Chapter 16: Mi Clan and New Crop System

Mi Yu who was just a second-rate family member of the Mi Clan were honored by the respect that Lie Fan gave to him as his position at the Mi Clan is only a Merchant Caravan leader and doesn’t have much Influence, he can see that Lie Fan is sincere and honest with how he expressed his respect and admiration.

Mi Yu: “Mi Yu thanks the Young Lord for his words, we are but a humble merchant clan that seeks small fortune every day”

Lie Fan: “Hahaha! If the Mi Clan is an ordinary Merchant Clan then the Royal Family is common beggars as Mi Clan wealth rivaled the Empire’s wealth or even more!”

Mi Yu: “Young Lord praise is too big for us Humble Merchants, how can we have the same status as the Emperor? As we are going in the same direction why don’t we go toward Huai’An together”

Lie Fan hearing what Mi Yu said agreed as this is a good way to increase relations with the Mi Clan, no matter what rank Mi Yu has in the Clan he still needs to report to the head of the Clan of his financials report.

Lie Fan and Mi Yu while on the way to Huai’An talked about many things especially the Famine that befall the Han Dynasty which caused Crime and Banditry to rise heavily over the past 3 years, Lie Fan who was talking with Mi Yu about Famine suddenly remembered that in ancient China they don’t know about the Four Crop Rotation System.

This practice reduces the reliance of crops on one set of nutrients, pest, and weed pressure, along with the probability of developing resistance against pests and weeds. This included fodder crops and grazing crops which allowed Farmers to breed livestock all year round, there is some disadvantage in this system as he needs to educate some Farmers that influence their social group to teach this to other farmers as he doesn’t have the time to teach them all personally.

Lie Fan knows that Crop Rotation is not an easy task as he needs to know if the crop he chose can respond to several fixed conditions (soil type, topography, climate, and irrigation) in addition to conditions that may change dramatically from year to the next (weather, seasons, and Markets), but He has the Book Of Knowledge in which can help him understand the theory of this Crop Rotation and what crop best used for every situation he will encounter.

Mi Yu who was next to Lie Fan saw that he was silent and not responding to him which makes Mi Yu think that he has offended him.

Mi Yu: “Young Lord Mi Yu apologized if I have offended you in any way”

Li Fan: “Huh? What are you apologizing for, you have done nothing wrong”

Mi Yu: “Young Lord is not responding to my question and ignored me when I called you just now”

Lie Fan: “Oh sorry about that, I was thinking how the People have suffered from famines and now banditry is rampant everywhere while the Emperor doesn’t do anything to help them”

Hearing what Lie Fan said makes Mi Yu astounded as there is a Noble Family in Xu Province who still care about the common people (AT: Tao Qian is not yet appointed as the Governor of Xu Province)

While talking they arrived at Huai’An where Lie Fan invited Mi Yi to visit him if he ever needed help or just wanted to have conversations and think of him as his friend here in Huai’An, Mi Yu was grateful to be treated as his friend and promised to visit him sometime if he has the time.

They both part ways and go to their respective destination, Lie Fan goes back to the Lie Mansion to meet his Father and Mother as both of them can help him spread the Crop Rotation System to the Farmers as one is The Prefect and the other is a Trusted Ex-Influential Merchant

Arriving at the Lie Mansion, he got down from Pangu and give it to the stable boy. Entering the Mansion, he goes toward the dining room as this is dinner time, and his family is having dinner right now.

Entering the Dining room, he saw his father, mother, and little sister eating while talking about day-to-day topics. Everyone raised their head to see who enter the dining room and saw Lie Fan was the one entering.

Lie Shang: “Son! Come sit and have dinner with us, you must be tired after doing your first official duty as a Military Commander haha!”

Yu Yan: “Fan’er come here and take e sit beside Mother”

Lie Fan goes toward his mother and sits beside her Wannian was on the other side of his mother waving at him while her mouth is full and looks like a hamster in which he waved back at her and makes some funny faces causing Wannian to giggle

Lie Fan: “Mother where is Yue’er? Why is she not eating with us?”

Yu Yan: “Aiyoo look at you now, the one you care and ask about is your wife, not your mother. Ying Yue is still shy to meet me and you Father, let her adjust herself first okay”

Lie Shang: “Hahaha! Atta my boy you got yourself some beautiful woman as your Wive, you are just like your old man when I’m young!”

Lie Fan who was teased by his parents was a bit embarrassed but only for a short time and responded to both his Father and Mother. While eating Lie Fan tells his parents that he wanted to talk to them after this and to meet at the study to talk privately.

Lie Shang and Yu Yan thinking that Lie Fan has something important to tell them agreed and they continue eating while conversing happily with one another.

After eating, Yu Yan takes Wannian to her room first while Lie Fan and Lie Shang go to the study and wait for Yu Yan there. On the way there, Lie Fan tells Lie Shang about the plan he made with his mother about the Copper Mirror and Wine in which Lie Shang promised that he will help them and increase patrols around that area to minimize trouble there.

While talking they arrived at the study and take a seat while continuing their conversation about the Plan Lie Fan and Yu Yan made, Lie Shang wanted to know the full details of the plan so he can know what needed to be done that was within his power so the officials and merchants will not be too suspicious.

While the two of them were talking, Yu Yan enters the room and takes a seat beside Lie Shang Lie Fan can begin to explain to them about the Crop Rotation System

Lie Fan: “Father-Mother, What do you think about our agricultural sector now?”

Lie Shang: “It’s in the red line thanks to the famine and drought that happen for the past 3 years now, while the drought is not too severe but the famine is impacting the Nation as a whole”

Yu Yan: “Just like what your Father said, the Drought is not too severe now thanks to the rainy season that has started but the famine is not easy to handle as the Emperor doesn’t give much help and Officials were ignoring the people suffering” .𝒐𝙧𝒈

Lie Fan: “I agree with what both Father and Mother said, what If I told you that I have a way to at least reduce the famine that happens around Huai’An?”

Lie Shang: “How Fan’er? If we managed to do this the City granary that has been used to help the people can be filled again”

Lie Fan began to introduce the Four Crop Rotation System, he told them the benefits it can give and how much it will help end the Famine that happens around Huai’An and also makes Huai’An rich in Crops and livestock as they can be bred all year round, at the same time he to explain the need to teach the Farmers what needed to be done and help them know what type of crops is good for every rotation.

Hearing this makes Lie Shang and Yu Yan shocked as if this were implanted correctly then not only what Lie Fan said can be done also they can enrich the Clan and control the prices of the already bloated crops in Huai’An. The crop tax that was sent every month to the Emperor will increase in numbers which raised Lie Shang and Lie Clan merits in the eyes of the Emperor.

Lie Fan, Lie Shang, and Yu Yan continue to discuss the matter of the Crop Rotation System until late at night when they ended the discussion with Lie Shang going to share this idea with the Agricultural Department and Yu Yan will use her contacts of influential Farmers that have big lands to be taught of The Crop Rotation.

Separating from His Parents, Lie Fan goes back to his room to sleep as he was tired from today’s activity, especially his training.

——————————————-

Name: Lie Fan

Title: Bandit Vanquisher

Age: 15 years old (33 years old)

Level: 9

Next Level: 512.000

Renown: 17

Cultivation: Art Of War (level 7)

SP:69.700

•ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR:110

VIT:80

AGI:77

INT:88

WIS:60

Will:22

ATR Points:0