Ch 28: The Regent’s Farmer Husband

The silly netizens were having far too much fun. Jiang Ji stopped looking at the live chat—otherwise, they’d just start imagining all kinds of ridiculous things again.

When they reached the city, Jiang Ji and Jiang Yan first went to exchange their silver for notes, while the village chief and the others waited outside the county office with the two prisoners.

The exchange went quickly. In just a quarter of an hour, the two were done and hurried back to the yamen.

By then, the live stream already had over six million viewers—and the number was still climbing fast.

At the gate of the yamen, the village chief and his men stood guard over the thieves. Wang Xingye’s father, brothers, and aunt were there too.

When Jiang Ji arrived, Wang Xingye’s father immediately tried to step forward to stop him, only for Jiang Yan to raise an arm and block him.

“Don’t report it!” the man said anxiously. “Tell me what you want for compensation—anything, all right?”

Jiang Ji shook his head. “Not all right.”

“What do you want, then?! Isn’t silver enough for you?”

“Your son did wrong,” Jiang Ji said evenly. “He should bear the consequences of his actions.”

With that, he walked up the steps and struck the drum beside the county office gate.

Dong, dong, dong—

The drum echoed down the long street.

Someone was striking the grievance drum—within moments, people from nearby streets came running to watch the commotion.

“Court—session—begins!”

Amid the loud calls of “Wei—wu—!” from the yamen runners, Jiang Ji and the others were led into the courtroom to wait for the magistrate to take his seat.

It wasn’t their first time here, and this time the village chief and Uncle Tu Gen were much calmer.

Jiang Ji, meanwhile, still had the presence of mind to check the live chat and viewer count.

Good—over seven million now.

【Came from the trending page—has it started yet?】
【I’m here, did I make it in time?】
【That grievance drum is just like the ones in our history dramas!】
【The yamen officers look intimidating—love the atmosphere.】
【Platform’s got the stream featured on the homepage now.】
【Yeah, I clicked in from there—the title hooked me.】
【LOL, the platform used to try shutting this stream down. No matter what they did, it wouldn’t work.】
【Why block it? If you can’t beat it, join it. Look at the view count—it’s gold!】
【My buddy works at Whale Live. He said at first they thought it was a virus. The tech team couldn’t find the code tied to this stream, no matter how hard they tried. Now their boss has given up—he just watches Jiang Ji’s stream every day and told the company to start promoting it.】
【Of course they can’t block it—it’s the system! Mortal hands can’t touch that.】
【Haha, that boss finally figured it out.】
【Exactly. Who cares if it’s not technically part of your platform—it doesn’t hurt your system and it’s bringing massive traffic. Win-win.】
【Bet the boss wants to see if the raffle will really deliver something to our world.】
【Same. I joined just for that raffle—want to see if it’s real!】
【Everyone push the numbers!】

Reading the comments, Jiang Ji realized why the viewership was climbing so fast—it was on the homepage and trending. In just those few minutes, the count had surged past eight million.

His audience really was incredible. Say “get on the trending page,” and they made it happen within minutes.

And the platform? Finally doing the smart thing, Jiang Ji thought.

“His Excellency, the County Magistrate—arrives!”

【Here we go! The magistrate’s here!】
【Let’s begin!】

The yamen officers’ shouts died down as the magistrate took his seat. He looked down at the gathered crowd, struck the wooden gavel on his desk, and said, “Who struck the grievance drum?”

“Reporting to Your Excellency, it was this commoner.” Jiang Ji raised his head to face the magistrate, and before being asked, stated clearly, “This commoner is Jiang Ji of Shanqian Village.”

“Shanqian Village… Jiang Ji?” The magistrate squinted down at him and immediately recognized the young man. “You again?”

It had only been half a month since their last encounter. The magistrate remembered the articulate young villager clearly—he’d handled himself neatly last time, and that case had even ended in a sentence of exile.

Jiang Ji: “…Yes, me again.”

【Hahaha, that ‘again’ says it all】
【The magistrate actually remembers him!】

Realizing his slip, the magistrate cleared his throat. “Ahem. And why have you come knocking this time?”

