Early the next morning, Zhang Lan first led Zhang Hong and the others to see a field not far from the barracks.

Zhang Hong was in charge of the grange of the British government, although he had never personally gone to the land, but he also knew a little about farming; And the brothers Yang Fu and Yang Gui are even better hands in the crop field.

The three of them carefully inspected the soil quality and irrigation, and asked the owner in detail about the cultivation and harvest of the field over the years, and then decided to try to plant Gaochangguo's long-staple cotton here.

Zhang Lan negotiated the price with the landlord, and Yang Fu preemptively paid the silver.

Before leaving Beijing, Huang Lun repeatedly explained that he could ask Zhang Hong or Zhang Lan for help in case of trouble, but the money and wealth must be clearly distinguished, and not to take advantage of the British government.

After buying the land, you still need to hire someone to make the ridges.

The landlord said with a smile: "If General Zhang Xiaoren can trust the villain, the villain will recruit some people from the village to help, the remuneration is not restricted, and the food is also guaranteed by the villain." ”

For the Northwest soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the safety of one side, especially the British princes and several sons, the people of the Northwest Frontier are truly respectful and grateful. Now that they have the opportunity to help Zhang Lan, they are naturally doing their best.

Zhang Lan said with a smile: "The remuneration will come according to the market price, and the food will also cost you the trouble, and I will order someone to send rice, grain, vegetables and the like over when I turn around." ”

There is little grain in the northwest, and it is cheaper and more affordable to give silver than to give grain.

The landlord hurriedly said, "No, no." The villain also has some food stored at home, and it is no problem to cope with the food of a few people for two days! ”

Zhang Lan smiled: "This matter is decided." When the time comes, the meal will be arranged by Uncle Lao. ”

Seeing Zhang Lan's insistence, the landlord had no choice but to respond.

After renting the fields and arranging the farmers for the ridges, Zhang Lan took Zhang Hong and the others back to prepare cotton seeds.

Due to the war between the two countries, it is not easy to obtain long-staple cotton seeds, so the cotton seeds obtained by Zhang Lan are not only limited in quantity, but also uneven in quality, with a lot of deflated seeds, big hairy seeds and light seeds mixed in the middle.

Yang Fu and Yang Gui carefully selected for half a day, and only selected less than fifty catties of usable cotton seeds.

"The cotton plants bred by these cotton seeds, even if all of them sprout, are not enough to plant five acres of land." Yang Fu pointed to the cotton seed.

Zhang Lan frowned when he heard this.

They had rented more than 10 acres of land just now, and most of it couldn't be empty.

Yang Gui saw that Zhang Lan was worried, and hurriedly said: "When the villains came, Master Huang told him that he might not necessarily have to plant Gaochangguo's long-staple cotton. If there is a shortage of cotton seeds, or even if the trial fails, it is also possible to plant local cotton. ”

It's just that then the profit will be much lower.

However, looking at what Master Huang meant, he also cares about earning more and earning less.

Yang Gui was a little puzzled.

If it weren't for the purpose of planting long-staple cotton to make more money, then there was no need for Master Huang to go to the northwest to plant cotton, where would it not be possible in the suburbs of Beijing, Jiangsu and Zhejiang? Why do you want to risk losing money and come to this northwest border to drink wind and sand?

Yang Gui couldn't figure it out, but Zhang Lan understood it very well.

Because the person who took the risk of losing money and also planted cotton extensively was not Huang Lun, but Huang Yi'an, the girl who had the great desire to have no cold in the world.

"If this is the case, then I will send someone to buy cottonseed from the border people now." After Zhang Lan finished speaking, he called a small soldier to come in and arrange it.

Yang Fu waited for the little soldier to go, pointed to the long-staple cotton seeds, and looked embarrassed: "General Zhang Xiao, although the villains have planted cotton, they have not planted Gaochangguo's long-staple cotton, I am afraid that if they miss, they will waste these hard-won cotton seeds in vain......

