Illumine Lingao (English Translation)
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Chapter 2362: Agricultural Company (Part 2)

"A slave?" Xu Yanliang was somewhat surprised. "Where is his father?"

"His father is a hired hand on this farm—good at farming. He had no wife. The Master said a man without a wife has no roots, so he went to the slave market at the pier specifically to buy him a woman to marry." Hu Sanqing led the way as he spoke. "Among the immigrants who came to Sanya back then, except for those who brought their own families, how many women were there? The few servant girls the Master brought were all married off within two years... In this place, the bride price even for a widow is quite steep."

"Didn't many refugees arrive from Shandong later? I recall there were quite a few women among them."

"All assigned to state-owned farms. Chief, watch your step..." He turned and shouted at the people nearby: "Are you all blind? Escort the military lords to the pavilion to rest and prepare tea and water!"

The four guards settled into the pavilion by the gate while Hu Sanqing led Xu Yanliang and Yuan Fei through the open space behind the entrance.

Xu Yanliang surveyed this "private farm." He had visited several farms before, but those were state-run operations personally established by Wu Nanhai—carefully designed and constructed. A private farm was entirely new territory.

At first glance, this one was quite different from those state operations. Just inside stood a compacted threshing floor with several four-wheeled ox carts parked on it. Surrounding the floor were buildings of various sizes and heights—some of brick and wood, others simple structures of bamboo and reed. The finest brick-and-wood building among them was a towering Dutch-style windmill, its blades turning slowly. Probably a mill, Xu Yanliang surmised, since several large red-brick silos stood behind it.

Chickens and dogs wandered freely across the open ground, and several naked children played together—a scene of bucolic tranquility.

"Chief, this way," Hu Sanqing guided them through a wooden archway between the buildings, along an alley for several dozen paces, around a corner, and into a small courtyard. Three north-facing rooms overlooked a stone-paved floor. A gourd trellis grew densely overhead, shading stone tables and chairs beneath. On the table sat a complete Kung Fu tea set, quite exquisite. This was evidently where the farm owner rested and received guests.

"Please rest here a moment, Chief, and have some refreshments. The Master will come to pay his respects as soon as he returns." Hu Sanqing withdrew after speaking.

Noting the courtyard's orderly layout and the refined tea set, Xu Yanliang remarked: "This Farm Owner Hu is quite a capable woman..."

Yuan Fei stifled a laugh. "Chief, Hu Wumei is not a woman..."

"Not a woman? Then why is he called Wumei—Fifth Sister?"

"His family had difficulty producing heirs—single sons for several generations—so they gave him a girl's name."

"I see." Xu Yanliang chuckled. "I interpreted the name too literally. Good thing I didn't embarrass myself."

"His name has confused many people. You're not alone, Chief." Yuan Fei said.

"This Hu Wumei seems quite skilled at management—this farm is well run."

"He's the second largest farm owner locally, so naturally it is." Yuan Fei continued: "When Hu Wumei came to Sanya, he arrived with the title of Mayor-designate of Anleyou City. Later the plan changed, and the town was never established. He became the Bailiff of the First Jia in Jinling District. He's also a member of the Sanya Municipal Consultative Council. In Jinling District, he's practically a semi-official figure. Old Liu Xiang may have more wealth and land, and he's also on the Council, but his word definitely doesn't carry as much weight as Master Hu's around here..."

"I see." Xu Yanliang nodded. Obviously, this Farm Owner Hu was an "emerging landlord" cultivated by the Senate.

Despite his slovenly peasant appearance, Hu Sanqing proved quite efficient. He returned shortly with several attendants, having changed his clothes. They brought several green coconuts, peeled and fitted with straws, along with two plates of pastries. One plate was covered with shredded coconut—mochi, by the look of it. Xu Yanliang picked one up and tasted it; indeed, it was mochi with red bean filling. The other plate held white confections that trembled at the slightest touch. He scooped up a piece—coconut jelly, smooth and tender, overflowing with a rich, milky fragrance.

"Your Master really knows how to live. He's clearly no country bumpkin landlord." Xu Yanliang smiled and picked up a green coconut. "Come, try one," he said to Yuan Fei.

Yuan Fei didn't decline, grabbing a coconut to drink.

"These are all local products—hardly luxury items..." Hu Sanqing said apologetically.

"Local products here, but in Lingao, they're rare treasures." Xu Yanliang replied. "Take this green coconut—even now in Lingao, ordinary people can't afford such things."

"I heard Lingao is also growing coconuts..." Hu Sanqing ventured.

Xu Yanliang was momentarily taken aback. Lingao was indeed attempting to cultivate coconuts, but due to the climate, success had been limited. Currently there were only experimental plantations in a few locations, producing virtually nothing.

"You're quite well-informed." Xu Yanliang laughed. "Do you visit Lingao often?"

