Chapter 1423 – Live Stream Earthquake (15)
The woman saw through it but chose to remain silent, raising Feng Ren’s impression of her a notch.
On the other side, Dou Xi grew more and more excited, unable to restrain himself as he blurted out, “Where did the gentleman find this item?”
Feng Ren displayed just the right amount of confusion, “Why is Zong Guang so excited? Could it be that this item is a treasure?”
Dou Xi held back his enthusiasm, “Treasure or not, I cannot say, but if used properly, it could be worth a fortune!”
Though the draft was hastily written, Dou Xi could tell its value.
Unlike ordinary agricultural books that were obscure and simplistic, the draft’s content was straightforward, almost colloquial, containing very interesting information that gradually delved from broad categories to more specific subcategories, elucidating many farming schemes.
These schemes were fresh to Dou Xi!
It was like possessing a key to a new world, giving him an epiphany.
“Oh? Is that so?” Feng Ren pretended to be surprised.
Dou Xi, suppressing his excitement, smiled, “If it weren’t for not knowing who the author is, I would want to visit the estate and discuss this in depth.”
Feng Ren asked, “What do you mean by that?”
Dou Xi replied, “Under the governance of Lan Ting, Dongqing has been relatively peaceful, but other places are ravaged by famine everywhere. The root cause is still the insufficient grain produced by fertile fields. There are many reasons restricting agricultural output, but the most critical point is soil fertility.”
Soil fertility was a hard nut to crack, fundamentally shackling agricultural production.
Even fertile fields could not withstand continuous farming; sooner or later, they would degrade due to nutrient depletion.
For sustainable development, fallowing must be chosen, stopping cultivation to allow the soil to recover its fertility.
Once fallow, it meant no grain output during that period, inevitably increasing food pressure. Over the years, Jiang Pengji had been engaged in wars, and to maintain supply, she had to clear wasteland and continue farming. In the long run, this action was akin to drinking poison to quench thirst.
Feng Ren nodded, “What Zong Guang means is?”
“I don’t know who wrote this book, but the content is bold and novel. I have never heard of anything like it,” Dou Xi pointed at the draft and said, “Even if others find it fanciful and unrealistic, I believe this person’s ideas are very coherent, likely penned by some famous farmer. This person aims to enhance soil fertility using manpower, with a clear and specific plan that mostly has evidence and logic to depend on. Many commoners don’t know how to utilize manure, and those who do don’t know how much is appropriate, let alone how to apply it for maximum benefits… This person is meticulous, thinking of everything while also providing quite detailed steps…”
As he spoke, Dou Xi became increasingly animated, as if unable to stop.
The reason fertile fields are deemed fertile is because their yield is higher than ordinary fields, naturally attributed to higher soil fertility.
If external forces intervene to enhance soil fertility, there would be no need for fallowing, and the fields could maintain high fertility, so why worry about poor harvests?
The Dou family was among the larger landowners in Yangshan, and Dou Xi, being a farmer’s son, was very familiar with agricultural practices. To increase yields, he often researched this subject and had even summarized a set of farming experiences. This was why the yield of the farmland under Dou’s name was significantly higher than that of others. Comparing Dou Xi’s methods to the draft’s contents was like comparing pearls to the moon.
Looking at the draft’s content, it was likely not just this.
Dou Xi sighed, “I wonder who the great person is. If I were lucky enough to meet him, it would be delightful to talk late into the night.”
As soon as he said this, Feng Ren, “Lady Dou,” and five hundred thousand stowaway non-money viewers cast him strange glances.
Talk late into the night?
Hehehe—
What a sweet dream!
Stowaway Non-Money: The beautiful person indicated that sharing a bed and discussing by candlelight were privileges exclusive to him.
Feng Ren may not understand the relationship between Jiang Pengji and Wei Ci, but he knew that female lords would unlikely become too close with male subordinates.
Dou Xi’s theory was fine, but how it practiced was unknown; after all, some people talked one way and acted another.
Feng Ren, with a few words, tricked Dou Xi away while “Lady Dou” raised a leg wanting to follow.
Dou Xi advised, “Lady, it’s windy outside, and you just happen to have a cold; it’s better to rest at home.”
The woman was unsure how to respond to accompany them outside when Feng Ren helped her with a remark.
“Resting is important, but a bit of distraction is also beneficial for recovery. Madam looks well; it should be fine.”
Dou Xi awkwardly said, “My wife is, after all, a woman. If she goes with us, it might hinder the gentleman.”
Feng Ren smiled and replied, “No problem.”
Dou Xi did not know his intent, yet this lady seemed to see through the antics, indicating she was quite insightful.
Hate Life Early: Mom, I don’t know why, but seeing Feng Ren smile always gives me a shivery feeling.
Not just shivers—
The woman muttered secretly, and when she got closer to Feng Ren, she felt this old fox was even more unsettling than she imagined.
The three changed into more travel-friendly outfits, and the woman wore quite simple clothing, stepping into wooden sandals.
The woman awkwardly realized that both Feng Ren and Dou Xi walked silently while she clattered along in her sandals.
Woman: “…”
Waaaah(╥╯^╰╥)
Dou Xi also cast a surprised glance at his “wife” while Feng Ren looked at her with a smirk.
Pressure mountain high!!!
Always feeling like she would be found out at any second!!!
“… I was quite ill before… If there’s any rudeness, please forgive me, sir…”
With no hints from the system, she could only exhaust her brain trying to manage.
Fortunately, Feng Ren wasn’t one to nitpick, so he didn’t point anything out.
The Dou family owned many fields, including a few acres that Dou Xi personally managed, acting as his experimental farm.
Due to proper care, the crops were thriving.
Dou Xi was not just theory; his practical skills were also impressive.
He knew peasants’ political views did not align with mainstream opinions, and having no strong background made him unsuitable for politics.
Therefore, although he had the intention to serve, he was also sensible enough to focus most of his thoughts on managing the family business.
As a wealthy family in Yangshan, managing the fields well equated to managing their estate. Dou Xi combined theory with practical application, resulting in excellent yields, even managing to profit during bad years, and if the heavens smiled upon them, it could mean a bumper harvest. There were hardly any straightforward landlords like him left in the world; have you seen the expressions of other landlords? Yet his reputation in Yangshan was quite good.
Feng Ren had not worked in the fields, but he still had theoretical knowledge.
The woman also had assistance from the live stream non-money viewers, occasionally offering striking insights!
Feng Ren praised, “Madam is certainly not an ordinary woman of the household; with such knowledge, it’s no wonder she can harmonize with Zong Guang.”
The woman smiled, her face flushed with shyness.
In a moment of overjoy, she failed to notice Dou Xi’s gaze towards her was filled with scrutiny and… deeper layers of mistrust and caution.
