Chapter 88: Lay Out the Front Horse! Suppress the Huangfu Clan
…
Tianhong Ranch.
It is one of the three major ranches in Qianma Town.
The pasture area alone reaches 30,000 acres, and there are 800 herdsmen households.
Last year, Wang used all 800 households of herdsmen, and even transferred 2,000 young men and 300 auxiliary workers from Ping'an Town, just to harvest the old alfalfa like chickens and eggs.
The sandy loam soil was also turned over, and alfalfa rhizomes that were inedible to cattle and sheep were turned over and buried into the ground, recycling them into nutrients for the earth.
Alfalfa is a magical forage that has been inextricably linked to the development of animal husbandry since it was domesticated by humans. It is not picky about the land, has a large pasture yield, and can also fertilize the fields.
Originally, the alfalfa seeds planted by the former Ma Huangfu family were ordinary high-quality alfalfa seeds that Huangfu had painstakingly obtained from the main veins, and then cultivated for hundreds of years to become high-quality alfalfa.
Each mu of pasture land can be harvested multiple times a year, and the average annual output of fresh forage per mu can reach 20 tons!
There are usually several types of cattle raised on pasture.
The most common is a "beef breed" called short-horned red cattle.
At this point, it is very different from ancient China. In ancient China, only cattle were usually raised, and the governments of many dynasties even prohibited the slaughter of cattle among the people. This was a fundamental difference in the social structure.
Daqian's cultivation has become popular, from the low-ranking Xuanwu family to casual cultivators, to the aristocratic families of all levels, no one does not need a lot of meat to replenish their qi and blood.
Although the meat of ferocious beasts is very powerful in replenishing qi and blood, it is ultimately too expensive, and ordinary meat has become the daily expense of many cultivators. Even Wang's Ding clan soldiers would be replenished with meat every now and then.
Beef cattle, pigs, and sheep specially used for food have also been cultivated from generation to generation and become highly functional.
As far as shorthorn red cattle are concerned, its feed-to-meat ratio is very high, making it a high-quality beef cattle. It is also a very popular breed among families engaged in similar breeding industries.
Wang Shouzhe's carriage team is about to arrive at Tianhong Ranch.
Wang Luotong, who arrived after hearing the news, rode outside the ranch early to greet him. The wind in the pasture was a bit strong, and the black cloak outside her Xuanwu uniform swayed with the wind, making her look particularly heroic.
In addition to the two generals, there was a young man in colorful clothes riding a tall horse beside her. The young man was tall and handsome, but when he looked at Wang Luotong, his eyes were a little timid, but he couldn't help but glance away.
"What are you looking at? Believe it or not, I will dig out your eyeballs?" Wang Luotong raised his eyes, pressed the hilt of his sword, and stared at him with murderous intent.
The young man in fine clothes stiffened his expression, hurriedly laughed twice, turned his head, and defended in a low voice: "I don't want to see, I don't want to see, I just came to greet the head of the Shouzhe family."
"This Tianhong Ranch is now the property of our Wang family." Wang Luotong said coldly, "My fourth brother is here for inspection. Do you need Mr. Lei to come and greet you? If you know what's going on, go back quickly, so as not to be an eyesore here."
Speaking of this matter, Wang Luotong was also a little speechless.
This young man in rich attire is Lei Bowu, the seventh son of the Lei family of Heavenly Man, and the second son of the current legitimate lineage. The last time she provoked her brother Wang Shouye, she gave him a severe lesson.
Originally, she wanted to attract hatred for her brother, so that he would not harass him and disturb his alchemy. Unexpectedly, this guy chased him to Qianma Town within a few days.
Then no matter how much she was beaten and humiliated, she was still like a piece of candy, clinging to the front and refusing to move. In addition to going back to spend the New Year, spring has just begun again.
"Luotong, you can't say that." Lei Bowu said shamelessly, "Fourth brother is an outstanding figure in the world. He is one of the top leaders in our Changning Guard. I have admired him for a long time and came to greet him. It’s my duty.”
Wang Luotong said charmingly, "Does my fourth brother need someone like you to respect me?" What kind of evil had she done to provoke such an incredible thing?
Fortunately at this time.
Wang Shouzhe's carriage team has arrived. Wang Luotong hurriedly rode forward to greet them. He jumped off the horse in front of the carriage and said with a smile: "Fourth brother, you are here."
Wang Shouzhe got off the carriage, walked up and ruffled her hair, and said in a distressed tone: "You girl, you won't go back to the main house during the New Year. You have really worked hard these days."
Although Luo Tong is only two years younger than him, in Wang Shouzhe's eyes, his sister is always his sister. No matter how old she is, she is still his sister.
"Fourth brother, the family spent so much money to buy the assets in Qianma Town." Wang Luotong shook his head and said, "There are too many things that need to be dealt with here. We need to seize the time to revitalize these assets. It doesn't matter if we miss one year." .”