"We don't travel to Lingao often, but we subscribe to newspapers. The Master reads the Lingao Times every day—though being so far out here, we only see papers from four or five days ago."

"Your Master pays close attention to current affairs."

"The Master says that only by watching the Senate's movements closely can one know what to do to make money. New developments can also be learned about promptly."

It turned out that Hu Wumei subscribed not only to the Lingao Times but also to various journals and magazines—even professional publications like Agricultural Technology that Xu Yanliang had never heard of. This Hu Wumei was clearly devoted to learning.

"So tell me—besides farming, what other businesses has your Master pursued by following current affairs so closely?"

"That, I dare not boast about on the Master's behalf." Hu Sanqing laughed. "Just last year, the Master saw news in the paper and said the Senate was most likely preparing for the Northern Expedition. Once war starts, military provisions become inevitable. So he established an aquatic products processing factory at the port to produce various smoked and cooked fish products. At first, sales were slow, and considerable money was invested. The Master said it didn't matter—produce it first and store it. Sure enough, the Logistics Department came to purchase and bought everything in one sweep..."

Xu Yanliang nodded. In truth, anyone who paid close attention to the Lingao Times could identify many opportunities for wealth. But what struck him wasn't Hu Wumei's business acumen—rather, it was that many such opportunities were now beyond the reach of ordinary people. Rushing to establish aquatic products processing like Hu Wumei had done required substantial financial investment.

Of course, the Senate's expansion period would last for many years. For at least the next century, each expansion would create ample upward opportunities for common people. There was no need for immediate concern.

While they talked, heavy footsteps suddenly approached, accompanied by a middle-aged man's voice: "Where is the Chief? Why wasn't I told sooner!"

Hu Sanqing hurried out to meet him. Shortly, a medium-built man in his forties rushed in. He had the standard short haircut and wore a short-sleeved white linen shirt blackened with sweat, along with linen shorts. His clothes were not only heavily worn but showed traces of tearing at the edges, caked with mud—he had obviously come straight from the fields.

Upon entering the courtyard, he immediately approached Xu Yanliang and bowed deeply: "Chief..."

"No need for formalities." Xu Yanliang waved his hand. "My surname is Xu—Xu Yanliang. I was just transferred to Sanya from Lingao and am simply wandering around to familiarize myself with the local situation. Coming here was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I apologize for disrupting your work."

"What are you saying, Chief! Having a Senator grace my humble home—this is an honor of three lifetimes... the glory of my humble dwelling..." Hu Wumei spoke in "Guangpu," the local Cantonese dialect, which wasn't difficult to understand.

Before Xu Yanliang could respond, Hu Wumei turned to Hu Sanqing: "How could you bring only these things to serve the Chief! Go to the back house immediately and tell Third Aunt to bring out my Limushan Special Grade Oolong Tea! And tell the small kitchen to prepare some proper snacks..."

Xu Yanliang hastily waved him off: "Please don't go to such trouble. I'm just passing through for a look. This coconut water is refreshing—perfect for the weather. No need for additional snacks; I couldn't eat them. Just sit down and let's chat for a while."

"How can that be!" Hu Wumei protested. "It's rare for a Chief to grace my humble home. Please wait just a moment while I change my clothes." Without waiting for Xu Yanliang to respond, he excused himself and hurried out again.

As soon as he left, servants streamed in bearing more fruits and snacks, quickly filling the stone table and setting up a folding table beside it.

Xu Yanliang was genuinely surprised at what he saw. Nearly all the tropical fruits he had encountered in the greenhouse at Wu Nanhai's Demonstration Farm were here—dragon fruit, mango, watermelon, banana. Upon inquiry, he learned they were all cultivated locally.

"Sanya truly is a blessed place—fruits year-round." Xu Yanliang sighed.

"Chief, you must try this Tong Sui." Yuan Fei gestured toward the sweet soup. "In Sanya, Hu Wumei's family is famous for Cantonese Tong Sui. They say he sent people specially to Lingao to learn." Even as he spoke, his Adam's apple bobbed visibly—clearly craving it himself.

"I'm not fond of sweet soups—if you like them, help yourself." Xu Yanliang was secretly amused. Hu Wumei was clearly no ordinary rustic landlord. "What's this Master Hu's background?"

"He was originally a 'shopkeeper' under Zhu Cailao. After Zhu Cailao met his end, he led his men and ships to defect to the Senate."

"Ah, so he's also of pirate origin."

"Yes, but he earned the Senate's trust early on—otherwise they wouldn't have made him Jia Head here right from the start."

Those who served as Jia Heads in the grassroots units were all backbone personnel in the Senate's local organization.

Yuan Fei continued: "When he came to Sanya, he served as a labor captain, managing an immigrant team of three hundred people. He also brought several dozen family members, relatives, and servants himself. When land was distributed, his household alone received three thousand mu."

(End of Chapter)

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