Jiang Ji gestured beside him. “This commoner accuses Wang Xingye and Wang Daqiang of Xiaokeng Village. The two broke into my home in the middle of the night to steal and were caught on the spot.”

The magistrate glanced at the two bound young men and signaled the officers to loosen their ropes slightly.

Then he asked, “You two—state your names, ages, and village.”

Wang Daqiang, terrified, fell to his knees and stammered, “C-c-commoner Wang Daqiang… from Xiaokeng Village, west of the city.”

Wang Xingye was panicking too. “C-Commoner Wang… Wang Xingye, from Xiaokeng Village, west of the city.”

The magistrate continued, “Jiang Ji accuses you two of breaking into his home to steal. Do you admit your guilt?”

Wang Daqiang and Wang Xingye exchanged a glance but said nothing.

Beside them, Jiang Ji, bored, peeked at the floating livestream interface.

【Congratulations, Host! You’ve completed the daily milestone of 10 million concurrent viewers! The livestream’s raffle feature is now unlocked—ready for use~】

System 2977’s cheerful voice rang out. Jiang Ji raised an eyebrow and checked the counter—sure enough, it had already surpassed ten million and was still rising fast.

Ah, the combined power of trending searches and homepage promotion really was something!

【Ahhh! Ten million!】
【The raffle’s open now, right?! Right?!】
【Confirmed! Ten million concurrent viewers reached!】
【But the streamer’s busy in court—he probably doesn’t know yet】
【Let’s just wait. The trial’s getting good anyway】

While the magistrate waited for an answer, neither thief spoke. With a sharp snap! the wooden gavel struck the desk.

The crisp sound exploded through the hall, snapping Jiang Ji back to attention. Everyone flinched—including the two culprits kneeling on the floor, who both shuddered violently.

“Answer this official’s question! Wang Daqiang, you speak first!” The magistrate’s voice turned stern.

“C-Commoner…” Wang Daqiang stammered, trembling. “C-Commoner was… was persuaded by Wang Xingye. I didn’t—I didn’t want to go.”

Wang Xingye glared at him, eyes blazing. “Your Excellency, that’s not true—”

“This official has not asked you yet. You will speak when you are spoken to.” The magistrate turned back. “So you admit you went there to steal? Speak clearly, Wang Daqiang.”

Hunched and shaking, Wang Daqiang answered, “C-Commoner was sleeping at home yesterday afternoon when Wang Xingye came to find me. He said he and his father went to visit his aunt and found that her village—Shanqian Village—had a family selling some new kind of sweet potato and… some kind of bean seed. Everyone there was buying, and that family made a fortune—at least two or three hundred taels of silver. He said if I went with him, we could make some easy money.”

“At first I didn’t want to, but Wang Xingye said the man of that house had died, and only weak women and children were left—just one young man under twenty, Jiang Ji. It wouldn’t be dangerous. So… I got tempted.”

“We reached their village after dark, waited until midnight…” Wang Daqiang’s voice grew small and plaintive. “Who knew—they caught us as soon as we went in! We were careful! Even their dog didn’t bark!”

He truly couldn’t figure out how Jiang Ji had known—they’d been waiting inside as if expecting them.

His account was clear enough. The magistrate struck the gavel again. Snap! “Wang Xingye, what have you to say?”

While Wang Daqiang spoke, Wang Xingye’s mind had been racing, trying to find a way out. Now he stammered, “Your Excellency, I—Commoner is innocent! I only… only told Wang Daqiang that Jiang Ji’s family had earned a lot of silver. He’s the one who said we should go steal!”

Wang Daqiang’s eyes went wide. “Nonsense! You said yourself you didn’t have enough to marry and wanted to steal money to build a new house and get a pretty wife—it was your idea!”

Wang Xingye shouted louder, drowning him out. “You’re the one who begged me! You’re broke—you needed the money and dragged me along!”

The magistrate rubbed his temples, clearly losing patience. He struck the gavel again. Bang! “Silence!”

Both men flinched and shut their mouths.