Wang Luotong is also a dashing woman, and she looks like a royal sister in front of her younger brothers and sisters. But in front of Wang Shouzhe, he looked like a child.
This made Lei Bowu a little crazy. Luo Tong, who was always ready to use a whip and pepper water, actually had such a gentle and lovely side.
"Is this the young master of the Lei family?" Wang Shouzhe turned his attention to Lei Bowu, his eyes slightly serious and scrutinizing.
With Wang Shouzhe's intelligence network and eyes and ears, if there is such a person who has been pestering his sister for several months without knowing anything about it, then he should stop messing around.
Lei Bowu also grew up in a honeypot and met many big shots. But when he met Wang Shouzhe's eyes, his heart froze. He quickly turned over and dismounted from his horse and saluted, "Lei's Bowu has met the head of the Shouzhe family."
Today's Wang Shouzhe is not a small person, he is a person who can talk and laugh with his father Lei Yangyu and call him brothers. What's more, he is Wang Luotong's brother.
Even with his status as the second son of the Lei family, he did not dare to make mistakes at will.
Wang Shouzhe just nodded lightly and paid no attention to him.
Although the Lei family is from a heavenly family, the Ping An Wang family is also an eighth-grade peak family, and Wang Shouzhe is the head of the family. In his eyes, Lei Bowu was just a junior.
Under the leadership of Wang Luotong.
Wang Shouzhe and his group quickly arrived at Tianhong Ranch, a fairly good house, and were arranged to move in and other things. Wang Shouzhe was in the study, talking with Wang Luotong and Wang Zongwei.
"Fourth uncle, please have tea." Wang Zongwei is now thirty years old, and he still has a mustache, and he looks much more mature.
But in front of Wang Shouzhe, he didn't even dare to take a breath. When he sat on the stool, he only dared to touch his buttocks a little, and his waist was straight, as if he was ready to be lectured at any time.
"Zongwei, these are the spring clothes and family letters that Miss Rong asked me to bring you." Wang Shouzhe took out a large package and a thick letter from the storage ring and handed them to Wang Zongwei.
"this……"
Wang Zongwei stood up hurriedly, took the package and letter, and said with fear, "How dare she trouble my fourth uncle? It's so shameless."
"What's the trouble?" Wang Shouzhe said calmly, "Xiao Rong is my nephew's wife. She is the wife of my Wang Ming matchmaker. We are a family. That child has a gentle temper. You must treat her well and don't let her down. .”
In the end, it was Wang Shouzhe and Gongsun Hui who went to negotiate for Gongsun Rong in person. Otherwise, with his idle temperament when he was young, how could he marry a girl like Gongsun Rong.
However, the names of the women of the Gongsun family are really random, unlike the women of the Wang family who are arranged according to seniority.
"Fourth uncle, don't worry." Wang Zongwei said hurriedly, "If I fail Ronger, I will be struck by lightning and die if I keep it. Fourth uncle, you can chop me down with your sword without any complaints."
"Your performance in the past two years has been pretty good, especially this time you have made great contributions." Wang Shouzhe rarely praised him and said, "This time I also want to make some achievements in Qianma Town, so that others can see, I, the Wang family's man It’s all good.”
"Yes, Fourth Uncle." Wang Zongwei, who rarely receives compliments, nodded repeatedly, excited. Being praised like this by my fourth uncle is better than anything else.
Later, Wang Shouzhe took out another package and gave it to Wang Luotong: "Your mother has been busy with the Xu family in Jinsha recently and has no time to buy you new clothes. The two spring clothes here were specially bought for you by your fourth sister-in-law. "
"Thank you, fourth brother, and thank you sister-in-law." Wang Luotong was also full of joy after receiving the gift. The quality of the gift does not matter, what matters is the concern from the family.
After the three of them exchanged pleasantries, they entered into the formal topic.
"Fourth Uncle, let me first report to you the general situation of Tianhong Ranch." Wang Zongwei also straightened his face, took out a brochure and introduced, "There are 800 herders in the ranch, with a total of 3,100 people. Forage There are 30,000 acres of farmland, but after years of development, there is not much room for expansion.”
"There are 5,000 short-horned red cattle in stock, including 2,000 breeding-age cows, 400 young cows, 100 young breeding cows, and the rest are beef cattle under one age. In the past, Huangfu's business method was, About 3,000 calves are produced every year, and about 2,500 calves eventually survive. The cows are usually raised for five years and have three litters. The bulls, except for the seeds, are fattened and sold as beef cattle."
"An average of 2,500 cattle are sold every year to maintain the stock of 5,000 cattle." Wang Zongwei said eloquently, "Of which 2,000 young and strong beef cattle can be sold for about 10,000 dry gold, and the remaining 500 Cows of childbearing age and culled breeding cattle can only be sold for 1,500 dry gold. Under normal circumstances, the average annual gross profit from selling cattle is 11,500 dry gold."
