Chapter 135 Madam, Let's Go Home
"Increase by half? How is that possible?!" Sheng Ran's eyes widened.
"Madam Dai doesn't seem to come from a farming background, so how could she know anything about composting, let alone have any unique methods? Besides, this claim of 'half' is a bit of an exaggeration." Cui Shengping's tone was both surprised and serious.
Sheng Ran understood his surprise and doubt, but the seriousness that followed...
The two exchanged a glance.
No strategist is stupid. In this eye contact, Sheng Ran suddenly understood something. "Hai Qing, do you think all of this was done by our lord?"
The messenger had already left, and with no one else around, Sheng Ran finished his sentence, "Are you suspecting that our lord is currently building up support for Young Master Qin?"
"Isn't that so? A 50% increase in crop yields—that's easy to say, but how easy is it to actually achieve? If it were possible, the number of people who starved to death during the floods and droughts of the past would have been reduced by 50-60%. In terms of political achievements and merits, what could be greater? Even if such a method existed, it should be in the hands of a farmer, how could it be known to a pampered young lady?" Cui Shengping's brows furrowed as he finished speaking.
“But the dragon bone waterwheel is clearly…” Sheng Ran paused, “At that time, you and I were both in Bingzhou dealing with the aftermath of Rong Gong’s death, and we didn’t have time to go to Ying County. Only Nalan Wugong knows the details of this matter.”
But Nalan Zhi was Qin Yanzhou's master, and he himself was an extremely perceptive person.
If they were to inquire about the dragon bone waterwheel at this critical juncture, the other party would surely guess that they were not only initially skeptical, but now also harbor doubts.
Cui Shengping stopped stroking his long beard. "This matter is not suitable to discuss with Nalan Wugong."
Sheng Ran had disagreed to begin with, but now he nodded in agreement.
“We previously suggested that the Third Young Master marry the legitimate daughter of Nangong Qingzhou, but this proposal was rejected by the Lord. Now, with this news, the son's status depends on his mother. The Lord's infatuation with Lady Dai is so great that it is worrying that he is paving the way for Young Master Qin…” Cui Shengping said.
The wedding next spring is a done deal.
Let alone them, even if the prestigious Wei family stood in the way, they were still dealt with by the lord. They could neither hinder nor stop the lord's wedding.
Both of them had an unusual headache.
What should we do about this?
“Our lord has always been tough on people. If we try to dissuade her halfway through, it might backfire. We might as well wait and see. Anyway, this half of the amount…” Cui Shengping shook his head, “unless our lord secretly opens his private treasury to replenish it for her, it’s absolutely impossible.”
He spoke the last four words with a firm and powerful voice.
“You’re right. We’ll keep a close eye on our lord, and then, together with the other village chiefs, we can stop this farce as soon as possible…”
*
After dinner, the sky was overcast, as if shrouded in a thick black veil. At this time when everyone should have been resting, a group of military officers gathered in the courtyard, whispering amongst themselves.
“…Increasing production by half is a bit of an exaggeration.” This was Bai Jianping’s tactful remark.
"I really want to believe Madam Dai, but my reason tells me that if I believe her, then all those officials like the Granary Clerk, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, and the Commandant of Waterways are just incompetent and deserve to die!" This was Mo Yanyun speaking in a serious tone.
It's damn well, all those people have studied it, but none of them are as knowledgeable as Lady Dai.
“Since Madam Dai dared to speak so boldly, I think she must know what she’s doing.” This was Qiao Wangfei’s unwavering belief.
"So how much stuff have you prepared today?" This was Wei Qing, who was not there during the day.
Feng Feng truthfully stated, "I was responsible for purchasing three truckloads of cow dung and pig dung, while Hu Bao was responsible for buying bone meal, lime, and wood ash."
"Bone powder? What's it used for?" Yan San, who was usually taciturn, asked.
Feng Feng's eyes darted around. "I don't know. But since Madam Dai has already started preparing the materials, she will probably start composting soon. Why don't we all go to the main courtyard tomorrow to await her instructions?"
