Chapter 18 Qu He's Observation Diary: One Bean, Multiple Ways to Eat It - A Popular Trend Across the Whole...
The idea of eating one bean in multiple ways has become popular throughout the entire ethnic group.
This is especially noticeable among older people. An has lost some of her teeth and can't eat anything too hard, so soft and tender tofu is just right for her. Although she doesn't eat it at every meal, she shows great fondness for it.
Tofu and soy milk are widely praised.
Lin Fengzhi was thinking about how to make grinding beans more convenient, so she asked Shengkuan to make a stone mill. Using a millstone and mortar and pestle was still troublesome, and supplying the whole clan would be even more troublesome.
The stone mill, a revolutionary grain processing tool invented during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, was truly popularized for use by ordinary people during the Han Dynasty. In the Qin Dynasty, however, the stone mill remained an exclusive tool for the nobility.
So when Lin Fengzhi described the stone mill to Shengkuan while he was eating tofu pudding, he immediately understood and slapped his thigh: "It's a stone mill!"
"Yes, yes, can you do that?"
Shengkuan slurped down the tofu pudding in one go, then handed the bowl to Lin Fengzhi, who took it and poured him another bowl. Shengkuan beamed and added minced meat to the tofu pudding, saying, "Yes, of course."
He didn't know how the minced meat was made, but it didn't have any fishy or bitter taste. Although he didn't value food that much, who doesn't like delicious food?
Moreover, he was waiting for Lin Fengzhi to tell him how to attract lightning one day.
Qu He, who had been listening nearby, finally found a way to start the conversation: "Our Qu family has some. If the Great Shaman wants them, I will have someone send them over immediately."
Upon hearing that there was competition, Seung-kwan immediately said, "There's no need for such trouble. I've already done everything here, instead of going back and forth."
Upon hearing this, Lin Fengzhi couldn't help but sigh, "The Qu family's ancestors were truly wealthy."
Lin Fengzhi specifically studied the Qu and Zhao clans. The two clans had a long history, which explained why the Zhao clan had come so readily when the Great Shaman challenged them. Besides the fact that the Zhao clan chief was Shengkuan's brother-in-law, there must have been quite a few conflicts between them before.
Besides the royal family, the three most famous clans in the State of Chu were the Qu, Jing, and Zhao clans. All three clans originated from the royal family of Chu, but by the Warring States period, they had become less closely related to the main line of the Chu royal family and held power more as hereditary nobles.
The internal strife and power struggles among the three families indirectly weakened the strength of the Chu state. Their open and covert battles, and their long-term control of the court, led to severe internal strife within the state. Even when the Qin army was pressing in, they were still vying for the position of prime minister.
After Qin destroyed Chu, the privileges of the old nobility were abolished, and the three families did not completely disappear, but they lost their fiefdoms and hereditary rights.
Among the three families of Qu, Jing, and Zhao, the Qu family was the most severely weakened after the fall of Chu because it controlled the Chu military, but it was also the family that transformed the most rapidly.
Because of Qu Yuan's literary achievements, the Qu family has made him famous in history. They have portrayed Qu Yuan as a water god, who controls the power of the Xiang River basin and is inextricably linked to the Yangtze River.
Centuries later, people may forget the power struggles between the three families of Qu, Jing, and Zhao, but they will never forget Qu Yuan, a talented and patriotic poet who sacrificed his life for his country on the Miluo River.
Seung-kwan is no ordinary person either. After Yong-chae bought it, she asked him about it, and he had never even seen a stone mill before. But Seung-kwan said he could make one.
Qi watched silently from the sidelines, then seized the opportunity to chime in and boast: "Witch, the fifty-seven children in the clan have already learned to write thirty characters. My eldest brother and the others can also write twenty-seven characters on bamboo boards."
Lin Fengzhi applauded for him.
The fact that everyone learned quickly and well was not only due to the monetary reward, but also related to Qi's hard work in preparing lessons behind the scenes.
The Qin Dynasty's monetary system was centered on gold and copper coins, forming a bimetallic system where "gold was the upper currency and copper coins were the lower currency," supplemented by commodity currencies such as cloth and grain.
Lin Fengzhi used copper coins and gold as rewards. For each character a member of the clan recognized, they would receive one Qin half-ounce coin; for ten characters, they would receive a bolt of cloth. Those who achieved first place in three consecutive examinations would receive gold.