The magistrate asked, “When you spoke of this plan, was anyone else present?”

Wang Daqiang: “No.”
Wang Xingye: “No.”

The magistrate sighed inwardly. He’d seen plenty of cases like this—no witnesses, no third party, and each blaming the other. There was no way to tell who had instigated it.

But attempted theft was undeniable.

He didn’t have time for endless squabbling. “Both of you, lying and deceiving this court—ten strokes of the board each!”

“No! Your Excellency, I’m telling the truth! Every word!” cried Wang Daqiang.

Wang Xingye, terrified at the mention of beating, broke into a cold sweat. He didn’t want to be caned—but maybe, just maybe, if Wang Daqiang confessed first, he’d get off lightly?

The magistrate noted their reactions and said coldly, “Begin with Wang Xingye.”

Immediately, the yamen runners brought out the wide punishment bench, grabbed Wang Xingye, and forced him down over it. Two officers lifted heavy bamboo boards and began.

Whack!

The sound of the strike echoed sharply through the hall.

“Ah—!”

Wang Xingye screamed. The pain was unbearable.

“Ye’er! Your Excellency, my son is innocent!” cried his father, trying to rush forward, only for Li Lao’er’s wife to grab his sleeve and whisper, “Brother, don’t! Remember what happened when my mother-in-law was beaten?”

He froze—right, Jin Hua had been struck ten times on this very bench for lying to the magistrate.

In the center of the hall, Wang Xingye wailed, tears and snot streaming. After just a few blows he couldn’t take it anymore. “I confess! Your Excellency, I confess! I was the one who told Wang Daqiang to steal money! I confess—please stop!”

The magistrate didn’t order them to stop until the full ten strokes were done. By then, Wang Xingye’s backside was swollen and bleeding through his trousers.

Dragged back to kneel, he trembled as the magistrate asked, “Wang Xingye, state truthfully everything you have done.”

Still shaking, in pain and fear, he began to speak—about how he and his father had gone to visit his aunt, passed by a house where villagers were leaving with baskets full of unfamiliar goods, all smiling and cheerful. Curious, they’d asked and learned that the household was selling seeds. They’d gone in for a look, and he’d seen piles of silver on the table…

At that, the magistrate interrupted, raising an eyebrow. “Unfamiliar seeds? What kind of seeds were they?”

“They said it’s called sweet potato and potato,” Wang Xingye answered.

The magistrate had never heard of such things. He turned to Jiang Ji. “What are these?”

Jiang Ji replied respectfully, “Reporting to Your Excellency, these are crops I obtained from southern traders. They’re not native to our region. Besides sweet potatoes and potatoes, there’s also maize. All of them are filling and can be stored through winter. I wanted to introduce them to the villagers so no one would go hungry when the cold season comes.”

The magistrate nodded thoughtfully, saying nothing further for now, and motioned for Wang Xingye to continue his confession.

Wang Xingye recounted the entire sequence of events in detail, which largely matched what Wang Daqiang had said before.

The case was clear—facts established, evidence straightforward.

At last, the magistrate rendered his judgment:

“Wang Xingye and Wang Daqiang of Xiaokeng Village, tempted by greed, attempted to steal from another household. Though the act was not completed, the intent was wicked, and theft was indeed attempted.

“According to the laws of our dynasty, this official now declares: Wang Daqiang, fifty strokes of the whip; Wang Xingye, as the instigator—who not only falsely accused another in court but also tried to deceive this official and show contempt for the law—shall receive one hundred strokes. Execute immediately as warning to all!”

“Court dismissed!”

As the yamen officers dragged Wang Daqiang and Wang Xingye away for punishment, their screams echoed through the courtyard. Jiang Ji and his group did not linger to watch; they turned to leave the hall.

Just as they reached the gate, a bearded middle-aged man stepped forward to block their way.

“Brother Jiang Ji, please stay.”

Jiang Ji recognized him—it was the magistrate’s advisor, the shiye, who had been standing beside the bench earlier.

Jiang Ji cupped his hands politely. “Sir, what may I do for you?”

