Chapter Fifty-Seven: Strange Vernacular

Liu Yuxi departed, carrying the documents compiled by Wei Renshi.

Lin Cen and Lin Sumian also left Wei Renshi's house, taking a chair with them. Since there was only one round table and a single set of kitchenware, these managed to survive.

A few carriages swayed onto the official road, heading westward.

“Master Wei is truly an extraordinary man,” Lin Sumian said to Liu Yuxi, sitting inside the carriage. “No, more than that—he’s a marvel. Coming along with you, Master Liu, was indeed the right decision.”

“I have yet to thank you, Shopkeeper Lin, for being willing to purchase barren land and help me verify Master Wei’s methods,” replied Liu Yuxi.

“I felt a kinship with you at first sight, and through you, I’ve met such a remarkable person as Master Wei. I should be the one thanking you, Master Liu,” Lin Sumian laughed. “Besides, I was once a scholar myself, and I too dreamed of assisting the ruler and benefiting the people. If Master Wei’s methods truly work, it will add countless fertile fields to the Tang and bless innumerable people. As for damming and silt reclamation, and improving barren soil, if you need anything, Master Liu, just ask!”

“You are truly noble, Shopkeeper Lin! To become acquainted with you is a stroke of fortune for me!” Liu Yuxi was delighted and laughed heartily.

Having said this, he could no longer restrain himself and pulled out the thick stacks of papers Wei Renshi had given him, beginning to read them right there in the carriage.

“Hmm…‘A Detailed Explanation and Construction Guide for Dam-Building and Silt Reclamation’… The title, taken apart, is so plain that I can understand it, but together, it sounds so awkward!” Liu Yuxi flipped a page, looked up, and said. Then he picked up the thicker stack, opened it, and remarked, “Another odd style—‘Research on the Causes of Different Types of Saline-Alkali Soil and Specific Countermeasures’… Look, the whole thing is written in plain language!”

Lin Sumian leaned over to read a few lines, then sat back with a smile. “Plain language is good—it’s easy to understand. When we explain this to the craftsmen, they’ll be able to grasp it.”

“That’s true enough,” Liu Yuxi shook his head helplessly, “but it does look so peculiar!”

Wei Renshi, of course, could not hear their conversation. At that moment, he was standing next to the worm ruler he had dug in his field, pinching his nose.

On the patch of land specially fenced off for breeding earthworms, manure from chickens, ducks, and cows, along with other scraps, had to be regularly mixed into the soil to feed the worms.

The smell was truly unbearable!

But the great laborers of the people are undaunted!

“Master Wei, why are you raising so many ‘dragons of the earth’? Planning to do business with the medicine shops?” one of the laborers hired by Wei Renshi asked, picking worms out and tossing them into bamboo baskets as he worked.

Their expressions did not change at all, as if oblivious to the stench of the land.

“You don’t understand. These are genuinely good things,” Wei Renshi, looking pale and suffering from the smell, still managed to say, “Really, toss some into your fields, and I guarantee your crops will grow better than anyone else’s.”

The men laughed heartily, paying little heed to his words. They were all seasoned farmers, having worked the land for half their lives, confident that no one knew their own fields better than they did. As far as they were concerned, no one could farm their land better than themselves.

Seeing their indifference, Wei Renshi spoke no more.

Unable to bear the odor any longer, he said, “Uncles, I really can’t stand this smell. I’ll go over there for a bit. Once these baskets are full, that should be enough. Afterwards, let’s go find Zheng, the village chief.”

“Go on, Master Wei, ha ha. Scholars can’t stand this smell! Off with you,” the farmers said, laughing at him.

These were neighbors from Changgu, who had watched Wei Renshi grow up and were all familiar with him.

Wei Renshi left and, just as he reached the edge of the field to look for a stone to sit on, he saw Old Sun leading someone over—wasn’t it Old Sun’s nephew, Sun Peng?

As they drew near, Old Sun hurried forward to bow. “Young master, my nephew has come!”

Sun Peng stepped out from behind Old Sun, bowed, and said, “I am unworthy to have you, sir, personally come to invite me—it’s an honor beyond what I deserve! Though I have never served as a shopkeeper, I promise to work hard and learn, and never let you down.”

“Let’s not speak of anything else. After my family’s decline, Old Sun always remembered to help us out. I owe him this kindness, and must repay it. That’s why you get this opportunity,” Wei Renshi smiled. “You must do your utmost to learn. I have given you the chance; you must grasp it yourself. I’ll give you two years. If, after two years, you still can’t be a competent shopkeeper, then it means you’ve let the opportunity slip away.”

“I understand!” Sun Peng nodded vigorously.

Ambition, drive, a sense of his own shortcomings, and awareness of the need to learn—this was good.

Wei Renshi said, “The shop is in South Market, Luoyang, and it’s quite large. I’ll call you when I leave. As for our wine, let Old Sun tell you about it. Spend these few days thinking—once we’re in Luoyang, consider how we should manage this business. The ice shop is much simpler; I’ll explain it later. But the ice shop needs someone at the front, making all sorts of drinks and foods with ice. In the next few days, you can bring your wife over. Once I’ve taught her, we’ll set out for Luoyang.”

“Thank you for your guidance, sir!” Sun Peng bowed again, solemnly. “I will certainly not disappoint you!”

“I hope you remember today’s words,” Wei Renshi nodded. “Let Old Sun take you to the winery, learn to recognize our wines, and understand the characteristics of each one.”

Old Sun, full of gratitude, led his nephew away. Wei Renshi sat by the field, waiting until the farmers had filled the baskets, then together they went to the patch of barren land that Zheng, the village chief, had obtained from the county office.

The barren land wasn’t far from Wei Renshi’s fields, located at the boundary between Changgu and a neighboring village.

When they arrived, Zheng had already spent several days, leading people to use the new-style plow to deeply till and turn the soil several times as Wei Renshi had instructed, thoroughly overturning the earth. The area was fenced in, much like the earthworm enclosure, with the fence dug deep and the underground portion woven of bamboo, leaving not a single gap.

Water was brought in via bamboo pipes from the nearest field in Changgu. Ditches were dug according to Wei Renshi’s instructions for drainage.

Over these days, water had continuously flowed from the bamboo pipes into the soil, seeping through and draining out via the ditches, thoroughly soaking the land.

Wei Renshi directed the farmers to scatter the earthworms from the baskets onto the land, then used rakes to loosen and smooth the soil.

“All right, give these little creatures some time—they’ll prove their worth,” Wei Renshi said to Zheng, smiling.