"Tianhong Ranch has 30,000 sheep, including 3,000 young sheep. Every year, 3,000 cull sheep are sold to maintain the population. The income is 3,000 dry gold. The annual wool output is 1,500 dans. The price of each load is five thousand gold, and the income is seven thousand five hundred thousand gold."
"There are a thousand horses, and the income is not fixed. If you train a high-quality war horse, it will be expensive. Usually, the average annual income is three thousand gold."
"In addition, there are ten Lingjiao yaks, which usually breed one per year. If one is sold every year, it is worth two thousand dry gold. Lingjiao yaks are very large, about five or six thousand kilograms each. Huangfu I usually keep it for myself~"
"In addition, the 30,000 acres of pasture and the 80 acres of spiritual land used to grow alfalfa are all consumed within the pasture."
"Therefore, the annual gross income that can be generated averages about 27,000 dry gold. In addition, it is necessary to purchase other feed and the expenses of the herdsmen, which is about 8,000 dry gold. Therefore, the original annual gross profit of Tianhong Ranch is about 10,000 dry gold. Eighty-nine thousand dry gold."
Wang Shouzhe nodded as he listened. It seemed that Wang Zongwei had worked very hard, and he had already started to master it so quickly. However, the Tianhong Ranch was originally auctioned for a discount of 170,000 gold. Even if Wang Shouzhe paid a premium, the purchase price of the Tianhong Ranch alone did not exceed 200,000 gold.
In a sense, Wang Shouzhe took a huge advantage this time. However, the valuation of the breeding industry is usually relatively low. After all, if cattle and sheep cannot be raised well, the risks are still quite high.
"What do you mean by cow's milk products?" Wang Shouzhe asked.
"The milk produced by the cows is either supplied to the calves, or a small amount is supplied to the Huangfu clan nearby." Wang Zongwei said, "Most of the rest is made into dry cheese by the herdsmen as one of their own grains. Part of it will also be sold to Changningwei, but it's not worth much. As you know, Fourth Uncle, many people can't get used to the taste, so it can only be used as a subsidy for herdsmen."
Wang Shouzhe nodded in his mind. Dairy products were not popular in the world. The main problems were insufficient scale and difficulty in preservation.
Fresh milk is so perishable that there is no pasteurization method in this world.
But families also know that dairy products are good for children's growth.
Therefore, aristocratic family farms like the Wang family would raise a small amount of cattle and sheep to occasionally provide for young tribesmen.
Most civilians in the world have basically no chance to enjoy dairy products.
Even dry cheese doesn't last long, and the taste is generally unpleasant.
In the world before Wang Shouzhe traveled through time, dairy products were a huge industry.
Even Wang Shouzhe was slightly excited.
Because one of the most difficult problems is the problem of sealed packaging and transportation after sterilization, you can use taller glass bottles!
Of course, dairy is just an added value.
Wang Shouzhe paid even more attention to the growth of forage. He drank the spirit tea and asked, "Zong Wei, tell me about the situation of the forage."
“Tianhong Ranch’s 30,000 acres of grassland can originally produce about 450,000 dans of hay every year. Each dan of hay can be sold for one copper and thirty cents, with a total value of about six thousand dry gold. However, these hays are It’s not enough. Therefore, we need to mobilize a batch of hay from Xingwang Ranch and a large amount of bean dregs after the soybean oil produced by Qianma Farm. The value of this batch of materials must be more than 5,000 dry gold."
Wang Shouzhe nodded and said: "That is to say, the actual forage and food eaten by cattle, sheep and horses in a year, plus Lingcao, etc., are also worth tens of thousands of dry gold. Raising cattle, sheep and horses is just a matter of converting these The value is magnified.”
"You can say that." Wang Zongwei nodded and explained, "But these prices are the prices for selling to Huangfu's ranch. The main reason is that it is close to the ranch. After all, it is a branch of the main family. If it is sold to other guards, the transportation price will be higher. It is relatively high, and overall it is not very cost-effective. Therefore, it is more cost-effective to sell it to the Huangfu family before, or to convert it into meat and wool yourself."
"The feed produced by the three major farms in Qianma is more than what is consumed by itself, and the excess will be supplied to the Huangfu clan of Heavenly Man."
"Haha~" Wang Shouzhe nodded endlessly, "Whether it is selling calves, beef cattle, or wool and horses. In the final analysis, it is still a matter of growing feed. As long as the feed yield per unit acre is higher, it will be more nutritious. Then the cost of the beef cattle, wool and horses we produce will be lower.”
When he talked about this matter, Wang Zongwei also became excited: "Uncle Fourth, what you said makes perfect sense. Some old herdsmen said that cattle and sheep prefer to eat the newly planted alfalfa we have planted, and it has a better appetite, and the alfalfa per acre is more The output will be 70% more than before.”
…