"Increase the yield by half? How is that possible?!" Sheng Ran's eyes widened.
"Madam Dai does not appear to be of peasant origins, so how could she understand composting, let alone speak of some exclusive method? And this claim of a fifty percent increase is far too exaggerated," Cui Shengping said, his tone filled with suspicion and gravity.
Sheng Ran understood his suspicion, but the gravity that followed...
The two exchanged a glance.
No one who served as a strategist was foolish. In that brief exchange of looks, Sheng Ran suddenly understood something. "Haiqing, do you think all of this is our Lord's doing?"
The messenger had already retreated, and with no one else around, Sheng Ran finished the second half of his thought. "Are you suspecting that our Lord is currently building up momentum for Young Master Qin?"
"Is that not the case? Increasing crop yields by half is easy to say, just a slip of the tongue, but how easy is it to actually achieve? If it could be done, the number of people who starved to death during the floods in the Two Rivers and the great droughts of the past would have been reduced by fifty or sixty percent. In terms of political achievements and merit, what could be greater? Taking a step back, even if such a method existed, it should be in the hands of an experienced farmer. How could a delicately raised lady know of it?" Cui Shengping said, his brows tightly furrowed by the end of his speech.
"But the dragon bone water wheel clearly..." Sheng Ran paused. "At that time, you and I were both in Bingzhou handling Lord Rong's subsequent affairs and had no time to go to Ying Commandery. Only Nalan Wugong knows the true details of that matter."
But Nalan Zhi was Qin Yanzhou's master, and he himself was an extremely sharp person.
If they inquired about the dragon bone water wheel at this critical juncture, the other party would definitely guess that not only were they half-believing at first, but they were now holding an attitude of doubt.
Cui Shengping stopped stroking his long beard. "It is not appropriate to discuss this matter with Nalan Wugong."
Sheng Ran originally disagreed, but now he nodded.
"Previously, we suggested that the Third Young Master marry the legitimate daughter of Governor Nangong, but this proposal was rejected by our Lord. Now, with such news spreading, a son's status rises with his mother's. Our Lord is so deeply in love with Madam Dai that it makes one worry he is paving the way for Young Master Qin..." Cui Shengping said.
The grand wedding next spring was already set in stone.
Let alone them, even the prominent Wei family had been dealt with by their Lord when they tried to interfere. They could not hinder, nor did they have the power to stop their Lord's wedding.
Both men felt a terrible headache coming on.
"What should we do about this?"
"Our Lord has always ruled with an iron fist. If we try our best to dissuade him halfway, it might backfire. It is better to wait and see. Anyway, this fifty percent increase..." Cui Shengping shook his head. "Unless our Lord secretly opens his private treasury to make up the difference for her, it is absolutely impossible."
He spoke the last four words with resounding force.
"You are right. When the time comes, we will keep a close eye on our Lord and join forces with the other garrison commanders to stop it in time, so that we can end this farce early..."
After dinner, the sky was gray, as if covered by a heavy black veil. And at this time when they should have been resting, a group of military officers gathered in the courtyard, whispering among themselves.
"...Increasing the yield by half is a bit exaggerated." This was the tactful Bai Jianping.
"I really want to believe Madam Dai, but my reason tells me that if I believe her, then all those granary officials, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, and the Chief Commandant of Waterways are all uselessly occupying their positions and deserve to die!" This was the serious Mo Yanyun.
Did they not deserve to die? So many people had studied this back and forth, yet none of them had the extensive knowledge of a single lady like Madam Dai.
"Since Madam Dai dared to make such a claim, I think she must know what she is doing." This was the steadfast Qiao Wangfei.
"So how much material was prepared today?" This was Wei Qing, who had been absent during the day.
Feng Feng answered truthfully, "I was in charge of buying three carts of cow and pig manure, and Hu Bao was responsible for buying bone meal, lime, and plant ash."
"Bone meal? What is this used for?" asked the usually taciturn Yan San.
