The Daily Life of Farming and Raising Children in Ancient Mountain Residences

Chapter 269: Night Guests

By the time Shen Lie and Shen An returned home, it was already completely dark. Behind them were two more guests.

The safety of Daxing Village was well-regarded, and since everyone knew that the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the opening day of the state school, was the next day, they anticipated that the brothers would certainly return tonight, so the gate was left open for them.

At this time, the two guests stopped at the entrance of the courtyard and did not continue inside.

“Sorry for the sudden visit. You go in and let the village head know, and we’ll come in later,” said one of the visitors.

The visitors were none other than Zeng Sanlang and Chu Qichang. Leaving guests standing in the entrance at this late hour was not ideal, so Shen Lie said, “It’s fine. Please come with me to the hall and have a seat. I’m not sure if Ah Luo has gone to bed yet, so please wait for a moment.”

Zeng Ziqian didn’t refuse and followed Shen Lie and Shen An into the inner courtyard.

When the courtyard door was opened, it made a bit of noise, causing Shen Yin, dressed in his inner garments, to peek out from the east wing. Seeing Shen Lie and Shen An, he greeted them in a low voice with some excitement, “Elder Brother, Second Brother, you’re back!”

He was about to ask if they had had dinner when he noticed the presence of others. “Are there guests?”

He quickly pulled his head back inside, and soon after, he donned his outer coat and came out, tying his sash as he opened the door.

Shen Lie, noticing his quick movements, said, “It’s chilly at night. Go back to bed, I’ll take care of the guests with your second brother.”

Looking at the dim light in the master bedroom but hearing no sounds, Shen Lie wondered if Ah Luo and the children were asleep or not. He asked Shen Yin, “Has your sister-in-law gone to bed?”

Shen Yin scratched his head and said, “Just a moment ago, Ayao and Qian Bao were still making a fuss. It’s only recently quieted down, so they might have just been coaxed to sleep. I think Sister-in-law might not be asleep yet.”

Shen Lie nodded, leading Zeng Ziqian and Chu Qichang into the hall and seeing Shen An and Shen Yin preparing water for tea. He briefly went to find Ah Luo.

Although the voices of Shen Lie and the others were very soft and the materials used in the house were solid, providing good sound insulation, Ah Luo could still vaguely hear some noise. She guessed that Shen Lie had returned. Qian Bao was already sound asleep, but Ayao had a habit of falling asleep by lying on her chest. At the moment, she had one finger in her mouth, occasionally moving her lips and making sucking sounds, and was smiling with her toothless gums exposed as if dreaming of something pleasant.

Ah Luo found it amusing and, seeing that Ayao wasn’t deeply asleep yet, didn’t move immediately. She glanced at the direction of the door, and before long, the door was gently pushed open from the outside. Entering through the night was none other than Shen Lie.

When the couple’s eyes met, Sang Luo put her index finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet.

Shen Lie, concerned about his wife and children, saw that Sang Luo was half-leaning against the head of the bed. He took a look and found Qian Bao sleeping soundly, while Ayao was lying on her mother’s chest, sucking her finger and sleeping in a very innocent pose. The exhaustion from the past few days seemed to melt away instantly.

However, there was no time to look at the children any longer. He whispered to Sang Luo, “Governor Zeng and Secretary Chu have come. They are in the main hall and wish to see you.”

“See me?” Sang Luo was surprised.

During this trip, Shen Lie had accompanied Governor Zeng to the countryside. Governor Zeng’s purpose was twofold: to observe the livelihood of the people and to procure grain on behalf of the government. The prefectural offices had already made a round in Shezhou last winter. Since several counties had bought very little grain last winter and with the new year’s administration just starting, Governor Zeng, along with Chu Qichang and a group of minor officials, had personally gone to the counties to assess the situation.

Naturally, Shen Lie and Shen An were brought along to see the operations firsthand. It was quite an experience to observe the economic and social conditions, especially as it related to the administration’s affairs. Shen Lie had also brought Wei Qing along after consulting Zeng Ziqian.

But why had this matter of buying grain led them back to Daxing Village to see her?

Sang Luo was filled with questions, but considering the child in her arms wasn’t deeply asleep yet, she didn’t want to ask right away. She carefully adjusted her posture, gently placed Ayao on the bed, and tucked her in.

The little girl’s finger twitched, her lips made a sucking motion, and she quickly fell back into a deep sleep.

Only then did Sang Luo put on her outer garment, tidy up her hair, and leave the room with Shen Lie. Since they were heading to the side hall, Shen Lie decided to wait and explain everything together.

Upon entering the hall, before Sang Luo could greet them, Zeng Ziqian and Chu Qichang quickly stood up and clasped their fists in salute. “Our apologies for the late visit. We are truly sorry for the disturbance.”