"Old Feng, you always have a way!"
...
As the sun sets and rises, the east grows white.
When Dai Li woke up, Nian Xia told her that a group of military officers were waiting for her outside. Still half-asleep, Dai Li thought she had misheard. "Waiting for me? Why?"
"It's all because Madam mentioned composting yesterday, and they're all extremely curious about it. Now they're all vying to serve Madam." Nianxia smiled, pursing her lips.
Dai Li rubbed her eyes. "How long have they been here?"
“It’s been a quarter of an hour. We heard you haven’t woken up yet, and everyone said there’s no rush, we’ll wait until you’ve had enough sleep. You’ve already drunk several pots of tea.” Nianxia looked extremely proud.
She used to be a slave, but the master she served was extremely obsequious in front of the male master, and she also avoided and accommodated the male master's subordinates.
Forget about a group of people waiting for her to wake up; she wouldn't even get a word of praise from her subordinates.
No, not necessarily.
After receiving praise, the male master is very likely to give away his favorite concubine.
Dai Li said to Nian Xia, "I'm going to the fields today, so keep your hair ornaments and clothes simple."
After she finished washing up and eating breakfast, she came out of the main courtyard. Upon hearing her footsteps, all the military officers turned their heads in unison.
From Dai Li's perspective, there were several wooden stakes standing at the entrance of the main courtyard. Some were leaning against the wall, some were squatting, and some were simply sitting on the ground.
Upon seeing her, their eyes lit up. If they hadn't changed out of their work clothes, they would have looked exactly like a group of workers demanding unpaid wages.
Dai Li: "..."
But before Dai Li could speak, a tall figure emerged from the other end of the corridor.
It was Qin Shaozong who returned just in time.
After the news was released yesterday, he wasn't surprised that a group of military officers had gathered in front of the main courtyard early this morning. However, knowing about it was one thing, but seeing it with his own eyes now, he felt uneasy about it.
His former trusted lieutenants now resembled splinters stuck in the ground—an eyesore if crouching, and an obstacle if standing. Qin Shaozong's gaze swept over them, and his first words were hostile: "What's wrong? Are you all free?"
All the military generals felt a chill run down their spines.
They were sitting and standing slouching just now, but now they've quickly straightened up.
"My Lord".
After exchanging greetings, the group of people lowered their heads and remained silent, like quails.
No one spoke, then Dai Li said, "Are you all planning to come to the fields with me?"
The frozen atmosphere was instantly boiled over.
"We are willing to do our best for you."
The military officers' voices were loud and clear, carrying far and wide. Qin Yanzhou and Qin Qinian, who had just finished their morning exercise, were both taken aback.
The boy asked in surprise, "What happened?"
Qin Yanzhou thought of yesterday, "Yesterday, Chief Feng had already prepared the materials, so I suppose they went to look for my mother today."
Qin Qinian liked to join in the fun, "Then let's go too!"
...
In front of the main courtyard.
“…Yes, we need a lot more straw. I'll trouble you to collect it.” Dai Li nodded.
Temperature directly affects composting. During spring and autumn, when temperatures are suitable, soil microorganisms are active and can decompose waste at a rapid pace.
Summers and winters are characterized by extreme heat and cold. Especially in northern winters, temperatures can easily drop below ten degrees Celsius, making it necessary to insulate the ground from the cold.
In modern times, plastic sheeting can be used for insulation; a large sheet of black plastic is stretched and pressed down on the ground to create a relatively heat-absorbing area. But in this era, plastic sheeting didn't exist; straw was used as a substitute for insulation.
Don't underestimate straw. There's an old saying, "An army marches on its stomach," where "staff" refers not only to horse feed but also to rice straw.
Before cotton became widely available in the Song Dynasty, soldiers on the march used straw to keep warm at night. Dried straw covered their bodies smelled good and kept them warm.