In the market, cloth could be used as currency. According to the "Gold and Cloth Law," "ten coins were equivalent to one bolt of cloth," meaning that ten and a half coins could be exchanged for one bolt of cloth.
No wonder the clansmen are all diligent in their studies and eager to learn, even after finishing their work. If any child in the family is unwilling to study, they will definitely get a beating, and then be told, "We didn't have the conditions you have back then!"
The rewards are truly generous.
Qu He and Sheng Kuan had subtle expressions.
I've never seen any other tribe that values knowledge so much.
Qu He, in particular, didn't want to recall where Lin Fengzhi's money for the prize money came from.
Although that sum of money wasn't a major blow to the Qu family, it was still a considerable amount.
She had thought Lin Fengzhi would pocket the money, but she never expected her to share it with everyone in the clan.
Qi was initially worried about the lack of teachers, but the problem was solved before it even came to light.
Two days ago, the shamans from the Xiang River basin arrived together. This was in response to the promise made by the great shaman to Lin Fengzhi on the day of his challenge.
Since Lin Fengzhi intends to change the selection system for shamans, she must be knowledgeable about all the tribes.
When the seven days were up, the shamans arrived together. They had all heard of Lin Fengzhi's deeds at the Xiangjun Temple, and seeing that the former chief shaman Qu He was still sitting calmly below Lin Fengzhi, they assumed that Lin Fengzhi was another difficult and ruthless person.
Who would have thought that she would offer such generous terms?
In the past, non-Qu clan members who wanted to become shamans had to endure illness, cold, and darkness; those with average physical strength would simply die.
Now, Lin Fengzhi only requires the shamans of each ethnic group to do two things: First, gain the approval of 70% of their tribe. Second, memorize the prayers and dances, understand some medical principles, and be able to treat minor ailments such as headaches and fevers for patients in the tribe.
Upon hearing that the rules were so simple, all the shamans present were delighted, and their evaluation of Lin Fengzhi rose even higher.
Who among those present hadn't suffered at the hands of the Qu family? Seeing the Qu family descend from their positions and be greeted by a kind and gentle high shaman, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Living under the rule of a kind person is always easier.
Some shamans were grateful for Lin Fengzhi's actions. Seeing the prosperity of the place, they wanted to learn a thing or two, so they volunteered to stay in the territory of the Keluo people and teach the children to read.
Lin Fengzhi received several teachers for free and happily entertained the shamans, not forgetting to calculate their wages. They said it was voluntary, and she couldn't be ungrateful. How could she treat their sincerity like that?
The shamans who voluntarily stayed to teach the children were also managed by Qi.
"You've worked hard, Qi," Lin Fengzhi said. She then asked how the shaman who had stayed behind was doing and if there was anything amiss.
Qi thought about the few people he kept; most of them were honest and diligently completed their teaching tasks. Only one was a shaman from the Suiju tribe who not only wandered around the tribe all day but also privately spoke unpleasantly to Qi.
Thinking of those words, Qi's expression turned sour, but he felt he could handle it. Besides, there were other people from other tribes present, so he didn't say much. He composed himself and simply said that he could manage.
Qu He understood.
She had met the shaman of the Suiju people before. He was very dissatisfied with her becoming a high priest and had been plotting to bring her down. However, Qu He was no pushover; with the powerful Qu family behind her, how could she allow herself to be bullied? Qu He gave him a profound lesson during his first test.
It's easy to guess what he said to Qi; it was nothing more than that women are not worthy of sitting in high positions.
Now, he also wanted to test Lin Fengzhi's abilities. However, this time he was probably a bit too hasty. The people of Suiju also made a living by selling cloth, and Lin Fengzhi's large-scale sales of cloth were affecting his interests.
Qu He was somewhat expectant, wondering how Lin Fengzhi would handle the situation and whether Qi was truly as loyal as he had appeared.
Qu He followed Lin Fengzhi for several days and actually had some subtle dissatisfaction and doubts about Lin Fengzhi's behavior.
Lin Fengzhi's movements can be roughly summarized as follows:
In the morning, after getting up, Lin Fengzhi went to the textile factory to learn and observe. She was very approachable and easy to get along with, and the female textile workers even joked with her. Perhaps because of the previous conflict between Ke Luoren and Qu Shi, Lin Fengzhi's stepmother always looked at her with a different kind of meaning.
