage and meticulousness. After discussing, we have decided to tentatively plant ten acres of land using this method," the host declared, looking at Lin Ziyin.

"Great, I will do my best to ensure a good harvest. By then, I will supply the seedlings for the temple," Lin Ziyin added.

"Thank you, Benefactor," the host graciously expressed.

"You’re welcome," Lin Ziyin said smilingly, "It’s getting late, though. I should go. I’ll come by daily for the next two weeks."

"The roads may not be safe. I’ll arrange for the temple’s martial monks to escort you daily," the host offered.

"Brother, let me take care of that," Master Hui Zhen volunteered cheerfully.

"Amitabha. Since you’re willing, I will leave Benefactor Lin’s safety up to you then," Host replied while clasping his hands together.

On the way back, Master Hui Zhen seemed pleased, sharing the oxcart ride with a few martial monks. "Miss Lin, I’ll bring some of us to your place for a meal tomorrow."

"Sure," Lin Ziyin agreed happily. With their current resources, having a couple more guests wouldn’t be a problem.

"We’ve arrived, thank you, gentlemen," Lin Ziyin leaped from the oxcart at her doorstep.

"Please don’t forget our breakfast tomorrow," Hui Zhen reminded her again before leaving.

"I won’t forget, dumplings," Lin Ziyin replied, laughing.

Master Hui Zhen burst into laughter and took off.

"Ziyin, you’re back?" Old Lady Bai and Sister-in-law Bai came over smiling, grasping baskets in their hands.

"Old lady, sister-in-law," Lin Ziyin greeted them with a smile.

"How’s the business at the market?" The Bai Family did not know about Lin Ziyin’s share of the vegetarian feast in Ding’an Temple. They just heard that the temple was using the Lin Family’s soybean products, soy sauce, tofu, and so forth, and Lin Ziyin needed to negotiate with them these days.

Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Calculation from Various Parties (3)_1

"Miss, I’m going to take the horse cart into the livestock shed," Yu Shao’en said.

"Go ahead." Lin Ziyin responded. "Has your mother-in-law finished harvesting the crops at home?"

"Not bad, we hired people, so it was done quickly," Mrs. Bai said with a smile. All the able men in her family worked for the Lin family, so they had to hire people to handle their five acres of beans and three acres of rice.

However, it turned out to be a good deal. Hiring people only costs twenty copper coins a day, but working for the Lin family earns thirty coins a day. And there’s extra pay for working night shifts. This year, the Bai family hired six people. It only took them two to three days to clean out the field.

"That’s good to hear," Lin Ziyin said with a smile.

"Look at me, so busy talking to you that I forgot I came to deliver something," Mrs. Bai realized as she saw a servant girl from the Lin family coming out. "These are fresh peanuts from our field. You didn’t plant any this year, so I thought I’d bring them over for you to taste."

With that, she handed her basket to Cui Duoduo, who had just come out.

Mrs. Bai’s daughter-in-law also handed over her basket and said, "It’s delicious to boil peanuts with water for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Once we dry them out in a few days, we’ll bring over some more."

"We couldn’t possibly accept." Lin Ziyin replied politely.

"Don’t say that. I don’t like hearing such things. These are just things we’ve grown ourselves, not rare items. Besides, it’s only a few baskets of peanuts. Surely, it’s not enough to make me go broke!" said Mrs. Bai, who was outspoken and spoke with a loud voice.

Lin Ziyin laughed amusedly at her remark and graciously thanked her, saying, "Alright, guess I’m living the high life this year."

"Good, let me play the wealthy woman for once too!" Mrs. Bai and her daughter-in-law laughed heartily together.

Watching the departing figures of the Bai family’s mother and daughter-in-law, Lin Ziyin felt that life in the countryside was, in many ways, quite good. She just wondered if her modern-day friends were doing well.

The thought made her feel a bit melancholic. She wasn’t worried about her mother’s grave in modern times, confident that her close friends would faithfully pay their respects each year. Perhaps they even included her in their remembrances. Her concern was for her younger uncle. She worried he might take extreme measures because of her departure.

"Ziyin." Zige came out and saw her standing in the sunset, lost in thought. She came over and called softly to her.

"Ah, sister?" Lin Ziyin jolted out of her melancholia, trying to appear spirited in front of Lin Zige.

"How was business today?" Zige asked excitedly.

"Very good," Lin Ziyin honestly replied.

"That’s great. We have guests at home, it’s sister-in-law’s parents," Lin Zige reported.

"Indeed? Let’s go in and see." When there were guests at home, Lin Ziyin always made sure to come and greet them.

Once the sisters stepped into the room, they noticed several additional people. Their grandfather, Guo Huiniang, and Lin Changshu were chatting with the guests.