Now, Dai Li needs to use straw for insulation.
Feng Feng and Qiao Wangfei accepted the task of collecting straw and left first. The others remained where they were, eagerly waiting, while Dai Li had to assign tasks.
Dai Li sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Food is the most important thing for the people, and grain is the foundation of the country. I can understand your anxiety, but composting is not something that can be done overnight. The preliminary process of fermenting and decomposing the manure alone can take several months.”
Normally, the fermentation and decomposition of feces takes one and a half to two months. However, the time required for the microorganisms within the feces can be shortened or lengthened depending on the temperature.
In summer, fermentation and decomposition can be completed in about a month; but in winter, it takes much longer, about three to four months to complete fermentation.
Of course, this is the most traditional method of composting.
In modern times, fermentation bacteria are usually added artificially to efficiently complete the decomposition process. But here, there's no way to do that; we can only leave it all to time.
"Several months? It's been that long?" Mo Yanyun was dumbfounded.
Not only him, but everyone else also looked surprised.
Apart from Feng Feng, who was ordered to collect straw, none of the other military officers had ever farmed. Now, hearing Dai Li say this, they were not only astonished, but also felt a sense of frustration at having all their strength but nowhere to use it.
“However, if you all don’t mind, there are still jobs available.” Dai Li suddenly smiled. The corners of her eyes curled up slightly, revealing a slyness rarely seen on her face.
Qin Shaozong immediately sensed that what she was about to say was unusual. He raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
All the military officers were very eager:
“Madam Dai, please speak freely. As long as it is within my power, I will not refuse.”
"Even if it's a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, we'll brave it!"
As they talked more and more exaggeratedly, Dai Li couldn't help but laugh and wave her hand, "You don't need to go through fire and water. It's just that compost needs to be turned over from time to time, about every four or five days, to change the position of the manure and straw, so as to disperse the waste gas in the pile and help the small organisms inside grow."
As soon as he said this, the surroundings fell silent.
Some people didn't understand the last part about small creatures, but that didn't prevent them from understanding the first part.
Turn over, turn over the manure?
The military officers stared wide-eyed.
If you send them to the battlefield to fight and shed blood, they would never blink an eye, but this dung heap...
The atmosphere froze again.
Just then, a very distinctive hoarse voice came from behind: "Father, are you and Madam Dai going out of the manor? Could you take me and Qin Yanzhou with you?"
With two quick movements, the figures in front of Qin Qinian and Qin Yanzhou all dodged away.
The young man's eyebrows twitched slightly as his gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Dai Li. Today, Dai Li was dressed in all black, her long hair tied in a high ponytail, looking quite dashing and spirited, clearly not going to an ordinary brothel.
“Mother, I want to go with you,” Qin Yanzhou said.
Dai Li suspected that the two of them knew nothing and were just looking for fun, so she simply asked him, "Zhouzhou, do you know where I'm going and what I want to do?"
Qin Yanzhou nodded and said he understood. "You will be going to the fields outside the city to compost."
Dai Li added, "Yesterday I had several truckloads of cow dung and pig dung collected, and according to the plan, we need to pile them up today. Are you sure you want to come?"
Qin Yanzhou: "I'm coming."
He had seen rice shops lining the streets, their warehouses overflowing with rice and flour, and he had also truly experienced hunger, eating even grass roots and tree bark. If he could help, stepping in a few cow dungs was nothing.
The other generals instantly felt their faces burning.
As the son of Lady Dai, Qin Xiaolangjun will soon be a registered member of the Qin family genealogy. If he doesn't mind the mess, how can they remain silent?
Having watched the show to the fullest, Qin Shaozong spoke up, "You may leave or stay as you see fit. Madam, let's go."
The group rode out of the city.
It doesn't snow every day in winter. After it snows, the snow will gradually melt as long as the sun comes out. In short, it may snow for a day or two, but the snow will continue to melt for a long time afterward.
There has been no snowfall in the past few days, and the snow on the ground has mostly melted, gradually fading away the silvery coat that once covered the earth.