The man smiled. “Young man, the magistrate requests your presence.”

“?” Jiang Ji hesitated for a moment. “Sir, may I ask what for?”

“Oh, nothing serious,” the advisor said. “The magistrate heard about the new crops you’ve acquired and wishes to learn more about them.”

Hearing this, Jiang Ji exchanged a quick glance with Jiang Yan, then nodded. “Very well.”

He turned to the village chief and said, “Could you wait for me at the gate?”

The advisor smiled. “No need. The magistrate invites everyone.”

“We’re going too?” the village chief asked nervously.

The idea of facing the magistrate again made him uneasy—his stern face from the courtroom was still fresh in their minds.

“Yes,” said the advisor.

Jiang Ji nodded to the chief. “Let’s all go, then.”

The group followed the advisor into a room at the back of the compound.

He guided them to sit. “Please, take a seat. The magistrate is finishing some matters and will be here shortly.”

They sat down. The village chief and the others looked uneasy, while only Jiang Ji and Jiang Yan remained calm, even glancing casually around the room.

A yamen officer came in to serve tea, and the advisor made small talk until the magistrate entered.

Everyone rose and bowed slightly. “Your Excellency.”

Dressed in his official robe, the magistrate raised a hand. “No need for formality. Sit.”

Once he was seated at the head of the table, the others followed suit.

The magistrate took a sip of tea, then looked around before addressing Jiang Ji. “Young man, I heard you mention in court a new kind of crop called sweet potato. I’d like to know more about it—what sort of plant is it?”

At that, Jiang Ji paused, exchanged another look with Jiang Yan, and answered cautiously, “Your Excellency, this commoner didn’t bring any with him today.”

He kept his reply brief.

After all, he didn’t know the magistrate’s true intentions. From all the dramas he’d watched in his past life, he knew how greedy and corrupt some officials could be—extorting commoners under pretense of “inspection.” Though this magistrate had judged fairly in court, Jiang Ji didn’t know what he was like in private.

What if the man wanted the seeds for himself to make a profit?

Not that Jiang Ji feared losing them—after all, they came from the system and couldn’t truly be taken—but he couldn’t very well conjure up a fake “trader” to back up his story. There was no such person.

The magistrate asked again, “Then tell me: what sort of plant is it? Does it grow in paddy fields or dry soil? How much yield per acre?”

Jiang Ji blinked. “We’re planting it for the first time, Your Excellency. Haven’t even begun seedling cultivation yet, so I’m not sure of the exact yield.”

The village chief and other villagers looked at him strangely—this wasn’t what he’d told them before. But in front of the magistrate, none dared to speak.

“I see.” The magistrate nodded slightly, then continued, “Do you at least know how to plant it properly?”

Jiang Ji said, “I’ve inquired about the general method.”

The village chief, watching both the magistrate and Jiang Ji, began to understand why the young man was speaking so vaguely. His hand clenched around his trouser leg under the table—he was worried for Jiang Ji.

The magistrate studied Jiang Ji for a moment. The young man’s words sounded polite and complete, yet he’d revealed nothing of real substance. The official’s eyes glinted—and then he suddenly laughed.

The unexpected laughter startled everyone present.

Why was the magistrate laughing?

Could it be—now that he knew about the grain and the planting method, he wanted to take it for himself?

The village chief’s heart tightened. If the magistrate really intended to seize Jiang Ji’s supply, they’d have no power to resist—and would probably have to pay double in the future just to get seeds.

“Young man,” the magistrate asked with a smile, “are you afraid I’ll steal your business?”

Jiang Ji froze for a heartbeat, then feigned ignorance. “Your Excellency jests.”

“Hahaha!” The magistrate laughed heartily and turned to the advisor. “See that? He doesn’t trust me—he’s being cautious.”

Jiang Ji: “…”
Village chief: “…”
Other villagers: Ah, so that’s what this is about!

Jiang Yan, meanwhile, observed quietly, thoughtful.

