Chapter 7

"One is to disinfect seeds by soaking them in lime water, and the other is to use compost made from a mixture of materials."

Li Yi extended two fingers and introduced them one by one.

"Poisonous?" Li Longji and Li Chengqi asked simultaneously.

"Tiny bugs, smaller than fleas and ants, very small, they are on the rice plants. If you don't kill them, the rice won't grow well."

Li Yi chose a simpler way to explain.

Li Longji and the other two instantly understood.

Li Yi added, "This method can also be applied to other grains."

"Write it down quickly." Li Longji instructed in a deep voice.

Only then did he realize that this was Li Yi's secret method, and it was wrong to force it.

Li Chengqi quickly said, "Brother Yi, can this method be shared with others?"

"Sure." Li Yi was even more eager than the two of them.

He then led the two to the side, where a special smell was wafting, the smell of compost.

He told them, "Usually, the fertilizer is trampled, mixing feces, oilseed residue, and bone powder, and letting the cattle trample it."

"But mine is different. I layer the materials, including leaves and twigs."

"I also add lime, which helps it heat up quickly, not only killing insect eggs but also making the soil more fertile."

After explaining the compost, he led the two to another place.

There were piles of stones, which were sometimes used to weigh down boats.

Then they were left by the Ba River, where some people used the stones to build steps by the river.

Others used them to build walls, the stones being bluish-white or blackish-blue.

Li Yi picked up a stone, "This stone I call phosphate rock, and there are many around Chang'an."

"Grinding this stone into powder and spreading it in the fields can make rice, wheat, and other crops grow faster, more resistant to cold and drought, and less prone to disease."

Li Longji and Li Chengqi were once again amazed.

Li Chengqi, realizing this, said, "Your wheat used... Lin?"

"Farm manure was also used." Li Yi nodded.

Li Longji picked up a stone and rubbed it, "Common, in the twenty-two counties of Jingzhao Prefecture, you can always see them."

"Indeed!" Li Chengqi agreed, "They are common, but I never thought that grinding these stones into powder could have such a use."

"Big Brother, your estate, follow the method this year." Li Longji knew his brother had set up an estate to impress Li Yi.

If it works, not next year, but after this year's harvest, it will be promoted throughout Jingzhao Prefecture.

Turning around, he looked at Li Yi again, finding him more and more likable.

The three returned to eat skewers, and Li Longji occasionally looked at the stones he had brought back.

"Brother Yi, what reward do you want?" Li Longji felt embarrassed taking three methods without giving anything in return, so he wanted to offer compensation.

"Reward? Big Brother, do you mean benefits? Remember to recommend someone for me, and I can become an official next year."

"I've already thought about it, I'll start as a county magistrate."

"Any county around the capital will do; I don't mind."

Li Yi looked like he was ready to serve the people.

"Cough, cough, cough..." Li Chengqi choked on his saliva at Li Yi's words.

This Brother Yi has a big heart, to be recommended and become a county magistrate next year?

And it's a county magistrate in Jingzhao Prefecture. Why not make him the magistrate of Chang'an County?

Or, to avoid making him feel bad, the magistrate of Wannian County?

"I'll do my best." Li Longji was also shocked.

He added, "Brother Yi, can I share these methods with my friends and relatives?"

"No, don't just share with friends and relatives. Find officials and have them teach their people." Li Yi was more eager.

He wanted to increase his lifespan and enjoy life.

Li Longji looked at Li Yi again, nodding, "Okay!"

Li Chengqi added, "To be honest, we are also close to the royal family."

"No wonder you could get cucumbers." Li Yi understood, feeling the identity matched.

"Yes, yes." Li Chengqi breathed a sigh of relief.

He didn't want to reveal his identity, as it would make future interactions unpleasant.

Li Longji thought the same, saying, "If you want to find us in the future, you can go to..."

"Six Li Manor in the western part of the city." Li Chengqi provided a location.

Since the manor was already being managed, it was just a name.

Li Yi remembered the name, and when he had something good or fun, he would send it there to share.

As noon approached, Li Longji and the others bid farewell.

More than three hundred people were still eating and drinking, probably not having the chance to eat beef in large quantities on a regular basis.

Fortunately, the cattle were large, and there were other skewers to support them, or it wouldn't have been enough.

The wine wasn't good, costing only a few coins per pound.

Li Yi tasted it once and stopped, confirming that cheap things are not good.

If it weren't for the difficulty of obtaining a license, he would have brewed his own and distilled it.

However, no one regulated wine, as it didn't consume grain.

As for the requirement to plant a certain number of hemp or mulberry trees on permanent and allocated land, that wasn't a problem.

Because the current manors were all permanent land, and the system had already set up a series of operations for this.

Moreover, there were methods to increase grain production and mixed farming techniques.

If the court investigated, it could be smoothed over.

Li Yi was considering that he had provided free housing to forty-two students, which normally would warrant an award.

He also set up a private school for seventeen tenant farmers' children, which also deserved recognition.

If any official were to persist, he would make a big deal out of it.

Then he would continue to offer advanced agricultural techniques, which might immediately catch Li Longji's attention.