Anla helped Lin Fengzhi take her measurements and discussed patterns and fabrics. Qu He listened quietly from the side and was shocked to realize that the Keluo people had already saved enough to supply almost three counties. The silk and hemp she had painstakingly collected were not even enough for half a month.
Qu He also noticed that the number of workers in the textile workshop was increasing almost daily. This was inevitable, as the Zhao clan was sending more and more people. After inquiring about the recruitment conditions of the Keluo people, Qu He also considered sending members of his own clan to work there.
The reward was truly generous.
After breakfast, she went to watch the children of Professor Qi's clan practice writing and reading. As soon as the children saw her, they swarmed around her. She patted each of them on the head, looked at the characters they wrote on the wooden boards, praised the talented ones, and encouraged the ones with poor memories. She didn't forget Professor Qi, whose eyes were shining as he waited for her praise, and showered him with compliments.
Qu He watched as the young man was full of energy, even though they had been driven to the brink of madness by these children under the tree before they arrived...
As for the shamans who voluntarily stayed, Qu He could see it clearly.
Some were genuinely grateful to Lin Fengzhi for reforming the shaman selection system, while others, like Qu He, hoped to learn some techniques for communicating with the gods from Lin Fengzhi.
As for the ill-intentioned Suiju shaman, his two eyes darted around like a disgusting rat.
Qu He remained silent, observing coldly from the sidelines.
When the farmer's apprentice invited by the county magistrate arrived, Lin Fengzhi treated him with great respect, regarding him as her teacher, and asked him all the questions she had accumulated. For example, what to do about the slow and uneven heading of rice? During the rice's growth process, because the people of Keluo did not know how to carefully cultivate and maintain the rice, the condition of the rice in the fields was visibly poor.
The Agricultural School was one of the Hundred Schools of Thought. Even though the Qin Dynasty valued agriculture, it only paid attention to its technology; the Agricultural School's political doctrines were largely ignored. This was unavoidable, as the Agricultural School's political doctrines were too idealistic. They advocated "the ruler and the people tilling the land together" and "tilling the land with the people," which contained egalitarian principles that clashed with autocratic centralism. As a result, they gradually became marginalized tools.
Qu He was speechless, unable to understand why Lin Fengzhi was so caring and courteous to the disciples of the farming family.
Lin Fengzhi addressed him as "teacher" repeatedly, displaying an excellent attitude. When the farmer's disciples pointed out problems with their planting methods, she immediately instructed people to rectify them, never shirking responsibility.
They then had the clan's skilled farmers discuss with the farmer's apprentice how to grow more and better hemp on one acre of land. These skilled farmers were simply chosen from among the best of the best. The Keluo people's farming techniques were far inferior to their textile techniques.
They have been consuming too much silk and hemp lately; the newly planted ones haven't even grown yet, and the mature ones in the ground have already been harvested.
If both sides were arguing, she would mediate and quickly make the correct and advantageous decision based on their arguments. She also discussed the matter of "fertilizer" with the farmer's disciple. Qu He didn't care about the harvest; no matter what, she wouldn't be among those who starved to death. But the farmer's disciple was different; once he started talking about fertilizer, he would go on and on.
Lin Fengzhi suggested that composting manure could increase crop yields, but he didn't know how to process the manure. All the farmer's disciple's previous reluctance vanished instantly. He finally took Lin Fengzhi, this great shaman from a small clan, seriously.
He replied to Lin Fengzhi seriously: "Manure compost must be fully decomposed and fermented, otherwise it will burn the roots of crops."
Regarding the other materials Lin Fengzhi suggested that could be used as fertilizer, such as wood ash, fallen leaves, and lime, the farmer's disciple pondered for a moment and truthfully told him what he knew. For the parts he didn't understand, he didn't offer unsolicited advice, but simply asked Lin Fengzhi to give him a piece of land to try it out.
Lin Fengzhi even painted a rosy picture for him, saying that the Mohists had the "Mozi" and "Mo Jing", the Legalists had the "Shang Jun Shu" and "Han Feizi", and the Confucians, needless to say, had the "Analects", "Mencius", "Xunzi" and the Five Classics passed down to posterity. What classic works did the Agriculturalists have passed down to posterity?
