Chapter 448: The People of Yuncheng Are Truly Blessed

Chapter 448: The People of Yuncheng Are Truly Blessed

Meng Huaining was no stranger to eating spicy food.

He had eaten Mo Family's cold-served spicy rabbit many times. Not only that, whenever he came here, the meals prepared at home would also have varying amounts of this addictive spiciness.

However, this green, spicy ingredient was something he was seeing for the first time.

Mo Chuhan, who had the most interactions with him, naturally needed to take extra care of him.

He proactively spoke up to clear Meng Huaining's confusion.

"This is our home-grown chili. Ninth Sister-in-law said that when chilies first ripen, they are green. After a few more days, they slowly turn red and, when dried, become the chili seasoning in the cold-served spicy rabbit."

In Meng Huaining's understanding, the chilies used by the Mo Family were obtained from foreigners.

Unexpectedly, they had also successfully grown this vegetable in the Northwest.

Thinking about the livelihood of the people in the Northwest, Meng Huaining couldn't help but speak up.

"Since chilies can grow here, the people of Yuncheng are truly blessed."

As soon as he finished speaking, He Zhiran's voice came from the door.

"Brother Meng's implication is to promote the cultivation of chilies?"

He Zhiran was just about to eat when Yu'er told her that Meng Huaining had come to the main house.

She put down her chopsticks and followed Mo Jiuya over to see what was going on.

Just as she reached the door, she overheard someone coveting her chilies.

Meng Huaining was a shrewd man, and from He Zhiran's tone, it wasn't hard to judge that she was unwilling to promote the cultivation of chilies.

Moreover, he was well aware that the Mo Family had always been led by Ninth Brother and Ninth Sister-in-law.

Even if he had the intention, he would still need their consent. Just now, he had indeed spoken rashly in his excitement.

He quickly stood up.

"If Ninth Sister-in-law is unwilling, I will definitely not insist."

It wasn't that He Zhiran was stingy. Although she had wealth beyond spending, to keep that wealth visible, she needed to have several profitable ventures.

Chili-based food was one of these ventures, so she naturally wouldn't want to promote chilies too early.

She also understood that Meng Huaining was a good official who had the people's welfare at heart and was aware of the hardships faced by the people in the Northwest.

"Although these chilies are delicious, they can be considered unnecessary luxuries, unlike other high-yield grains that can fill the stomachs of the people."

Meng Huaining indeed wanted to enrich the people under his governance, or at the very least, ensure they didn't go hungry.

He understood the preciousness of these chilies. Such flavors, if used in restaurants to make dishes like those of the Mo Family, would undoubtedly yield significant profits.

The reason he couldn't control his words earlier was that he realized the value of chilies. If the people of Yuncheng could grow chilies and sell them at high prices once mature, they would certainly gain high incomes.

If the people had money, would it still be difficult to eat their fill?

But the Mo Family was currently relying on these chilies for their livelihood. Once the cultivation of these chilies spread, wouldn't that cut off their source of income?

The more Meng Huaining thought about his impulsive words, the more guilty he felt.

"Ninth Brother and Ninth Sister-in-law shouldn't take my words to heart. It was just that the chilies were so delicious that I blurted out nonsense."

Hearing his tone, He Zhiran felt like laughing.

She was assisted by Mo Jiuya to sit at the table with the other sisters-in-law.

"I know that Brother Meng is a good official who has the people's welfare at heart. Don't worry too much. Before long, the sweet potatoes and potatoes in the fields will ripen.

I've said before that sweet potatoes and potatoes are easy to grow, have high yields, and provide a strong sense of fullness. To ensure that the people are well-fed and clothed, planting these is much more practical than planting chilies.

Not only that, during the autumn harvest season, there is also corn. Corn can be ground into cornmeal and grits, which are excellent for making porridge and cakes."

He Zhiran truly wasn't exaggerating.

Compared to the rough steamed buns and cakes eaten by the impoverished people of this era, corn-based foods were much tastier.

In fact, when the Mo Family first planted those strange crops, they were gossiped about by villagers behind their backs, something Meng Huaining had heard a little about.

However, based on his understanding of Mo Jiuya and his wife, they were not reckless people.

Thus, after He Zhiran carefully explained the benefits of these crops, Meng Huaining began to envision it in his heart.

"If Ninth Brother and Ninth Sister-in-law are truly willing to promote such excellent crops, you will be great benefactors to the people."

It should be known that the Northwest region is barren, and winters bring snow. In bad years, many people would starve to death each year.

The reason the Mo Family hadn't heard of people starving to death in Yuncheng was because of Meng Huaining's arrival.

Last winter, many families had already run out of food and were begging on the streets.

At that time, Meng Huaining made an important decision to use the grain stored in the granary to save those who were about to starve.

At the same time, he went to the prefect multiple times to seek help. The prefect, worn out by his persistence, had no choice but to allocate some grain from the granary.

However, this grain was far from enough, so Meng Huaining ordered his men to work with wealthy individuals, hoping they would lend a hand.

Through various efforts, Yuncheng ushered in its first winter without any people starving to death.

This was simply not a long-term solution. The winter in Yuncheng, with its shortage of clothes and food, would come again. The granary had run out of food last year, which was the most troubling issue for Meng Huaining.

He understood that this was something he, as the county magistrate, should worry about, without disrupting the harmonious atmosphere of the Mo Family.

In any case, Ninth Brother's wife had offered high-yield crops, which gave him hope.

"Ninth Brother, Ninth Sister-in-law, I speak on behalf of the people of Yuncheng to thank you for your benevolent act. As long as we get through this cold winter this year, with such crops available next year, the people will no longer have to worry about going hungry."

The discussion about the Mo Family's crops was just a small interlude during Meng Huaining's visit. After a simple decision was made, everyone shifted the conversation.

Of course, the topic naturally turned to the marriage between Meng Huaining and Mo Hanyue.

It was natural for the elders to bring up such matters, with Meng Huaining discussing the details.

Although the Mo Family had provided Mo Hanyue with a siheyuan as her dowry, Meng Huaining had still purchased a house in Yuncheng.

The house wasn't very large, and it wasn't far from the county office.

Meng Huaining had already prepared a bridal chamber there. On the day of the wedding, he would come to Xiling Village with an eight-carriage procession to take Mo Hanyue to Yuncheng for the wedding ceremony.

The young couple would stay there for two days, and on the third day, when Mo Hanyue returned to her family, they would move to Xiling Village.

It must be said, Meng Huaining had really thought this through carefully.

He didn't want Mo Hanyue to suffer any grievances, nor for others to think that the person she married hadn't even prepared a new house, with the house being a dowry from her natal family.