Feng Feng rolled his eyes. "I do not know. But since Madam Dai has already started preparing the materials, she will probably start composting soon. Why do we not all go outside the main courtyard tomorrow and await her orders?"
"You always have the best ideas, Old Feng!"
...
The sun set and rose, and the eastern sky turned white.
Dai Li woke up from her sleep and heard Nian Xia say that a group of military officers was waiting for her outside. Having just woken up, Dai Li thought she had misheard. "Waiting for me? Why?"
"Is it not because you mentioned composting yesterday? They are all extremely curious and are now competing to serve you, Madam." Nian Xia pursed her lips and smiled.
Dai Li rubbed her eyes. "How long have they been here?"
"About two quarters of an hour. Hearing that you were not awake, they all said there was no rush and to wait until you had slept enough. They have already drank several pots of tea." Nian Xia looked extremely proud.
In the past, she had also been a slave and a maid, but the masters she served were extremely subservient in front of the male master, and by extension, they were evasive and accommodating when facing the male master's subordinates.
Let alone having a group of people wait for her to wake up, even getting a word of praise from the subordinates was impossible.
No, not necessarily.
It was just that after receiving praise, the male master was very likely to give away his favored concubine as a gift.
Dai Li said to Nian Xia, "I am going to the fields today, so keep my hair accessories and clothes simple."
After she washed up, finished breakfast, and came out of the main courtyard, the group of military officers who heard her footsteps 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 others were simply sitting on the ground.
Now that they saw her, their eyes lit up. If they changed out of their martial attire, they would look exactly like a group of workers demanding unpaid wages.
Dai Li was speechless.
But before Dai Li could speak, a tall figure turned the corner at the other end of the corridor.
It was Qin Shaozong, who had returned right on time.
After the news was released yesterday, he was not surprised that a circle of military officers surrounded the front of the main courtyard early this morning. However, knowing about it was one thing; seeing it with his own eyes and feeling displeased was another.
His beloved generals from the past now looked like wooden splinters stuck in the ground, the ones squatting were an eyesore, and the ones standing were in the way. Qin Shaozong's gaze swept over them, and as soon as he opened his mouth, his tone was unwelcoming. "What, are you all very free?"
The scalps of all the military officers tightened.
Just a moment ago, they were sitting and standing without any proper posture, but now they quickly stood up straight.
"My Lord."
After the group paid their respects, they looked down at their noses and their noses at their hearts, lowering their heads like quails.
Since no one spoke, Dai Li said, "Are you all planning to go to the fields with me?"
The frozen atmosphere instantly boiled over.
"We are willing to offer our meager strength to you."
The military officers had loud voices, and this unanimous shout carried far away. Qin Yanzhou and Qin Qinian, who had just finished their morning exercises in the distance, were both taken aback.
The young man asked in surprise, "What happened over there?"
Qin Yanzhou thought of yesterday. "Garrison Commander Feng prepared the materials yesterday. They must have gone to look for my mother today."
Qin Qinian loved to join in the fun. "Then let us go too!"
...
In front of the main courtyard.
"...Right, we also need a lot of straw. I'll have to trouble you to go and collect some." Dai Li nodded.
Temperature directly affects composting. In spring and autumn, the temperature is suitable, and the microorganisms in the soil are active, which can quickly decompose waste.
In summer and winter, it is either too hot or too cold. Especially in the winter in the north, the temperature can easily drop below ten degrees, so it is necessary to keep the soil warm.
In modern times, plastic film can be used for insulation. A large piece of black plastic film is pulled over the ground and pressed down to form a relatively heat-absorbing area. But in this era, there is no such thing as plastic film, so straw can only be used as a substitute for insulation.
Don't underestimate straw. There is an ancient saying, "Before the troops and horses move, the provisions and fodder go first." The "fodder" here not only refers to horse feed, but also straw.
Before the Song Dynasty, when cotton was not yet widely used, soldiers marching and fighting used straw to keep warm at night. Dried straw was covered over their bodies, smelling good and keeping them warm.
And now, Dai Li needed to use straw for insulation.