The disciple from the peasant school blushed and said, "Xu Sheng of the peasant school participated in the 'Lüshi Chunqiu,' so how can chapters such as 'Shang Nong' and 'Ren Di' not classics of the peasant school?"
Lin Fengzhi's words broke his defenses: "Lü Buwei is a polymath, not an agriculturalist."
Seeing that the disciples of the Farmer School remained silent, Lin Fengzhi smiled slightly and said that he could help them with their writing and publishing.
The farmer's disciple was wary, yet also tempted.
After observing Lin Fengzhi for a few days, he quickly wrote to his elders. Lin Fengzhi had so many ingenious ideas that the peasant disciples couldn't help but want to put them into practice whenever they spoke with her. Through repeated trials, they not only settled down with the Keluo people but also expanded their experimental fields. It was hard for the peasant disciples not to be tempted by her ideas on the alternative farming method.
Qu He watched as a peasant boy fell into Lin Fengzhi's trap and actively called on his fellow disciples to fall into the pit together.
In the afternoon, Lin Fengzhi went to the assembly line where the looms were being assembled to comfort and encourage everyone. She didn't just talk; she even prepared meat dishes for everyone.
It should be noted that ordinary people can only afford to eat meat a handful of times throughout the year, and they can only indulge in it during major festivals and the Lunar New Year.
Was it necessary to be so nice to them? Qu He finally understood why the Keluo people were so devoted to her and greeted her with smiles whenever she came or went.
But isn't she worried that she won't have enough money? No matter how much money the Qu family gives her, it's finite, and it will eventually run out.
Subsequently, Qu He discovered that the county magistrate and the Zhao family were taking loads of cloth out of the Keluo people's territory and bringing back loads of silk, hemp, gold, silver, and copper coins.
Qu He's subordinates told him that the magistrate's men had sold the cloth to Changsha, Qianzhong, and Ba counties. If it weren't for the long distances and the shortage of cloth, he could have bought the cloth all the way to Xianyang with his connections.
The Zhao clan chief also received a batch of cloth from Lin Fengzhi. The Zhao clan had cultivated the land in Chu for many years, and even though the Zhao clan was greatly weakened after the fall of Chu, its foundation remained. They sent people to sell the cloth to the Baiyue people in the south.
The cloth woven by the Kolo people is wide, soft, dense, strong, and durable. Because of the upgraded loom, the production efficiency has been greatly improved, which can be described as a game-changer compared to the cloth produced by ordinary waist looms. It takes at least half a month to weave a piece of cloth on an ordinary waist loom, but the improved oblique loom can weave a piece of durable and dense cloth in just three days.
Not to mention that once the textile workers became skilled, they added patterns to the fabric.
Even though this fabric is one or two times more expensive than other fabrics on the market, customers still prefer it.
Even Qu He, who rarely wore linen, couldn't resist buying a few bolts after seeing and touching the cloth they were selling. No wonder the shamans of Suiju were making trouble behind the scenes; their homespun cloth was being sold at a loss.
It can be said that turning on the loom is equivalent to turning on the money printing machine.
The magistrate and Lady Zhao brought back not only gold and silver, but also a steady stream of orders.
At the same time, more and more people are moving closer to the Korlo people's community, hoping to work there.
Lin Fengzhi took time out of her busy schedule to deal with these people. She naturally welcomed them to lighten the burden on the Keluo people. In her view, problems that could be solved with money weren't really problems; she had plenty of ways to make money. The difficulty lay in managing these people.
The more Qu He got to know Lin Fengzhi, the more bewildered she became. She couldn't understand why the great shaman who could make Xiangjun appear was like this. In the seven days that followed, apart from all the shamans from the Xiang River basin coming to pay their respects to the new great shaman, Qu He didn't see her memorizing prayers or practicing shamanistic arts on a single day.
Even the clan's divination and fortune-telling were done by others on their behalf.
Qu He couldn't help but go to the Xiangjun Temple to ask, what was the point of her praying for Xiangjun, Xiangfuren, and the water god day after day? Was she not as good as Lin Fengzhi in winning the hearts of the gods?
Isn't she devout enough? Isn't praying three times a day enough? Or are her offerings not good enough?
Qu He had no answer.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Regretful! I'll never rush deadlines again. Four thousand words left! [Facepalm laughing and crying emoji]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
