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The snow on New Year's Eve fell heavily, silently covering the courtyard with white. Qin Mu looked at the snow in the courtyard and thought of a phrase: Auspicious snow means a good harvest.
This winter, he made a lot of plans in agriculture. In addition to using work-for-relief to overhaul water conservancy projects in Huguang and other places, he also vigorously promoted high-yield crops such as corn, peanuts, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. In addition to their high yields, these crops are suitable for cultivation in dry lands and do not occupy paddy fields.
Corn and other crops had been introduced to the Ming Dynasty for several decades, but as foreign crops, most people were unwilling to plant them without understanding their growth habits, and the imperial court did not pay enough attention to it. Although some people planted them among the people, they were sporadic and did not play a significant role in the Ming Dynasty's grain production.
During the Chongzhen period, the Ming Dynasty entered a small ice age, the climate was abnormal, droughts and floods occurred year after year, and grain production decreased. The disaster was particularly serious in the northwest region, which directly triggered the civil unrest in Shaanxi... ... ...
Some people say that natural disasters were the cause of the fall of the Ming Dynasty. This is not true. Natural disasters were just the fuse, not the root cause.
Although the climate was abnormal, the disaster was severe only in the northwest region. Other places were not greatly affected, especially south of the Yangtze River, where grain production was even less affected.
If the Ming Dynasty had not yet become rigid, if land annexation had not been so serious, and if officials had not been so corrupt, it would have been able to cope with such a natural disaster.
Of course, this was the situation at the beginning of the rebellion led by Li Zicheng. It is different now. Due to years of war, food production in half of the Ming Dynasty has suffered devastating damage. The Central Plains is a barren land. The food security problem is no longer just caused by natural disasters, but also by the government. It is very different from the beginning of Li Zicheng's rebellion.
Under such circumstances, if the food problem is not solved, it will be difficult to advance northward militarily. Without food, if you cannot feed the people, no one will be willing to follow you, let alone fight with you, unless you kill people like the Qing Dynasty did and force everyone to surrender with a butcher's knife.
Of course Qin Mu couldn't do that, which was why he was eager to promote high-yield and drought-resistant crops such as corn and peanuts.
Yang Zhi was very obedient. As expected, she only played for a while before going back to her room to rest. On the couch, Dong Xiaowan and the others were each covered with a quilt and surrounded the small square table in the middle. They were having fun. When Yang Zhi left, Momo and Ruoruo could not help but stare at Qin Mu dryly.
"Son-in-law, it's your turn, hurry up."
Qin Mu was in trouble now. He was only thinking about the food strategy and didn't learn the truth from Yang Zhi. However, Momo Ruoruo and Dong Xiaowan had already formed a united front in private and were ready to slaughter him, the big fat sheep.
The rules of playing Mahjong and playing poker are different. Qin Mu hasn't even figured out the rules of playing cards, but he has to be the banker as soon as he sits down. The consequences can be imagined.
"Son-in-law, hurry up and play your cards!"
"I'll go out if I want." Qin Mu risked his life.
"Hey, your card is smaller than mine, how can you play it, Master, you are cheating."
"Small? Isn't this one big?"
"Uncle, do you know how to play?"
"Yes, of course I can't." Mr. Qin puffed up his face and refused to admit his ignorance. He then lied, "I am proficient in all eighteen martial arts, such as Guanyin sitting on a lotus, old man pushing a cart... well, anyway, I can do it."
Momo and Ruoruo were innocent girls, and having grown up in a family like Yang Tinglin's, they had no idea what nonsense he was talking about. However, Dong Xiaowan was someone who had been trained in these moves since childhood. When she listened to his nonsense and thought of his various tricks in bed, her rosy cheeks were already flushed.
"Oh, you lost, give me the money, give me the money."
Qin Mu looked at the cards on the table, his eyes flickering. He looked at them for a long time but didn't know how he lost. "Okay, give me the money, take it."
"Haha, son-in-law, how about you be the one to take charge this time?" Ruoruo or Momo said shamelessly. The reason why they added "or" was because Mr. Qin couldn't tell which of the two sisters was which.
But he had a way. He suddenly shouted, "Momo."
"What's the matter, son-in-law?" the two sisters answered in unison.
Qin Daguanren originally wanted to use this method to distinguish which of the two sisters was Momo's, but he didn't expect that the two sisters seemed to have telepathy, which made Qin Daguanren's plan completely ineffective. He couldn't help but said angrily: "Momo will have an ear pierced in the future."