Both men were still in their official robes, covered in yellow mud from the countryside, indicating they had just returned from the rural areas and might not have even entered the city yet.

Sang Luo shook her head, “It’s no problem. I heard from Shen Lie that the two of you are here to see me. May I ask what is the matter?”

Although Zeng Ziqian was anxious, he maintained his composure. He first invited Sang Luo to sit and then said, “You probably know the purpose of our trip?”

“Somewhat,” Sang Luo replied, though she was puzzled about how it related to her.

Zeng Ziqian observed Sang Luo’s confusion and explained, “This trip for grain procurement hasn’t gone smoothly. Apart from Shezhou and its surrounding areas, it is very difficult for ordinary villagers in other counties to obtain any substantial amount of grain.”

Sang Luo raised an eyebrow, “That shouldn’t be the case. The government’s prices are quite good. If they are worried about famine, the government hasn’t reduced the land tax, and the grain produced is still theirs. They should have enough for two to three years of their own consumption, right?”

The price of grain was 190 wen per kilogram, which was significantly lower than the 300 wen per kilogram for aged grain last January. This price was still more than three times higher than the normal rate.

It could be anticipated that by this autumn, if the government’s policy to support the people was enforced and there were no major disasters, the grain price would not only remain stable but might not rise further. Therefore, there was actually no need to keep excessive reserves.

The government had exempted taxes for three years, which clearly would lead to a shortage of grain. If the officials were willing to spend money to buy it, how could the people not be willing to support the government in return? Therefore, last year, when the officials came to buy grain and newly harvested tubers, the surrounding villagers of Daxing Village sold their surplus grain, keeping enough for two to three years of their own consumption.

Even though Sang Luo and the Chen family had originally planned to make some by-products from the tubers, since the government purchased them for distribution to various states and counties, and the official prices were fair, they prioritized the government’s needs.

Zeng Ziqian smiled lightly upon hearing this, and Shen Lie explained to Sang Luo, “In the counties of Shezhou, the surplus grain among the villagers is not abundant.”

This statement left Sang Luo stunned.

“Did people come out too late and open up too little land?”

This was the only explanation she could think of.

Shen Lie shook his head, “Not exactly. While some people did come out late and open up less land, those who came out earlier didn’t fully cultivate their land either.”

Sang Luo was confused by this explanation.

Shen Lie continued, “Land is divided into three grades: superior, middle, and inferior. The land we initially received was all superior land. Although it has been abandoned for many years, it is still quite productive. However, the land that was opened up later, due to the current low population, wasn’t all allocated. Middle-grade land is available, but its fertility is insufficient. Usually, it requires one year of rest for every year of cultivation, otherwise, even if it’s cultivated, the yield won’t be high, and after several years, the land may become barren.”

“Therefore, although the government allocated a lot of land, the people couldn’t fully cultivate it. Depending on the land’s condition, most only cultivate half or a small part. Moreover, I inquired with the villagers, and their well-cultivated middle-grade land yielded about 260 to 270 jin of rice per mu last autumn.”

In contrast, the surrounding area of Daxing Village, using Sang Luo’s composting method, had a yield of around 310 to 330 kilograms per acres for both middle and superior land. The difference was about 40 kilograms per acres, and the fertility of the land was maintained, so even the neighboring villagers’ middle-grade land didn’t require resting every other year.

This was the reason why the villagers in the surrounding counties were reluctant to sell grain. The surplus grain held by them was fundamentally different from that held by the villagers near Shezhou City.

“Composting method?” Sang Luo, momentarily stunned, then realized and covered her forehead with her hand, showing a look of regret. “I completely forgot about this.”

Shen Lie remained composed, “No wonder you forgot. You’re so used to it. Even An and Qing He took a few days to realize after following Master Zeng around the countryside.”

Zeng Ziqian quickly added, “Yes, it’s not your fault. I heard from Shen Lie that you taught this method years ago when you retreated to the mountains. After so many years, not only Daxing Village but also the surrounding mountain people have learned and used it for several years. They all live close to you, so it’s understandable that they continue using it. It’s not surprising that you didn’t think of it.”

Especially for Sang Luo, who had been so busy this year with many significant tasks, Zeng Ziqian was fully aware. A woman, who had been pregnant, gave birth to twins, developed new farming tools and paper-making techniques, and managed the family’s land and business—such achievements would be remarkable even for a noble lady with a team of capable servants.

Here is the translation of the text:

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However, even a humble family can manage so many things so orderly; that is indeed a skill.

Sang Luo calmed down and said, “Yes, it’s not too late now. If we hurry, we can still catch this spring. The compost method isn’t very difficult. Has Shen Lie not informed you?”

“He has, and it has already been taught in various counties. That’s why I returned so late. However, I’ve inquired about the farming conditions in your estate, and there are still some questions I need to consult with the local official.”

