Chapter 2074: Interim Plan
Qiao Xuan was brimming with excitement. She harbored immense joy at the prospect ahead, though she made a conscious effort to conceal it from Shao Yunduan.
Exploring the mountains, rivers, and forests of Anze Province had been a longstanding desire of hers. Finally, an opportunity had presented itself.
Considering the logistical challenges of accommodating thousands of people, the settlement’s location couldn’t stray too far from town. Practicality demanded accessibility for efficient management and the convenience of its inhabitants.
Selecting a site necessitated a balance: proximity to town for ease of access yet distant enough to ensure manageable logistics and resource availability, particularly water.
The chosen location lay an hour or even two away from the settlement, a distance deemed manageable. It was a mere token effort for them.
Three days later, Qiao Xuan led Shao Yunduan and Jia Heming to inspect the chosen site for relocating the refugees. Situated an hour’s journey south of Anze Prefecture City, it boasted a small hill with gentle undulations and sparse tree growth—a promising canvas for development.
Building a settlement capable of housing over a thousand people posed no significant challenges here.
The refugees, venturing southward for over an hour, stumbled upon a swamp.
Upon consulting her powers, Qiao Xuan discerned that the swamp harbored untapped potential. Its shallow mud offered a canvas for development, ripe for transformation into either paddy fields or fish ponds.
With an estimated capacity of around 30,000 mu, the addition of such fertile land heralded a boon for Anze Province, where arable land was scarce amidst the rugged terrain.
Despite the enthusiasm for land clearing, previous efforts had primarily focused on drylands and mountains. Exploring the mountainous regions proved arduous, a fact well-known to all.
For Qiao Xuan, this task was relatively straightforward, owing to her substantial resources. Few could afford to undertake the daunting task of demolishing homes belonging to ordinary people.
Clearing the land demanded painstaking effort, both above and below ground. Trees, weeds, bushes, and thorns littered the surface, while below, a labyrinth of roots tangled intricately, resembling fishing nets and chessboards—a formidable challenge to overcome.
That wasn’t the end of the challenges. The freshly cleared land would be in its initial stages for the first three years, demanding significantly more effort to tend to due to rampant weed growth.
The relentless task of weeding alone promised exhaustion.
Furthermore, post-reclamation, taxes would be levied, albeit modestly, considering the limited yield.
Moreover, acquiring land necessitated financial investment, a barrier that deterred commoners from embarking on land exploration ventures.
The initial years posed formidable challenges, dissuading all but the most determined individuals from enduring the hardships unless absolutely necessary.
Qiao Xuan’s leadership, however, had spurred cultivation of various cash crops such as herbs, star anise, and peppers, fostering a willingness among people to engage in land exploration.
Yet, despite her efforts, the extent of wasteland reclaimed remained relatively modest.
Observing the swamp, Jia Heming hesitated, voicing his concern. “Madam, are you certain this swamp can truly be cultivated into fertile land? Honestly, there are numerous swamps in Anze Province. Attempts to convert them into arable land have often failed. This swamp may prove… challenging to transform.”
Qiao Xuan smiled reassuringly. “You needn’t fret, Deputy Prefect Jia. Not all swamps are alike. Some are indeed unsuitable for cultivation, but others, like the one before us, pose no such challenge!”
In truth… it was merely a matter of perspective. With modern resources, any swamp, no matter how formidable, could be transformed into fertile land. How could it present a difficulty?
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