Feng Feng and Qiao Wangfei took the task of collecting straw and left first. The others were still in place, rubbing their hands in anticipation, waiting for Dai Li to assign tasks.
Dai Li rubbed her forehead helplessly. "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 achieved overnight. Just the pre-process of fermentation and decomposition of feces can take several months."
Normally, the fermentation and decomposition of feces takes a month and a half to two months. And the microorganisms in it are affected by temperature, and the time will be shortened or extended accordingly.
If it is summer, the fermentation and decomposition can be completed in about a month; but if it is winter, the time will be much longer, and it will take three to four months to complete the fermentation.
Of course, this is the most traditional composting method.
In modern times, fermentation bacteria are usually added artificially to efficiently complete the decomposition process. But there is no way here, and everything can only be left to time.
"Several months? So long?" Mo Yanyun was dumbfounded.
Not only him, but the others also looked astonished.
Except for Feng Feng, who was ordered to collect straw, none of the other generals had ever farmed. Now hearing Dai Li say this, besides their shock, they also felt a sense of frustration of having a lot of strength but nowhere to use it.
"But if you don't mind, there is still work to do." Dai Li suddenly smiled. The corners of her eyes curled up a little, adding a bit of rare slyness.
Qin Shaozong could tell at a glance that her next words would be unusual. He raised his eyebrows slightly, but said nothing.
All the generals were very enthusiastic:
"Madam Dai, just say it. As long as I can do it, I will not refuse."
"Even if it is a mountain of swords and a sea of fire, I will go and brave it!"
Hearing them speak more and more exaggeratedly, Dai Li couldn't help laughing and waving her hands. "You don't need to climb a mountain of swords. It's just that the compost needs to be turned from time to time, about every four or five days, to change the position of the feces and grass, so as to dissipate the exhaust gas in the pile and help the growth of small creatures inside."
As soon as these words came out, the surroundings became quiet.
Some people didn't understand the latter sentence about small creatures, but it didn't prevent them from understanding the former.
Turn, turn the feces and dirt?
The generals' eyes widened.
Letting them go to the battlefield to kill the enemy and fight a bloody battle, they would never blink an eye, but turning this feces and dirt...
The atmosphere froze again.
Just then, a highly recognizable drake voice came over: "Father, are you and Madam Dai going out of the mansion? Can you take me and Qin Yanzhou with you?"
Swish, swish, the figures in front of Qin Qinian and Qin Yanzhou all flashed away.
The young man's eyebrows moved slightly, and his gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Dai Li. Today, Dai Li was dressed in all black, and her long hair was tied into a high ponytail. She looked quite valiant and heroic, and it was obvious that she was not going for an ordinary outing.
"Mother, I want to go with you," Qin Yanzhou said.
Dai Li suspected that these two didn't know anything and purely wanted to join in the fun, so she asked him directly: "Zhou Zhou, do you know where I'm going and what I'm going to do?"
Qin Yanzhou nodded and said he knew, "You are going to the fields outside the city to compost."
Dai Li said again: "Yesterday I had someone collect a few carts of cow dung and pig dung. According to the plan, we have to go pile it up today. Are you sure you want to come?"
Qin Yanzhou: "I want to come."
He had seen streets full of rice shops side by side, and barns full of rice and flour. He was also a person who had truly suffered from hunger and even eaten grass roots and tree bark. If he could help, stepping on cow dung a few times was really nothing.
The other generals suddenly felt their faces burning hotly.
As the son of Madam Dai, Young Master Qin would soon be a young master recorded in the Qin family's genealogy. He didn't mind the dirt and mess, so what face did they have to keep quiet.
Having watched enough of the show, Qin Shaozong spoke, "You can stay or leave as you please. Madam, let's go."
The group rode out of the city.
In winter, it doesn't snow every day. After it snows, as long as the sun comes out, the snow will slowly melt. In a word, it snows for a day or two, and then the snow melts for a long time.
It hadn't snowed for the past few days, and the snow on the ground had mostly melted. The silver clothing that the earth had previously put on gradually faded away.