The advisor chuckled too. “Young man, perhaps you don’t know—our magistrate is also a native of Changping County, from Taolin Village under Qingyun Town to the east. He cares deeply for the people. When he heard you’d brought in new crops, he simply wished to know whether these can be spread across the county—so that everyone may grow more food and live better lives.”

The magistrate added with a smile, “I promise not to steal your business.”

Jiang Ji: “…”
Village chief and others: “…”

Everyone felt a bit more at ease. The other villagers finally understood why Jiang Ji had been so vague earlier—it turned out he was being cautious in case the magistrate had ulterior motives. None of them had even thought of that.

The magistrate stroked his beard and looked at Jiang Ji with amusement. “Well then, young man, can you tell me now?”

Jiang Ji blinked. “Your Excellency truly intends to promote these crops widely?”

“Of course,” the magistrate nodded, gazing thoughtfully toward the doorway. His tone grew deep and earnest. “Our grain yields have long been low, and people still struggle with hunger and cold. The court has been trying for years to improve this, but progress has been minimal. If there’s truly a way to increase food production and help the people live better lives, it would be a great act of merit and benevolence.”

Then he turned back to Jiang Ji. “Young man, if you truly have a means to raise grain yield—through new crops or new methods—the county office will fully support you in promoting them. Should this succeed, I guarantee I will report it truthfully to the imperial court, and you shall receive proper recognition. Are you willing?”

The sincerity in his tone moved Jiang Ji. He didn’t press about merchants or trade; the magistrate’s questions were focused only on yield and cultivation, not profit. Jiang Ji glanced at Jiang Yan, who gave a small nod.

Jiang Ji turned back and replied, “Your Excellency, I had already planned to promote these new crops gradually. At present, everyone in our village has bought sweet potatoes and potatoes, and we are about to begin seedling cultivation.”

“Oh?” The magistrate leaned forward with interest. “You intended to promote them yourself? Tell me more—what are these new crops like? I’ve never even seen them. And what is this seedling cultivation you mentioned?”

Jiang Ji scratched his head. “Your Excellency, I didn’t bring any with me today. How about I bring some tomorrow for you to see?”

“No need. You have them at home, don’t you? Would it be convenient for me to visit and see them myself?” the magistrate asked.

Jiang Ji hadn’t expected him to personally visit the countryside. That genuine willingness made him trust the man more. He smiled. “If Your Excellency is willing, you are most welcome to my humble home.”

“Excellent. Wait for me a moment; I’ll change into casual clothes and we’ll depart.” The magistrate looked quite pleased and quickly went to change.

Jiang Ji and the others waited by the gate. Soon the magistrate returned, accompanied by the assistant magistrate and the advisor. A carriage was brought forward, and the magistrate invited Jiang Ji to ride with him.

Jiang Ji guessed he probably wanted to ask more about the new crops during the ride, so before leaving, he called over Uncle Tu Gen, gave him some silver, and asked him to buy fish and meat from the market.

It would be around noon when they returned—he had to host the magistrate for lunch, after all.

Uncle Tu Gen grabbed another villager, and the two hurried off to the market. Jiang Ji climbed into the magistrate’s carriage.

As expected, the magistrate used the trip to ask more about the new crops, and Jiang Ji explained everything he could along the way.

When they reached the village, Jiang Ji asked the village chief to stay and accompany them, then invited the other men who had gone to court to come for lunch later. After that, he led the magistrate into his home.

Zhao Ru was startled to see the magistrate himself in her courtyard. Jiang Ji quickly explained the situation and told her to prepare lunch—two tables’ worth—and that Uncle Tu Gen would be bringing ingredients shortly.

Zhao Ru went to start cooking. Before long, Uncle Tu Gen and another clansman returned carrying chicken, pork, and fish. Uncle Tu Gen then fetched Aunt Xiufang to help with meal preparation.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ji brought the magistrate into the main hall and untied several bags stacked in the corner. “Your Excellency, these are the sweet potatoes, and this bag here is the potato seed stock. I’ll cook some at noon for you to try.”

“These should be saved for seed,” the magistrate said, reluctant to touch them. “There aren’t many here. It’s enough to confirm they’re edible; we’ll wait until they’re grown to taste them properly.”