The Qin family was a prominent clan, and even if Qin Shaozong hadn't become the head of Yuyang County, he still owned a lot of land. These fertile fields would be rented to tenant farmers, and as the landowner, he only needed to collect rent periodically.
The sky was a vast expanse of azure, with the occasional bird gliding by, and majestic green mountains rising in the distance. Looking out over the flat fields, they resembled neat patches, connected one after another, seemingly stretching to the horizon.
Winter is the off-season for farming, and Dai Li didn't see many farmers along the way.
"We've arrived." Qin Shaozong stopped the red dragon.
Dai Li dismounted and rubbed her face. She had forgotten to wear her veil in her haste to leave, and her face was numb from the cold wind that had blown her all the way.
Seeing this, Qin Shaozong also reached out his hand, "You have such delicate skin, are you frostbitten? Let me see."
"No need for you to trouble yourself." Dai Li looked down on the thick calluses on his hands and turned her head away.
Behind them, some generals were studying the mud on their feet, some were gazing at the distant green mountains, and some were solemnly adjusting their saddles.
Everyone is very busy.
Dai Li was also busy. After quickly finishing a joke, she asked Hu Bao, "Have the bone meal and wood ash collected yesterday been delivered?"
“Yes, they’ve all been packed into sacks.” Hu Bao was the first to go down into the field.
"We don't need it right now, we can leave it for later." Dai Li also went down to the fields.
She gestured to indicate the height, "Mix those cow dung and pig dung together and try to pile them into a round mound, about nine feet high. Make it as big as possible so the heat dissipates as slowly as possible. Oh, and before piling it up, you need to lay a layer of weeds at the bottom, preferably a 40/60 mix of dead leaves and green grass. You need about ten sacks of that."
No one was sent to collect weeds yesterday, but Qin Shaozong's field is near the mountains, so it's a quick trip.
Yan San and his companions immediately grabbed sacks, rode off, and soon returned with bulging sacks.
"Sprinkle it all here." Dai Li had just had a hole dug. "First, lay down the withered leaves, then the green grass. Don't cover it all, just use one-third. Where's the water I asked you to bring? Zhouzhou, pour some water down here."
The young man picked up the wooden bucket, holding the handle with one hand and supporting the bottom of the bucket with the other, and splashed water into the pit.
Dai Li: "Lay down cow dung and pig dung, interspersed with withered leaves and green grass. Zhou Zhou, water it."
Everyone did as instructed.
After a lot of work, six cartloads of manure, mixed with withered leaves and green grass, were piled up into two large manure heaps.
Dai Li clapped her hands: "Just cover it with straw and that's it. Let's stop here for today. Tomorrow, go and collect some more cow and pig manure, and continue to do the same to make more manure piles. As for these manure piles, Lord, you should arrange a duty roster, and have someone come and turn them over every five days."
With so much farmland in the north, a little organic fertilizer is definitely not enough. Since it's the off-season for farming now, we might as well produce more.
The group accepted the order.
Dai Li vaguely heard the sound of wheels. She looked in the direction of Yuyang and saw a carriage coming this way.
She paused for a moment, then subconsciously turned to look at Qin Shaozong beside her. The man met her eyes, his brown eyes softening slightly.
"Madam, come home with me," he said with a smile.
A cool breeze brushed against my face, so cold that it even made my skin feel slightly numb.
But the carriage was like a torch; it wasn't luxurious or eye-catching, but it had a warm and cozy feel to it.
Dai Li lowered her eyes.
*
From that day on, every few days, several fast horses from the Qin family would set off together, heading straight for the outskirts of the city.
Horses come and go, the sun rises and sets, and time flows slowly by.
Before they knew it, three months had passed. And at the tail end of deep winter, Dai Li's first batch of well-rotted manure completed fermentation amidst everyone's anticipation.
Author's Note: Just a quick timeline adjustment [droopy-eared rabbit head]
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