The Qin family was originally a prominent family. Even if Qin Shaozong wasn't the top official of Yuyang Commandery, he also had a lot of land. These fertile fields would be rented to tenant farmers for cultivation, and as the owner of the farmland, he only needed to collect rent regularly.
The sky was broad and blue, occasionally with sparse birds gliding by, and majestic green mountains in the distance. Looking at the flat fields in the suburbs, they were like neat patches, connected to each other, end to end, as if they were going to reach the horizon.
Winter is the slack season in farming, and Dai Li didn't see many farmers along the way.
"We're here." Qin Shaozong reined in Chi Jiao.
Dai Li dismounted, and then rubbed her face. She was in a hurry when she went out and forgot to wear a veiled hat. Having just been blown by the cold wind all the way, her face was numb from the cold.
Seeing this, Qin Shaozong also reached over. "Fair-skinned and tender, frostbitten? Let me see."
"Don't trouble yourself." Dai Li disliked the thick calluses on his hands and turned her head to avoid him.
Behind them, the generals were either looking down to study the mud under their feet, looking far away at the green mountains, or seriously adjusting their saddles.
Everyone was very busy.
Dai Li was also busy. After hurriedly ending a banter, she asked Hu Bao: "Have the bone meal and plant ash collected yesterday been transported here?"
"Yes, they have all been packed in gunny sacks." Hu Bao went down to the field first.
"We don't need them urgently for now, we can leave them for a while." Dai Li also went down to the field area.
She gestured the height. "Mix those few piles of cow dung and pig dung together, try to pile it into a round mound. The compost mound should be about nine feet high, and it should be as large as possible so that the heat dissipates as slowly as possible. Oh, right, before piling, a layer of weeds should be laid at the bottom, preferably a four-to-six ratio of dry leaves and green grass. A total of ten gunny sacks are needed."
They didn't have people collect weeds yesterday, but this field of Qin Shaozong's was close to the mountain, so taking a trip would be quite fast.
Yan San and the others immediately grabbed the sacks and rode over on their horses. Not long after, they returned with bulging sacks.
"Scatter it all here." Dai Li had just ordered someone to dig a pit. "Lay the dry leaves first, then the green grass. Don't use it all, just a third is enough. Where is the water I asked for just now? Zhou Zhou, pour some water in."
The young man lifted the wooden bucket, holding the wooden handle with one hand and supporting the bottom of the bucket with the other, splashing water into the pit with a loud splash.
Dai Li instructed, "Now lay down the cow dung and pig manure, alternating layers with the dry leaves and green grass. Zhou Zhou, water it."
Everyone followed her instructions.
After a flurry of activity, six carts of manure mixed with dry leaves and green grass were piled into two large compost heaps.
Dai Li clapped her hands. "Cover the top with straw and we're done. Let's call it a day here. Tomorrow, go collect some more cow and pig manure, and repeat the process to make more compost heaps. As for these finished piles, My Lord, arrange a duty roster and have someone come turn them every five days."
There were so many fields in the North; just a little bit of organic fertilizer would never be enough. Since it was currently the agricultural off-season, they might as well make more.
The crowd acknowledged the order.
Rumble—
Dai Li faintly heard the sound of wheels. She looked towards Yuyang following the sound, and unexpectedly saw a carriage driving this way.
She froze slightly, subconsciously turning her head to look at Qin Shaozong beside her. The man met her eyes, a touch of gentle warmth filling his brown eyes.
"My lady, come home with me," he smiled.
A cold wind blew against her face, so icy that it even made her skin feel slightly numb.
But that carriage was like a torch. It was clearly not luxurious or eye-catching, yet it exuded a comforting warmth.
Dai Li lowered her eyes.
*
From that day on, every few days, several fast horses would leave the Qin Manor together, heading straight for the outskirts of the city.
Fast horses came and went, the sun rose and set, and time slowly flowed by.
Before they knew it, three months had passed. And at the tail end of deep winter, Dai Li's first batch of mature compost completed its fermentation amidst everyone's eager anticipation.
-----------------------