"Why?" The two sisters asked again at the same time.
"Why so many whys? If I tell you to hit me, then hit me. If you don't pierce your ears, I'll spank your butt." Having power and not using it is the biggest waste and is stupid.
"Son-in-law, you said so much, are you afraid of losing again?"
"I'm afraid, what a joke, come on, keep going."
The consequence of being arrogant is naturally to be slaughtered by others. After half an hour, Mr. Qin did not win a single time and almost lost all the change he had. Although Dong Xiaowan was happy, it was okay.
The sisters Momo and Ruoruo were amazing. They won nearly ten taels of silver and were so excited that their faces turned red. They even opened the quilt that covered their feet. Their graceful waists swayed with their bodies, which was very pleasing to the eye.
"Uncle, come again, come again."
"Son-in-law, I have no money left. I still want to play, so I have no choice but to sell you."
"It's only the second watch of the night. How can we stay up until dawn if we don't play?" The two sisters pouted their little red lips together. Not only did they look exactly the same, their clothes, voices, expressions, and movements were also very similar, which was breathtaking.
"Ahem..." After seeing the lovely and charming appearance of the two sisters, Mr. Qin couldn't help but cough twice. They were like antiques. They were not worth much if they were single, but if they were in pairs, their value would increase several times. "Well, if we don't play Mahjong, we can play something else."
"playing what?"
"Well... I'm sleepy after sitting for too long, son-in-law. Aren't you sleepy? Lie down and rest for a while first." Mr. Qin said as he moved the small table under the couch, pulled up the quilt and lay down between the three of them. He also hugged Dong Xiaowan. Dong Xiaowan cried out softly, but couldn't struggle free, so she had to crawl under the quilt.
Momo and Ruoruo looked at each other, their pretty faces slightly red, but after a slight hesitation, they still lay down next to Qin Mu, and then lay quietly, not daring to move.
Mr. Qin was not some sanctimonious immortal who was detached from the mundane world. He got under the quilt and kissed Dong Xiaowan lightly, then whispered in her ear, "Xiaowan, these two sisters are both virgins and don't know anything. Shouldn't you show them how to do it?"
"Master, please... spare me. Let me go... back to my room. I will do whatever you say." Dong Xiaowan's voice trembled a little. Although she had an elegant personality, she was born in a brothel after all. She was accustomed to things in bed. It was just that she had not been with Mo Mo Ruru for a long time, so it was inevitable that she was a little reserved.
"Hehe, but you are too delicate and can't stand being beaten every time. If you train these sisters, they can help you."
"Master, please don't... Let's talk about it later, okay?"
Dong Xiaowan's face turned red due to Mr. Qin's teasing, but she didn't dare to really refuse him. She could only beg in a tactful way. Seeing that she was so embarrassed that she kept hiding herself, Mr. Qin was very happy and didn't tease her anymore.
He turned around and hugged one of the twin sisters to his chest, put one hand on her perky buttocks and threatened: "Tell me, are you Momo or Ruoruo?"
"Uncle, I..."
"Still not being honest?" Mr. Qin retracted his fingers and held her extremely elastic buttocks. The girl trembled all over and replied shyly: "I am Ruoruo..."
"Momo, come here. I want to check you carefully. I don't believe that I can't tell you sisters apart." Mr. Qin reached out and pulled Momo to his side.
The two sisters are like twin red lotuses, with charming heads and cherry lips. They are fifteen years old, coming of age, and are shy and timid, showing the moving charm of young girls.
Hmm, it is really impossible to tell the difference between the two sisters just by looking at their faces. Further careful comparison is necessary, thought Mr. Qin. He slid his hands under the hems of Momo and Ruoruo's clothes respectively. The girls' skin was as smooth as jade and extremely sensitive. As soon as Mr. Qin's hands touched their smooth waists, the two sisters couldn't help but let out a whimpering sound.
"Hey, the waist is also very small..." Mr. Qin sighed sincerely, making the two sisters shrink under the quilt in shame.
Unable to find any differences, Mr. Qin would naturally not give up. As for where he continued to compare, even Dong Xiaowan, who was sleeping on the same bed with him, didn't know because of the quilt. However, one could roughly guess something from his mumblings.
"No way, even this place is the same size, hiss... .. huh... .. I, your son-in-law, have been defeated by you..."
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ps: What is the difference between the two sisters? Where is it... Dear friends, please support me with your monthly tickets. I will tell you where the difference is after you spend the monthly tickets. Hehe, haha...
.(To be continued..)
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