Especially Zhou Clan Chief, after seeing those hunted preys, he had already roughly calculated their prices.
Speaking of that wild mountain goat alone, if sold to restaurants in the city, it would fetch at least a few taels of silver.
With such an abundant harvest in one day, it was enough for these people to eat their fill, and there would even be some left.
Xie Tianhai and Fang Chuanzhou were also listening enviously.
By now, they had thoroughly accepted the fact of becoming an ordinary commoner. The Mo Family's manpower grew increasingly numerous, and each was highly skilled.
Relying on hunting to support a family in the future would be no problem at all.
Thinking further of their own circumstances then, they were formerly scholar-officials. Even if there were quite some manpower, none was able to go up the mountain for hunting.
It seemed that after they returned, their whole families had to gather together to carefully discuss the problem of their future livelihood.
He Zhiran was listening to the men's discussion without rebutting. She would simply do whatever she ought to do in the future.
Seeing that everyone had just about eaten their fill of meat, she put the sliced potatoes and sweet potatoes into the pot.
These two items were the first time the people present had seen them.
They had wanted to ask what these were when they first saw them, but faced with so many delicacies, they were reluctant to stop their mouths from eating to speak.
Now seeing He Zhiran putting these two foods into the copper pot, they raised their curiosity once more.
For asking this kind of question, the Eighth Sister-in-law as a foodie was most adept.
"Ninth younger sister-in-law, we cut for half a day in the kitchen just now, and still didn't know what these are."
He Zhiran smiled as she explained, "These were all bought from the Westerners by me. One is called potato, and one called sweet potato.
I also heard that these things not only taste good, but have very high yields too. I kept some seeds, and we can try planting some next year."
Upon hearing He Zhiran say that these two foods had high yields, the two clan chiefs were the first unable to keep still.
They had been tilling the soil their whole lives, and there was no news more exciting than the topic of high yields.
Zhou Clan Chief笑着 asked, "Ninth young household, you said these things have high yields, so just how high could they yield?"
He Zhiran thought about the sweet potatoes and potatoes planted in her space. She didn't know if it was an issue of cheating, but the yield per mu could reach two thousand jin for potatoes, and even more for sweet potatoes, close to five thousand jin.
To play it safe, she did not report such high numbers.
"Zhou Clan Chief, according to what that Westerner said, potatoes can yield up to a thousand jin per mu, and sweet potatoes will be more, with at least two thousand jin per mu."
As soon as she finished speaking, the two clan chiefs were no longer able to keep their cool and stood up.
"Ninth young household, is what you said true?"
Zhao Clan Chief turned red in agitation. They must know that planting crops their whole lives, they had never heard of any crop with such high yields. Could the Ninth young household have been tricked by those Westerners?
He Zhiran also could not boast too much regarding such matters.
"Hehe... Zhao Clan Chief, whether it can really yield as high as that, we'll have to see after planting them."
Zhao Clan Chief nodded and sat back down.
Seeing the Ninth young household's nonchalant manner, she clearly didn't care whether she was being tricked. What was he getting all worked up for?
At the same time, the two clan chiefs also extinguished their original intention to ask for some seeds.
These unknown things, they didn't dare try indeed in case the yields weren't so high after all, that would be an entire year's time wasted in vain.
Their attitude did not impact He Zhiran at all.
Seeing that the potatoes and sweet potatoes in the copper pot had softened from cooking, she urged everyone to have a taste.
This time, her action elicited another round of exclamations.
"Ninth younger sister-in-law, this sweet potato is sweet and delicious!" Eighth Sister-in-law ate while smiling and praising.
Even the usually composed Sixth Sister-in-law couldn't help but appraise, "That's true, these two new snacks do seem rather filling too."
The table with the men was similar, as they all vied to praise the potatoes and sweet potatoes for their unique flavor.
Everyone present feasted merrily on the delicacies. They felt that they had never eaten such delicious food in their lives.
When Mo Jiuye saw that everyone had just about eaten their fill, he then asked Zhao and Zhou, the two clan chiefs.
"Two clan chiefs, may I know if you have any spare land for sale?"
Zhou Clan Chief raised his brow, "Ninth lad, you plan to buy land?"
Zhao Clan Chief echoed, "True enough, for country folks, tilling land is fundamental."
Mo Jiuye nodded, "We will be living in the village in future, so planting crops is a must."
Zhou Clan Chief contemplated briefly.
"In our Xi Ling Village, if we talk of good land, most are in Cui Manor people's hands. Luckily after being tended these few years, though not comparable to Cui Manor's fertile soil, our family's land had also improved vastly."
Mo Jiuye knew his wife's space-produced seeds weren't particular about soil conditions at all. Thus he didn't care if the land was fertile.
"Land conditions matter not. Good land is nurtured. We can take it slow."
At the same time, Xie Tianhai and Fang Chuanzhou also stared at the two clan chiefs.
They shared Mo Jiuye's thoughts. To live in the countryside, they would have to do what country folks ought to.
After exchanging glances, Zhao Clan Chief said,
"There isn't much farmland in both our families. Only those near the foot of the mountain have been left fallow for years. Such land would take at least three to five years' time before it can be nurtured fertile."
The indigenous villagers of Xi Ling Village naturally understood this kind of land. Even if seeded, the harvests wouldn't be great. It was likely they would toil in vain.
Zhao Clan Chief suddenly recalled Cui Manor.
"Ninth lad, Cui Manor has the most land, far more than their tribesmen can farm.
In the past, relying on Cui Wen's power, they forced our two families to send people over as unpaid labor.
Now that the new fair County prefect is in power, Cui Manor had been punished. I supposed we no longer have to work unpaid at their place. Much of their land would surely be left barren.
When that time comes, Cui Manor people will surely want to sell off their farms. You can then buy fertile land from Cui Manor."
That was indeed a good plan. But Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran hoped to own more land, no matter the condition, preferably adjoining parcels.
Whether fertile land or those left barren for years, they wanted them all.
"The two clan chiefs, no matter the land quality, we hope to buy them."
In suggesting that Mo Jiuye buy farmland from Cui Manor, the two clan chiefs actually had no ulterior motives. They were thinking about harmony since they were going to live together in the same village. They didn't want to do anything that would invite criticisms.
What they didn't expect was that even after they had said so much, the other party remained just as determined.
Since that's the case, they shouldn't be blamed for not warning them. When it came to money spent, no one had the right to make demands how it should be used.
Zhou Clan Chief said, "There are about twenty mu of fallow land at the foot of the mountain in our Zhou family. That area was opened up through land reclamation by our clansmen, and we have the title deed registered officially.
The deeds are still in our hands presently. If you want to buy them, based on the wasteland price back then, it'd be one tael of silver per mu."