Zhang Lan understood and said with a smile: "Don't worry about this, there are many prisoners of Gao Changguo in the army who have farmed the land, just ask them." ”

In order to compete for the throne of Khan and encroach on the northwest, the Crimea continued to drive people into soldiers, and many peasants had to leave the land they had cultivated for generations, take up arms, and rush to the battlefield. If you are defeated, you may be able to get some rations and feed your wife and children; Defeated, either killed, captured, or continue this precarious life.

"Without further ado, let's get over it. Lest the seedlings be raised late and miss the planting season, they will have to wait until the next year. Yang Fu breathed a sigh of relief and urged happily.

Zhang Lan nodded in response and led the three of them to the place where the prisoners were held.

The dark and cramped cell was crowded with Gao Changguo's captives, men and women, old and young.

As soon as he saw Zhang Lan coming in, he begged for mercy, cursed, and wept...... One after another, almost toppling the roof.

Zhang Hong and the others were startled and couldn't help but take a step back.

Zhang Lan strode forward, stood at the entrance of the prison, and did not speak, only drew his saber with a "brush".

In the dimly lit prison, the cold blade emitted a faint cold light, like a ghost asking for his life, which immediately shocked the group of noisy captives.

When the prison was quiet again, Zhang Lan said: "It is not Daqi that drives you to the battlefield, but Crimea; Crimea is unwilling to protect his people, but Daqi will not let his border people be killed and trampled by the enemy!

"Violating the borders of other countries, slaughtering the people of other countries, and plundering the property of other countries, now that the army has been defeated and captured, Daqi has not killed prisoners to take revenge, and is already generous. How dare you still shout like this! ”

The young man's calm and cold voice echoed through the cell.

"Now, Ben will give you a chance to atone for your sins." Zhang Lan glanced around and asked, "Among you, who has ever planted long-staple cotton?" ”

There was silence in the cell.

Some people snorted coldly, some hesitated, and some people were annoyed......

But no one answered.

Zhang Lan's brows gradually furrowed.

It seems that these captives of Gao Changguo are living so well that they have forgotten whose hands their lives are in their hands!

Zhang Lan pressed the handle of the knife tightly, and was about to attack, only to hear a timid voice in the corner: "I, I have planted ......"

The sound is like a gnat, if it weren't for the fact that the prison was too quiet at this time, and it was so far away, I was afraid that a deaf and clear-sighted martial arts practitioner like Zhang Lan would not be able to hear it.

The timid voice was like a stone thrown into the calm lake, instantly breaking the original stagnation and confrontation of the prison.

The voice of insults and curses immediately abandoned Zhang Lan and the others and went towards the weak voice.

Zhang Lan frowned, and put the scabbard on the ground with a "bang", which was enough to stop the curses of the other captives, but there were still people scolding quietly.

Rather than hating Zhang Lan, they obviously hate this "traitor" who spoke out about the enemy.

Zhang Lan walked over smoothly, stopped in front of a women's prison door, glanced around, and asked, "Fang Cai, who said that long-staple cotton was ever planted?" ”

In the middle of the night, an unkempt and thin girl in the corner slowly stood up, raised her hand, and whispered, "I ......"

Apparently he was scolded and cried by his fellow prisoners before.

Then the dim and flickering light of the wall lamp, Zhang Lan saw that the girl's hairstyle was all dressed in the style of Daqi, frowned, and said clearly: "Talk back closely." ”

The girl's body trembled, and finally moved to Zhang Lan step by step against the resentful gazes of the other people in the same prison.

Zhang Lan glanced at her and asked, "Are you from Daqi?" ”

The voice did not rise or fall, but the girl heard the contempt and questioning of the young general. Because of such contempt and questioning, since she was born, she has endured it from time to time, and it has been deeply rooted in the bone marrow, and she can't forget it.

The Northwest Frontier Army fought bloodily to defend the tranquility of the Daqi border, and naturally resented the descendants of a "traitorous thief" like her.

The girl shuddered for a moment, and replied in a low voice: "Back to the general's words, my ancestor used to be a small official of Hamiwei......"