413: Chapter 402: Discovering the Mystery 413: Chapter 402: Discovering the Mystery Yang Heshu thought she was joking, so after laughing, he didn’t continue the topic and simply kept the matter of the entry fee in mind.

He looked at the people coming and going below and mused to himself, “If the previous County Magistrate Fu knew that the entry fee of one or two coins had stopped so many people, I wonder if he would have any regrets.”

Yang Heshu thought to himself that if it were him, he would definitely regret it.

He had always believed that where there were people, there would be prosperity.

People are the foundation of everything!

Someone who wanted to enter the city to buy a needle might not come in because of the one coin entry fee.

But would he really only buy a needle upon entering the city?

Seeing the thread next to the needles, would he buy some, and upon seeing fabric, might he also want to buy?

Or if he stayed in the city for a long time, might he spend money on a meal?

Even if it’s just buying a bun, the person selling the bun would also make some money.

And if they sold one more bun, the grain store and the mill would earn a little more…

Yang Heshu got so lost in his thoughts that Bai Shanbao had to wave his hand in front of his eyes.

Seeing that he didn’t snap out of it, he shrugged at Manbao and said, “Let’s just order the food ourselves.”

Bai Erlang also said, holding his stomach, “I’m hungry.”

“We’re having meat!” Manbao made her request known.

Manbao couldn’t earn money by selling sugar now, so she didn’t buy meat for the family.

Old Zhou had just spent money on a bull cart, and there was still a debt owed to the County Governmental Office hanging over his head, making him very frugal.

They had eggs at home that they could eat, but it was out of the question to buy meat.

Only to make his two little grandsons cry a little less, he would allow the family to buy some pig’s feet or carp to make soup for the two daughters-in-law.

Junior Ms.Qian would occasionally sneak some for Manbao to eat, but not much, and Manbao could not bring herself to fight over food with the sisters-in-law who had to feed their nephews.

So Manbao hadn’t eaten meat in a while.

By the time Yang Heshu came back to his senses, the three children had already ordered dishes they each liked.

The waiter watched him with a smile, “Sir, what would you like to order?”

Yang Heshu asked, “What did you all order?”

Hearing the names of the dishes the children had ordered, Yang Heshu clicked his tongue, asking, “Can you finish all of that?”

Two dishes per person, that was six dishes for three people.

The three children nodded firmly, “We can finish it!”

Yang Heshu then ordered one soup.

Ever since he went to the countryside and had the rural folks’ meals, Yang Heshu had naturally learned to be frugal.

When the food arrived, the three children all looked to Yang Heshu, waiting for him to start eating.

Yang Heshu actually understood the gesture.

He smiled slightly, picked up some vegetables with his chopsticks, and said with a smile, “Let’s eat.”

The three children all reached out with their chopsticks and began to eat in an orderly manner.

Since they started attending the little school with Mr.

Zhuang, they usually ate lunch with him.

And then Mr.

Zhuang began to manage their dining etiquette as well.

Previously, no one had specifically taught Bai Erlang, the Zhou Family thought highly of Manbao in every aspect, while Bai Shanbao had been strictly required in this area since he was young.

Once Mr.

Zhuang took charge, the three children became even more polite, at least they wouldn’t be rude at the dinner table.

Halfway through the meal, Yang Heshu realized that when they said they could finish everything, they really meant it.

Yang Heshu’s appetite improved a lot as he was influenced by them, and towards the end, he unconsciously slowed down, letting them eat first.

Seeing the three children enjoying their meal, Yang Heshu couldn’t help but say, “They say a growing boy can eat his father out of house and home.

I didn’t believe it before, but now I do.

Why do I feel like you three are eating more than me?”

The three children looked up and politely smiled at him.

Putting down his chopsticks and bowl, Yang Heshu laughed and asked, “Have you finished harvesting the winter wheat on your farm?

How was the yield?”

“Very good,” Manbao said after finishing every grain in her bowl.

Then she put down her chopsticks and bowl, “This year, the winter wheat in our village is all good.

These past few days, the mill has been lined up with people queuing to grind flour.”

Bai Shanbao asked, “I wonder how things are in other villages?”

Yang Heshu smiled and said, “The situation in other villages is also good.

I’ve heard the old farmers say that this year’s springing of the wheat coincided with several good spring rains.

Afterwards, the weather turned out to be neither cold nor hot, just right.

That’s why the harvest was good.”

“Then wouldn’t the price of grain drop?” Bai Shanbao asked thoughtfully.

“It hasn’t dropped yet, but I guess it will soon,” replied Yang Heshu cheerfully.

It was precisely because the winter wheat harvest was good that he had time to leisurely stroll around the county town.

Otherwise, he would be worried about where to find grain to aid those in need and how to get the county’s people through the lean period before the summer harvest.

“Last year, the hardest times were for the rural people.

Some families ran out of food a month ago.

So, once the winter wheat was harvested, surely many people would be reluctant to sell, which is why the grain prices haven’t dropped for the moment.

However, after a while, the Dragon Boat Festival will be upon us.

By then, the situation with the summer harvest will start to become clear, and the grain prices will certainly go down.”

Yang Heshu was confident that there would be a bumper harvest this year.

Manbao was also very confident.

Early on, when they were drying the wheat, her father and a bunch of old men and women had observed the sky under the banyan trees and concluded that there might be favorable weather this year.

At most, there could be a drought after autumn, but by then the impact wouldn’t be significant.

Manbao and Bai Shanbao looked at each other and unanimously decided to visit the grain store after finishing their meal.

Bai Erlang was also full.

After putting down his bowl and chopsticks, he noticed the table had gone quiet and looked around, asking, “Why has everyone stopped talking?”

Manbao pointed to the rice left in Yang Heshu’s bowl and said, “Lord Yang, you didn’t finish your meal.”

Yang Heshu replied, “I, I’m full.”

Manbao’s eyes rounded in surprise, clearly not expecting anyone to leave behind white rice.

In the Zhou Family, no one ever wasted food; the rice served to each person was always eaten completely.

How could there be people in this world who couldn’t finish their rice?

Manbao’s gaze made Yang Heshu feel as if he had committed a great crime.

He silently picked up his bowl and chopsticks, ate up the remaining rice, and then looked at the three children with a shared sense of understanding.

Yang Heshu asked, “Do you want to come to my place?

I promised last time to invite you to see the garden in the backyard of the County Governmental Office.”

Bai Erlang nodded while Manbao and Bai Shanbao shook their heads.

Ignoring Bai Erlang, Yang Heshu turned to Manbao and Bai Shanbao, “What’s the matter, do you have things to do?”

“We want to check out the grain shop.”

After a thought, Yang Heshu understood.

Smiling, he asked, “Oh, are you thinking of selling the farm’s wheat?”

They both nodded.

After pondering for a moment, Yang Heshu agreed, “Now is the right time to sell; otherwise, the price will start to drop after a while.”

Yang Heshu promptly got up, “Let’s go, I’ll go with you to have a look.”

For some reason, Manbao and Bai Shanbao were reluctant to go to the grain store with Yang Heshu.

But since he was so enthusiastic, they could only accept.

Having eaten his fill, Bai Erlang was drowsy and just wanted to go home for a nap.

As a result, his mouth pouted, and he followed behind them sullenly and unenthusiastically.