“Master Zeng can ask without reservation. I am not an expert in farming, but I will certainly answer all I know.”

Not an expert…

Chu Qichang didn’t dare to speak.

Zeng Ziqian took Sang Luo’s modesty at face value. As it was late and the Shen family had children, he stated his purpose directly.

“From what I have learned from the old farmers, if a piece of land is planted continuously for several years, even with sufficient manure and green fertilizer, it will still lead to soil compaction, reduced yield, and worsening pest problems. Is it really fine to plant two crops a year, like in Daxing Village?”

Sang Luo shook her head and said, “Daxing Village does plant two crops a year, but they use a method of alternating wet and dry cultivation. This method can balance soil fertility and to some extent, drown pests. I’m not sure if it’s completely effective, but there are definitely fewer pests.”

“And for different crop rotations…” Sang Luo paused. She wasn’t a farming student and had no formal training in agriculture. Most of her knowledge came from personal practice or observation, so to put it bluntly, she was somewhat of a dilettante.

After organizing her thoughts, she said, “I’m not sure how to explain it. Different crops have different needs and give different returns to the soil. If the right crops are rotated, soil fertility is not depleted in a single way, and it can be balanced and adjusted. Therefore, soil compaction, yield reduction, and pest problems will be greatly reduced.”

“Conversely, choosing the wrong crops for rotation will lead to more problems. The varieties that can be rotated are not many, and confirming them requires extensive study, experimentation, and observation.”

Crops also classify nutrient absorption? Aren’t they all just straw and manure?

Chu Qichang listened in confusion, but it didn’t stop him from jotting down every word as Sang Luo spoke.

Zeng Ziqian, with a good memory, understood the gist after hearing it once and then asked Sang Luo, “Which crops are suitable for rotation that you currently know?”

“Currently, in our village, we have found that rice, beans, rapeseed, wheat, and vetch work well without problems. Beyond these, I’m not sure.”

Sugarcane is also suitable, but she hadn’t seen or tried it in Shezhou, so she didn’t mention it.

Zeng Ziqian, even though he had heard Shen Lie’s brief summary, was excited to hear the detailed explanation from Sang Luo and tightened his grip on his leg.

The grain bought was limited, but with Sang Luo’s composting and crop rotation methods, the help was even greater than buying ten thousand stones of grain for the court.

He restrained himself from immediately standing up to thank her and asked Sang Luo, “Do you have any suggestions for promoting the composting and rotation methods?”

Suggestions…

Sang Luo thought for a moment and said, “I don’t know if the court has agricultural officials, but if I were to suggest, it would be for the court to establish a specialized agricultural official position to research farming and animal husbandry. Additionally, the composting method requires sufficient manure. Human waste alone is not enough. In rural areas, I would recommend that households keep a few chickens and ducks, and if possible, a sheep or two.”

“Unlike pigs, which need grain and bean dregs, sheep have relatively low needs for concentrate feed. With some concentrate, they grow better, but even without it, they can survive on grass. As long as households are diligent, it can also be a source of income. Sheep manure, after fermentation, makes excellent fertilizer.”

“The abundant manure in Daxing Village and neighboring areas is also due to the fact that we brought many sheep, chickens, and rabbits from the mountains earlier, and later bought pigs for farming. The combination of farming and animal husbandry means we have more manure than other counties.”

Zeng Ziqian laughed upon hearing this and glanced at Shen Lie, saying, “You two truly are a match; the suggestions are the same.”

Shen Lie, knowing Sang Luo somewhat, asked, “Any suggestions for the county town as well?”

Sang Luo smiled and nodded, “Yes. The county town could set up public restrooms, separated by gender, at certain intervals. Firstly, it would be convenient for the people; secondly, having public restrooms would make the town much cleaner, potentially reducing disease outbreaks; thirdly, the collected manure could be used for farming in the countryside.”

In the medieval European streets that Sang Luo was familiar with, the filth was notorious, but China wasn’t much better. During the Ming Dynasty, this problem hadn’t been effectively solved either.

She remembered seeing a phrase somewhere: “Chang’an Road has two regrets: the ground is covered in official hats and the air smells of excrement… Occasionally encountering droppings by the roadside, only then do you realize the filth in the trousers. When meeting high officials, the advance guards would chase you away, nearly into your pants.”

The same was true for the Da Qi of this time. The main streets were passable, but risks increased in narrow alleys, and one needed to be cautious of their steps.

Zeng Ziqian listened to this last point, considered the current state of the county town, and realized that not just Shezhou, but even the capital city faced the same issue. This suggestion would certainly be adopted.

No, all of Sang Luo’s suggestions would be adopted.

He stood up and gave a formal bow to Sang Luo, saying, “On behalf of all the farmers, I thank you, Local Official.”