Jiang Ji smiled. “It’s no problem. Sweet potato vines can be propagated by cuttings—they’ll grow again once planted.”

Hearing this, the magistrate nodded. “In that case, boil one or two just to sample the flavor—no need for more.”

Seeing how careful and appreciative the magistrate was, Jiang Ji’s impression of him improved further. “Understood.”

He went into his room and retrieved a few ears of corn from the system. “Your Excellency, there’s also this—it’s called maize, or corn. Each kernel can be planted as seed.”

The magistrate’s eyes brightened as he looked at the golden grains. “Ah, this is the one you mentioned that can be planted alongside soybeans or peanuts?”

“Yes, that’s it.”

The magistrate lifted an ear to his nose—there was a faint, sweet scent. “Wonderful. If it truly grows alongside other crops, that means one plot of land could yield two harvests. Excellent!”

After examining the sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn, his gaze fell upon the books laid out on the table. Curious, he picked one up—and realized it contained written planting instructions.

He flipped through the booklet titled Sweet Potato Cultivation Guide. The handwriting was neat and elegant—clearly the work of a practiced hand.

The first page was a “Table of Contents,” listing the page numbers for each growth stage. The magistrate recognized it as a structured manual.

He turned to the next page—“Overview of Sweet Potatoes”—which introduced the crop, followed by sections on seedling cultivation, transplanting, field management, pest control, harvest, and storage.

After skimming through, the magistrate looked up in astonishment. “Brother Jiang Ji, did you write this yourself?”

Jiang Ji nodded. “I compiled it from what the traders told me. Jiang Yan copied it neatly; my brushwork isn’t very good.”

“Brother Jiang Yan’s calligraphy is excellent,” the magistrate praised.

Jiang Yan replied calmly, “Your Excellency flatters me.”

The magistrate smiled again and said to Jiang Ji, “To think you even organized the planting methods into a proper booklet—this is a great deed!”

Jiang Ji smiled modestly. “I just thought, once it’s spread widely, I won’t be able to personally explain to every village how to plant it. Better to let them learn from the book.”

“Indeed. Very thoughtful of you,” the magistrate said approvingly.

He chatted with Jiang Ji for quite some time and came away deeply impressed. Though the young man was a villager, his mind was sharp and his vision far-reaching. He had already planned out how to promote these new crops—and had even considered things the magistrate himself hadn’t yet thought of.

The magistrate sighed with admiration. “I originally came thinking I might offer some small help, but it turns out you’ve already thought everything through. I truly underestimated you before—I owe you an apology.”

For an official of his rank to apologize to a commoner, even one of lower status, was a rare thing. Jiang Ji’s respect for the magistrate rose even higher. Perhaps this really was an honest, people-minded official.

Jiang Ji scratched his head and smiled. “Your Excellency is too kind. If you and the county office are willing to help with the promotion, that would be even better—it’ll make it easier for everyone to accept the new crops.”

He paused for a moment, as though hesitating to speak.

The magistrate noticed and said kindly, “Speak freely—whatever’s on your mind.”

“It’s about the pricing of the seeds,” Jiang Ji said cautiously. “Would it be possible for me to set the price myself?”

The magistrate looked at him and smiled. “Naturally. The county office won’t interfere. We can help you with manpower and organization, but there’s just one condition—keep the price reasonable. Don’t raise it too much from what it is now, all right?”

It was a fair request. Even a good official had to guard against someone monopolizing such a valuable commodity and exploiting the people.

Jiang Ji saw that the magistrate didn’t intend to take control of his profits and immediately nodded. “Of course. The price will stay the same.”

They then talked in detail for quite some time, discussing how each stage of the project could be implemented and what plans would work best.

When lunchtime came, two tables were set. Jiang Ji, Jiang Yan, the village chief, and two highly respected clan elders sat with the magistrate, the deputy magistrate, and the advisor. The other villagers ate together at the second table.