Li Yi pondered various ways to deal with future situations.

Li Longji and Li Chengqi joined their group and crossed the Ba River.

The two brothers sat in the carriage, with two jars of soy sauce, two jars of bean oil, and two small jars of beef chili sauce in front of them.

"Big Brother, if we had known about Brother Yi last year, it would have been better." Li Longji looked regretful.

Last year, Li Yi had just taken over the estate, and many things had started then.

Due to the leap month this year, it was already half a year later before they learned about Li Yi.

"Even if we had known last year, we wouldn't have seen it." Li Chengqi was more open-minded.

Li Longji closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, "One night, come to the estate and stay overnight. Look at the marsh at night, oh, it's called a biogas lamp, which is more obvious."

"Third Brother, I always feel he has more skills he hasn't shown. Look at the methods he gave us; he doesn't seem to care and even hopes we help spread them."

Li Chengqi analyzed, judging from this, Brother Yi had only revealed a little.

"Indeed." Li Longji had thought the same.

At least the secret of the biogas lamp lighting up was unknown to him, and he had forgotten to ask.

He originally intended to ask about pressing bean oil and biogas lamps.

But they ended up going to the seedling area and saw other more amazing things.

"Third Brother, is it true that grinding the stone into powder and using it as fertilizer?"

Li Chengqi was concerned about applying this to the new estate.

Li Longji clasped his hands together, "It must be true. Brother Yi didn't know we were coming, why would he lie?"

"Indeed!" Li Chengqi agreed, finding Brother Yi interesting.

He actually wanted to become a county magistrate through recommendations, and even in one of the twenty-two counties of Jingzhao Prefecture.

Is being a county magistrate in Jingzhao Prefecture the same as in other places? This is the capital region.

Even a bit further away, it still belongs to the Guannei Circuit, the imperial capital.

You, a sixteen-year-old boy, do you know how to be a county magistrate?

"Third Brother, Brother Yi wants to be a county magistrate." Li Chengqi said with a smile.

Li Longji also laughed, "Hehehe! But, seeing how he manages the estate, the people's hearts can be won. In just half a year, the tenant farmers are so loyal."

"He gives the tenant farmers' children new clothes and stationery, and has the boarding students teach them." Li Chengqi explained.

"Why don't other estates do this?" Li Longji asked the key question.

"Other estates, how many can build kilns? He builds brick and tile kilns, which can be converted into ceramic kilns. His kilns are not ordinary."

Li Chengqi, thinking about it, suddenly remembered something important.

What kind of kiln? Burn bricks and tiles when needed, and with a little modification, burn ceramics.

Li Longji, reminded, also realized, "Indeed, the kiln is the foundation of the industry. One kiln can support a village. Brother Yi can build kilns freely on the estate without hiring other workers or craftsmen."

"Can he?" Li Chengqi was unsure.

Building kilns and firing bricks is different from cooking.

In a village, if there are skilled workers to build a kiln, everyone in the village can find work.

Brother Yi hurriedly built a kiln to fire bricks for the students and tenant farmers to build houses.

Then it stopped, the kiln wasn't fired anymore?

Is it because buying bricks and tiles is expensive, so he decided to make them himself?

Shouldn't he continue firing and selling bricks and tiles?

"Big Brother, find someone to buy soy sauce from Brother Yi's estate. He helped the students entertain their classmates today, and it cost a lot."

Li Longji suddenly thought about money. This brother Li Yi seemed to have little money left.

Without money, he can't do other things, and without doing other things, how can there be new things?

"Indeed, that should be done." Li Chengqi agreed.

Then the two directly returned to the imperial city, giving half of the gifts they brought back from Li Yi to their father.

The remaining half, naturally, Li Longji kept, as Li Chengqi was free recently and could still go to Li Yi's place to get more.

***

The next morning, before Li Chengqi could find people to buy soy sauce from Li Yi's estate, many hotels in Chang'an had already sent people to the estate to buy soy sauce.

They came thanks to the talented people who attended the poetry gathering yesterday.

They saw the biogas lamp and, before the curfew, each brought a small jar of soy sauce back to the city.

Some brought it home, others went to Pingkang Fang.

Pingkang Fang was the red-light district of the Tang Dynasty, with both prostitutes and performers.

In Pingkang Fang, they started showing off the soy sauce and reciting many poems about it.

The soy sauce they brought was naturally shared and tasted.

For a time, any shop that didn't have a talented person bring soy sauce felt inferior.

They not only offered free discounts but also had the courtesans come up to them.

This was a big deal.

Fruit dipped in soy sauce, dried fish dipped in soy sauce, garlic dipped in soy sauce, pouring soy sauce into wine bowls...

Crazy, overnight, Pingkang Fang went crazy.

As the sky began to brighten and the curfew was lifted, a group rushed out, heading straight for Tonghua Gate.

When Li Yi's estate was having breakfast with leftover food from yesterday, many people arrived outside the estate, demanding to buy soy sauce.

Li Yi had planned to sell after everyone finished eating.

But the steward, Song De, disobeyed orders, called out, and everyone threw down their chopsticks to fetch the soy sauce.