Chapter Seventy-Two: Improving the Soil

Farming is a matter that demands earnest attention.

The land never deceives. Those who labor diligently may not always reap a bountiful harvest, but those who treat it carelessly are sure to lose everything. This truth is even more pronounced in these times.

A few days after Wei Renshi returned, he hired a group of workers and spent his days in those wastelands acquired by Zheng the Chief through the county office. Using knowledge he brought from the future, he began to experiment with transforming the barren fields that could not be properly cultivated.

Soil improvement is a long-term, persistent process. One must adhere to a series of measures, maintaining them consistently; there is no once-and-for-all solution. Turning the earth and washing out the salt—these have become Wei Renshi’s most frequent undertakings recently. As the saying goes, salt comes with water and leaves with water. He floods the fields until a layer of water covers them, immersing the soil.

This dissolves the salt in the soil thoroughly. Then, by draining the water through ditches, he removes the dissolved salt, thereby reducing the soil’s salinity.

It is an effective method, though it requires a tremendous amount of water. Fortunately, the rivers in Fuchang are plentiful, so water is not scarce, and this method is perfectly applicable.

It is a pity, however, that the river water near Fuchang is rather clear and contains little sediment. Otherwise, it would be possible to accumulate fertile new soil while washing the salt away, allowing the sediment in the water to deposit and form a layer of nutrient-rich earth atop the original soil, thereby achieving even better results.

This technique of washing salt with sediment-laden water while simultaneously depositing new soil could be tried in Weinan. Wei Renshi wrote about this method in his letter to Liu Yuxi, sharing it with him.

Washing out the salt, though effective, is not enough.

The soil must also be deeply plowed and finely harrowed. Deep plowing brings the lower layers of soil to the surface, while harrowing breaks up the earth, preventing compaction and improving the structure, enhancing water and air permeability, retaining moisture and nutrients. It also fosters microbial activity in the soil, thereby increasing fertility and suppressing salt accumulation.

These were lessons Wei Renshi learned during his poverty alleviation work in later generations.

At the time, he used to complain about being a rural teacher in a poor mountain region, struggling with poverty and busyness, yet still tasked with precise poverty relief for others. Who could have guessed that all this knowledge would now prove invaluable?

“Wei, young master, if we keep watering and turning the soil like this, can we really turn these wastelands into fertile fields?” Zheng the Chief asked as they sat down for a rest, sipping iced water.

“This is just the beginning, the foundation,” Wei Renshi replied. “After this year’s autumn harvest, we’ll need to collect as much wheat straw as possible. The more, the better. We’ll use it to cover these fields with straw mulch.”

“That’s easy enough,” Zheng said. “Wheat straw isn’t precious; most households keep some for fuel, and the rest is usually burned off. No one cares for it.”

Wei Renshi nodded, saying, “These are the basic methods: first improve the soil, then increase its fertility. There are many ways to enrich the soil, most not much different from usual practices. But none of these methods are permanent—one must always follow them. In the gaps between planting, we must seize the time to carry out these tasks, or else, in a few years, the fields will revert to wasteland.”

“I understand,” Zheng replied. “Young master Wei, you should go home and rest. I’ll keep watch here, and as long as we follow your instructions, nothing will go amiss. Though you’re precocious, you’re still young. If you keep at this, I fear you won’t be able to endure.”

“I’m hardly doing anything—just giving directions,” Wei Renshi laughed. “You, Uncle Zheng, are the one leading the labor.”

“By the way, when you were in Luoyang recently, the county’s chief scribe brought the other village chiefs to see our irrigation device. They want to build one for each village,” Zheng said. “You weren’t home, so I took the liberty of letting them learn how to use the waterwheel and irrigation system. Since it was assigned by the county, it wouldn’t look good not to share. If we want more wasteland from Fuchang county in the future, we’ll have to deal with them.”

“That’s only right,” Wei Renshi replied. “With Fuchang’s flat land, spreading this method will make things easier for everyone.”

“I knew you’d say that,” Zheng smiled. “But I also told them this was your hard work, and they must remember your kindness.”

He grinned at Wei Renshi and said, “Now, the whole of Fuchang probably knows that our Changgu has a child prodigy. I bet matchmakers are going to wear out your doorstep. Hahaha…”

“I’m only twelve,” Wei Renshi said helplessly, shaking his head. “My mother has already seen seven or eight matchmakers. I’m really afraid she’ll act on impulse one day and settle a match for me. If that happens, I’ll run away to the frontier!”

Zheng grinned, his back teeth nearly showing. “Your father gave you a courtesy name before he left, hoping you’d marry early. I think you won’t escape it. But don’t worry, Madam Wei wouldn’t let you wed just yet. At most she’ll settle a few candidates and wait until you’re sixteen.”

“I really will run away to the frontier!” Wei Renshi shuddered at the thought of his mother’s taste and insisted.

Zheng roared with laughter, drained his iced water, and then stood up to call everyone back to work.

A month passed in this busy toil in the fields, and finally, the first batch of straw mats and coverings arrived at Wei Renshi’s land.

There were only a third of the three hundred mats—barely enough for the first layer of roofing.

But once the framework of the greenhouse was erected, these straw mats could be laid down first, and the rest would be produced later.

Wei Renshi’s fields were fairly regular—such is the advantage of plain farmland. From one end to the other, it was all under a single greenhouse.

Posts were set in the middle, beams were joined atop them, and the frame for the roof was built. Only when all this was done could the straw mats and coverings be spread.

From one end to the other, over a hundred thirty mats would cover the inner greenhouse.

Outside this, there was an additional outer layer. On especially cold days, the outer straw mats could be laid to increase insulation. When it was less cold, the mats could be removed to lower the temperature and increase sunlight.

Of course, this affected the lighting. Openings had to be left intentionally for light to penetrate.

The villagers were actually eager to be hired by Wei Renshi.

Not only was he respectful, but he always paid more than others, and there was iced water to drink, sometimes even delicious meals provided.

So when Wei Renshi hired people to build the greenhouse, the whole village responded, giving him ample manpower and allowing the greenhouse to be constructed swiftly.