"Sister Ziyin, you’re back?" Guo Huiniang spotted her, stood up and smiled. Her face flushed with excitement.

Lin Ziyin could empathize with Guo Huiniang. No matter how old, everyone is still a child in front of their parents. She envied Guo Huiniang for having both parents.

"So, Ziyin is back?" A middle-aged woman sitting across also stood up.

Lin Ziyin recognized her by her brows and eyes, which were very similar to Guo Huiniang’s. She had met her briefly on the day they built the house. This was Guo Huiniang’s mother, Mrs. He. "Ziyin pays her respects to uncle and aunt," she said.

"In an instant, you’ve grown into a fine young lady. If I ran into both of you outside, I wouldn’t even recognize you," Mrs. He said smilingly.

Guo Huiniang’s father was a simple and honest man. He felt out of place in the conversation between his wife and Lin Ziyin and Lin Zige, rubbing his hands awkwardly and laughing innocently on the side.

Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Calculation from Various Parties (4)_1

Lin Ziyin and Lin Zige were also laughing. Though respectful towards her elders, Lin Ziyin was not adept at interacting with them. It probably had to do with her upbringing.

"You’ve been out all day, hurry and wash your hands so we can eat." The old man noticed the fatigue on her face and immediately spoke out of concern.

"Grandpa, if I come back late, you all should eat first. Don’t wait for me." Lin Ziyin said.

"We’re family. We won’t miss a bit of time. It’s not reasonable for the family to eat before you come home." Lin Changshu replied, "Go and wash your hands quick."

"Sister, today I followed the teacher and learned several big characters." Lin Changting seized the opportunity to show off.

"People are born." Lin Yanzhi also showed off.

"You’ve been learning for several days and you only know these few characters." Changting lectured his nephew, expressing frustration that he wasn’t improving more quickly.

Being reprimanded by his uncle, an air of smugness flashed in Yanzhi’s eyes, now welling up with tears.

The uncle had not been as kind to him since he started learning characters from the teacher. The little guy felt particularly wronged.

"Changting, you’re the uncle, older than Yanzhi by a long shot. Yanzhi is still young, knowing a few characters is already quite remarkable." Lin Ziyin went over and patted the little one on the head in praise.

Lin Yanzhi’s teary eyes suddenly dried up, "Yanzhi also learned the characters for Ben, Lin, and Yanzhi."

Having said that, a pair of gleaming, black eyes stared at Lin Ziyin eagerly.

"Well done, good boy." Lin Ziyin continued to praise him, "Since you’ve started learning, you can’t get lazy just because you’re young. Learn as many characters as possible now, so it’ll be easier for you when you’re your uncle’s age."

"Okay." In Lin Yanzhi’s mind, Lin Ziyin was the most amazing person in the family, because he knew that all the good things and nice clothes they had were earned by this young aunt of his. Of course, this acknowledgment was also a product of the Lin Family elders’ constant guidance.

By the time Lin Ziyin returned from washing her hands, the table in the hall was already loaded with food.

The meal was quite lavish, consisting of eight dishes; four meat and four vegetables. The portion sizes were generous due to the number of people.

The eldest, Grandpa, sat at the head of the table, with Old Master Guo at his side.

"Big sister, do you know why uncle and aunt came?" After dinner, Lin Ziyin asked Lin Zige in her room.

"Our sister-in-law has lots of ducks at home, but the other day, the ducks fell ill and many died. They also incurred a lot of debt, so I think they may have come to borrow Silver." Lin Zige said.

Lin Ziyin nodded in agreement.

"Ziyin, our sister-in-law’s family has been helping us quite a bit usually. Now that they’ve come to us, they must be truly desperate. We can’t leave them in a lurch." Lin Zige said.

"Big sister, do you think I would do that?" Lin Ziyin said with a laugh.

"It’s not that you are stingy, but I worry that our uncle and aunt may be too shy to ask for a loan." Lin Zige worriedly said, "We got to know about the debt from the villagers of Guo village, where they went to reclaim the wilderness. Uncle and aunt have never mentioned it."

"Did our sister-in-law and brother not go and see them?" Lin Ziyin countered.

"With the Mid-Autumn Festival in a few days, we just found out yesterday. Sister-in-law and elder brother planned to prepare gifts and visit the day after tomorrow. But they didn’t expect them to come first today." Lin Zige said, "They even brought some duck eggs when they came."

"I want to talk to the elder brother." Suddenly, Lin Ziyin said.

"Ziyin, we should stay out of elder brother and sister-in-law’s affairs, lest it leads to friction among us siblings over trivial matters." Zige looked at her with worry.