Stirring Up Trouble
Lily Evans set a great example, and soon, even more villagers came to buy the pesticide.
Most people bought on credit, signed an IOU, and walked away with their supplies.
The villagers valued their crops deeply, so Lily was confident they would follow the instructions carefully when planting.
After all, no one had ever seen this stuff before—there was no such thing as 'old-timers’ wisdom' here.
The plan to promote pesticide was going quite smoothly.
Ordinary folks were just a small part—the real focus was on the army.
The Qin army soldiers had divided up the lands seized from the House of Zhao, so introducing pesticide use in the military was much easier.
The Qin soldiers were highly disciplined, and since they'd all completed literacy training, distributing pesticide according to the roster and teaching them how to use it was a breeze.
The new land cultivation plan was in full swing, and everyone was curious—would next year’s harvest really be five times bigger, just as promised?
“I think that Lily Evans has lost her mind,” Quentin Qian scoffed when he heard the news.
Mia Qian sipped her tea and rolled her eyes. "Grandpa, that Lily Evans is always stirring up trouble. First it was the literacy classes, then she built a school, spending a fortune on useless things. Now she’s riling up the villagers, claiming her so-called pesticide will boost crop yields! Hmph, what a waste of effort."
Quentin Qian stroked his beard confidently. "Mia, let me assure you, Lily Evans’s pesticide won’t work. I’ve eaten more salt than she’s eaten rice. For years, yields on the West River Plains have been the same—no matter how fertile the land, her promised numbers are impossible. Next year, we’ll see her make a fool of herself."
Mia Qian sighed and grumbled, "Grandpa, why does His Majesty let her do whatever she wants? Sure, she can make money, but she shouldn’t just throw it away! With that kind of money, she could build palaces, buy fine clothes, and make beautiful jewelry—what a waste!"
Her tone was a bit sour; Mia wished she had millions of silver coins to spend on whatever she liked.
Sadly, all Mia Qian could do was dream. She was a pampered heiress—spending money was easy, but earning it? She hadn’t a clue.
Mia Qian still felt uneasy. Ever since Lily Evans had publicly embarrassed her, she’d rarely gone out and had been avoiding social gatherings.
Whenever she did step outside, the servants would whisper and giggle behind her back, making her feel even worse.
She was determined to get back at Lily Evans, but for now, all she could do was stew in her own frustration.
The Qian family manor, usually bustling with guests, now felt cold and empty—just like Mia’s mood.