Jiang Ji introduced the dishes. “Your Excellency, this is steamed sweet potato, corn, and potato. These two are shredded potato stir-fry and braised pork with potato. And this one is corn, carrot, and pork rib soup. Please, have a taste.”

The steamed sweet potatoes, corn, and potatoes were cut into small pieces. The magistrate, deputy magistrate, and advisor each picked up a piece to try.

The magistrate had chosen a piece of sweet potato. It was soft, sweet, and fragrant, melting in his mouth the moment he bit into it.

His eyes lit up. “Delicious.”

The advisor and deputy magistrate, who had each tried the corn, also nodded in delight.

After sampling the steamed foods, they moved on to the dishes. The shredded potatoes were crisp and refreshing; the braised pork with potatoes was tender and rich; and the corn and carrot rib soup was clear and sweet.

“Exquisite!”
“I never imagined corn soup could be so naturally sweet!”
“And these potatoes—fried, stewed, or steamed, they each have their own flavor and texture. Remarkable!”

All three praised the food endlessly.

The village chief and the clan elders, eating these dishes for the first time as well, were astonished. Their confidence in these new crops grew stronger with every bite.

With such good taste, selling them would never be a problem!

After the meal, upon hearing that Jiang Ji was going to teach the villagers how to cultivate sweet potato seedlings, the magistrate decided to stay and watch.

The village chief quickly sent word around, and soon people from every household gathered at Jiang Ji’s field.

Everyone already knew the magistrate had come. Seeing him in person left them both shocked and nervous. But after watching how easily Jiang Ji spoke and laughed with him, they realized that although the magistrate looked stern, he was actually quite approachable.

Gradually, the villagers relaxed, and some even dared to chat with him directly.

While the village chief was still summoning people, Jiang Ji, Jiang Yan, and Uncle Tu Gen had already started digging the seedbed pits.

When the chief reported that everyone had arrived—some from neighboring villages who had bought seeds also came—Jiang Ji began teaching.

“Uncles, aunts, listen up. For sweet potato seedling cultivation, first you dig a pit—about this deep. The size depends on how many seed potatoes you have. Spread them evenly.”

“Once the pit’s ready, use old animal manure—pig, cow, chicken, or duck droppings that have aged for a few months. Mix it with soil, spread a layer at the bottom. If you’re using straw bedding from the pens, cover it with a bit of soil afterward. That’s your base fertilizer. I’m using leftovers from last year.”

He spoke as he demonstrated, while Uncle Tu Gen and Jiang Yan helped. Seeing them busy, the village chief joined in too.

“Next, dig a shallow drainage trench about a foot deep to prevent waterlogging. Third, lay the sweet potatoes flat, one by one, neatly spaced.”

The villagers joined in, and soon they had placed enough sweet potatoes to fill two acres of seedbed.

“Step four, cover the sweet potatoes with a layer of soil.”

They shoveled quickly, covering the rows with earth.

“Step five, water them thoroughly.”

“Step six, cover the top with straw to keep it warm. You can use plenty, and remember to dig drainage trenches around the bed as well.”

Since there was no plastic film in this era, straw worked perfectly fine, especially with the weather already warm.

When everything was finished, Jiang Ji clapped his hands. “All right, everyone got it? Simple, isn’t it?”

“That’s all? That’s pretty easy!”
“I remember it now.”
“I’ll dig my pit and start when I get home.”

When the crowd dispersed, Jiang Ji escorted the magistrate out and finally let out a long breath of relief.

Watching the carriage roll away, he asked Jiang Yan, “What do you think of the magistrate? Do you think he truly means to promote these crops?”

Jiang Yan’s gaze was calm but deep. “For now, he seems trustworthy.”

They exchanged a look. “We’ll keep observing,” Jiang Yan added.

Jiang Ji nodded. “Right.”

Back home, Jiang Ji washed his hands, then stepped out into the courtyard and opened his livestream.

That morning’s court trial had peaked at over 25 million viewers. Though it had dropped since, there were still more than 15 million watching.

“Brothers and sisters, thank you for your amazing support! I finally have a moment free—time for the raffle!”

🌾🌾🌾🌾🌾