Zhao Sheng took a while before his breathing evened out. “These n behind are farrs from our Gaojia Village. They’ve been using celestial fertilizer in their fields for two or three years now, and have mastered it to perfection.”
As soon as he said this, the farrs of Yang Village were startled. They had just been discussing celestial fertilizer, and now mighty figures from Gaojia Village had arrived.
Suddenly, they understood what the characters on those sacks ant. It had to be “Celestial Fertilizer.” That was several large sacks of celestial fertilizer!
The gazes of the Yang Village farrs fixed on those sacks instantly turned feverish.
Old Yang seed to grasp sothing and mustered his courage. “I see. You ca to Yang Village to sell celestial fertilizer, right? But even if we had it, we wouldn’t dare use it casually. Unless… soone could teach us how.”
Zhao Sheng smiled. “What a coincidence. I’m here precisely to teach you how to use this celestial fertilizer.”
At this, the Yang Village farrs were overjoyed. Several nearly cheered out loud.
Old Yang’s expression turned serious. “The tuition won’t be cheap, will it? Can we afford it?”
This question instantly silenced the potential cheers from the Yang Village peasants. They were rely impoverished farrs, still reeling from three years of severe drought. Their families had long run out of money. Where would they get the funds for tuition?
“Tuition?” Zhao Sheng laughed heartily. “You really underestimate , Zhao Sheng! Find ti to inquire around Qingjian County. When has Mr. Zhao ever taken money for helping villagers? Hahaha!” He pointed to the sacks of fertilizer. “Even these sacks of celestial fertilizer are free. We’re giving them to you for trial. If you find them useful, you can consider buying so next spring for planting. Gaojia Village will soon send people to establish a ‘Fertilizer Supply Cooperative’ in Heyang County Town. You’ll be able to buy it there.”
The Yang Village farrs were ecstatic.
Zhao Sheng slapped his buttocks as he stood up. “Alright, I’m fully rested, breathing easy now, hahaha! Ti to teach you how to use celestial fertilizer.”
The Yang Village farrs said eagerly, “Please instruct us, Master.”
Zhao Sheng jogged towards a farr’s field. As he ran, he puffed, “Let’s start with this piece of land… Huh… Aiyah… Hfft… hfft…”
The farrs: “…”
…
Huanglong Mountain, Prison Valley.
The entire valley resembled a natural prison, confining over seven thousand labor offenders. Able-bodied young male offenders were regularly escorted out for heavy physical labor, like constructing a road from Huanglong Mountain Prison to Bai Family Fortress. Or building a cent signal tower on the nearby highest mountain peak.
However, there weren’t many young males left among these offenders.
The reason was simple. Able-bodied young n were the primary fighting force of the rebel army and suffered heavy losses. Many were shot dead, lined up for execution, during battles against the Gaojia Village Militia.
The majority of those remaining were the elderly and weak, won and children.
Unable to perform heavy labor, Gaojia Village had transported so spinning machines and cotton into the prison, putting them to work spinning thread and weaving cloth.
This particular noon, the prison entrance suddenly beca bustling.
A large contingent of the Gaojia Village Militia arrived. Accompanying them were several large carts carrying strange machines.
These machines were brought into the prison area designated for the elderly and weak, won and children, and placed inside the workshop where they had previously been spinning and weaving. To accommodate these large machines, many of the old spinning and weaving machines were dismantled.
Then, under the arrangent of Head Guard Zhong Gaoliang, a large group of elderly, weak, won, and child offenders gathered in the workshop to observe these strange machines.
Arriving with the machines was an “engineer” from Gaojia Village’s “Artisans’ Well.” He wore clean cotton clothes, his hair neatly combed with straight bangs, he looked like a person of refinent and standing.
The engineer announced loudly, “What you are about to witness is the latest model ‘Steam Spinning Machine’ and ‘Steam Weaving Machine’.”
The labor offenders exchanged confused looks, utterly bewildered.
The engineer began a demonstration. “Add coal here. Pour water here… Right. Pay close attention.”
As the machine started, steam hissed violently.
The enormous contraption moved by itself, spinning cotton into thread with a swish swish swish.
The offenders gasped in amazent. “Wow! Incredible!”
Next, the engineer hung the freshly spun thread onto the weaving machine. With a clack of steam, the loom began operating by itself, clattering away. In no ti, large quantities of cotton thread were woven into cloth.
“See that clearly?” The engineer wore a proud expression. “Do you know what this signifies?”
A young female labor offender from Yichuan imdiately burst into tears. “Wuwuwu… I know… I understand…”
Seeing soone understand so quickly and even shed tears of… sothing, the engineer felt secretly pleased. Encouragingly, he said, “Good that you understand. Co out and tell everyone what you’ve understood!”
The young female offender sobbed, tears streaming. “I understand. With these machines weaving cloth, the prison doesn’t need us anymore. They can kill us all now. That way, they can save a lot of food.”
The other offenders nearby all panicked dramatically. Many of the elderly and weak, won and children wailed.
The engineer: “Ptui!”
He nearly choked on a mouthful of blood.
That’s what she understood?!
Furious, the engineer roared, “You understand absolutely nothing! Since when does Gaojia Village need to save such a pittance of food? Do we look like desperate bandits who kill to save rations?! Don’t lump us in with the rebels!”
The crowd of elderly, weak, won, and children asked, “Then what should we understand?”
The engineer was so furious he broke into harsh laughter. “Ha! Hahaha! I could be driven to death by you lot, hahaha! This machine ans faster spinning! Faster weaving! Which ans more cloth! Cheap cloth! From now on, cotton cloth won’t be outrageously expensive anymore! Got it?! Ordinary people can afford cotton clothes! Got it?! Even riff-raff like you, labor offenders, can wear clothes made of cotton! Get it?! GET IT?! Huff… you’ll be the death of .”
The offenders: “???”
Engineer: “Talking about technological progress with you lot is like playing music to a cow.”
Head Guard Zhong Gaoliang stepped forward from the side, chuckling softly. “Don’t bother reasoning with them. Their minds move slowly. Thinking is hopeless for them. Just give direct orders.”
The engineer could only wave his hand and command. “This latest spinning and weaving machine is already being mass-produced. Very soon, all the old machines in this prison will be retired. You will all learn to use the new machines. Form small groups. Master the machines and then start production with them. Understood?”
Hearing they weren’t about to be killed, the elderly, weak, won, and children were imnsely relieved and quickly responded, “Understood!”
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