Chapter 149: Turning Wasteland into Treasure, Three-Dimensional Aquaculture (Part 1)

Chapter 149: Turning Waste Land into Treasure Through Integrated Farming

The article was poorly written—at least, that was the consensus among Zhu Jingze and the others. Li Wei had wished to write well; having some foundation in classical prose from his previous life, he had been studying diligently every day, making significant progress. Yet, transitioning from writing in vernacular Chinese to composing in classical literary prose was a tremendous struggle. If one doubted this, let them consider how many people in later generations could read classical Chinese, but try to write a single piece densely packed with flowery classical allusions and see if it could be done. Moreover, changing every single line into strict parallel prose with mandatory rhyme schemes was even more demanding.

The only "precious" aspect of it was that the meaning was clear. It was unlike contemporary essays, where the greater half consisted of empty padding—wind, flowers, moonlight—followed by countless allusions ranging from the Nine Classics to various dynastic histories, and even Buddhist and Daoist scriptures. After some people wrote such essays, let alone others, if they were asked to read their own work a few months later, they might not even know where those allusions had originated.

However, the handwriting was exquisite. While not the absolute best—some grandmasters, such as Wei Yuanzhong, wrote hands that were not necessarily inferior to Li Wei's—what they cherished most was this unique bearing and spirit.

Having finished writing, Wei Yuanzhong sighed and said, "Your Highness possesses extraordinary intelligence."

Over the past few months, they had finally begun to witness the crown prince's gradual growth. Upon their first meeting, the prince had been notable only for his benevolence and humility towards others, while severely lacking in the arts of political strategy and statecraft. In their hearts, some anxiety had lingered: if they, the officials, were not by the prince's side, how would he manage?

Seeing how the prince had instantly grasped the underlying meaning from a single basket of tender lotus roots provided immense relief.

Zhu Jingze had also understood the subtext. This case could not be dug into any further. If they kept digging, all sorts of past deeds—including those that Empress Wu had previously ordered Xu Jingzong to carry out—would be brought to light. Not only the empress, but perhaps even the emperor himself had given tacit approval to some of them. That was why Xu Jingzong had so promptly "committed suicide"; it was a trade-off, a desperate hope that the emperor and empress would spare the lives of the entire Xu family from top to bottom. Yet, even though he was dead, certain close advisors knew some of the inner secrets. What were they to do if those were unearthed?

When that time came, the crown prince would face a showdown not only with the empress, but potentially with the emperor as well. Regardless of victory or defeat, the most awkward and untenable position would belong to the empress.

This case needed to be handled with utmost speed. That was why the empress had sent early-season lotus roots; the roots had been cut from the upper joints of the lotus stems, deliberately carrying the auspicious imagery of "early termination" [of the trouble]. Moreover, she had deliberately waited until he and the others entered the Eastern Palace to deliver them. Even if the prince had missed the implication, he and his peers would have understood.

Thus, he said, "The prince's handling of this is exceptionally wise."

After all, once such a situation materialized, it would hardly be a blessing. Either the crown prince would be deposed, or he would emulate Li Shimin by staging a palace coup, forcing the reigning sovereign to become the Retired Emperor. The nation would be plunged into turmoil and instability.

Wei Yuanzhong smiled involuntarily. This old Zhu still understood a measure of worldly reason. While being upright and principled was a good thing, could one accomplish great deeds without knowing how to adapt? When it came to being upright, the pedantic scholars in the Chongwen Academy were even more rigid—and, naturally, even less suited for practical utility. Zhu Jingze was merely principled; he was not overly destitute of common sense.

"You flatter me," Li Wei merely smiled. Setting aside the fact that Xu Jingzong had handled many matters for his father, could he truly be so foolish as to force a showdown with his own mother, Wu Wu? Still, this striking mother of his perpetually gave him a headache.

Having finished writing, he gave an order: "Send this immediately to the Western Capital."

After a moment of thought, he retrieved a dozen sections of tender lotus roots and said, "Take these lotus roots to the Western Capital as well. Tell them that His Majesty and the Empress bestowed them upon Us, and since you, my lords, have labored diligently in investigating this case, each of you shall have a section to taste something fresh."

This was sheer nonsense, yet it was also a precaution against ministers who might fail to perceive the deeper meaning. After all, this had been an excellent opportunity to overthrow Wu. But for Li Wei, the downfall of Xu Jingzong was quite enough. As for the remainder—such as Xu Yanbo—there was no need for Di Renjie or Wei Yuanzhong to take the field; to him, they were mere drifting wisps of cloud, utterly unworthy of mention. Furthermore, changing the origin of the gift from "sent by the Empress" to "bestowed by the Emperor and Empress" revealed a deeply calculated intention.

Once the letter and the lotus roots were dispatched, Li Wei summoned six beautiful courtesans.

A few of them were distinctly reluctant, gazing at Li Wei with yearning eyes, each harboring dreams of grandeur. Li Wei sighed, called them aside, and whispered, "Remaining in the Eastern Palace offers you no future prospects. Before long, I may well return to the Western Capital. If you follow these men, they all possess boundless futures, and since they are gifts from me, they will not treat you disrespectfully. Furthermore, upon your departure from the palace, I shall bestow upon each of you one hundred thousand strings of cash, alongside one hundred bolts of silk. Combined with your personal savings, this will be more than enough for you to live comfortably with your new companions. Remember, the world outside is vast and wide. Though it lacks the resplendent luxury of the imperial palace, it is a place where you can truly fly and truly swim."

The unsaid words hung heavy: *If you follow me, you will meet no good end either.* Besides, the imperial palace was fundamentally nothing more than a precious gilded birdcage, and within it, they were merely the most humble of little birds. In truth, rewarding these young maidens was a mere pretext; it was a roundabout way of rewarding his advisors, who stubbornly refused to accept direct gifts during ordinary times, forcing him to devise an alternative form of bestowal. Especially in the case of men like Ximen Chong, who not only lodged in Wei Yuanzhong's haunted mansion but also indulged lavishly in food and drink. Bestowing beauties upon him was not a reward; it was an act of torture.

Though his intentions were kind, the young women scarcely understood, and they consented one by one with visible reluctance.

Li Wei clapped his hands and announced, "Gentlemen, since we have some leisure today, please accompany me to a certain place."

"We must not visit the three bustling markets again," Zhu Jingze immediately intervened.

Li Wei was momentarily speechless; that had been the most frequently cited accusation in all the memorials of impeachment. Its sole advantage was that the more he was impeached, the more his parents would congratulate themselves on having made their son bear the brunt of the infamy. He replied, "It is not the three markets. It is the imperial estate. I wish to inspect the farming and husbandry."

"Your Highness, that is entirely proper."

"..."

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This excursion was not intentionally low-key. While they did not travel with grand fanfare, they brought along a simple retinue of ceremonial chariots and guards. Doing so was merely a reflection of the Chu king's fondness for slender waists—a gesture to satisfy appearances.

Li Wei had always found it baffling. *Essential Techniques for the Peasantry* had been published many centuries ago, detailing numerous methods of intercropping and intensive cultivation—farming techniques that were still in use right up until his transmigration. This demonstrated extraordinary foresight; why, then, had they never become widespread?

Then there was the issue of crop yields. One might attribute it to chemical fertilizers and hybrid seed technology, yet neither of these existed during the Qing dynasty. The territory controlled by the Tang dynasty was no smaller than that of the Qing, so why was the Qing dynasty able to feed four hundred million people, while the Tang supported merely thirty-odd million, and even then struggled with endless problems?

Refusing to yield to this puzzle, he had dedicated himself to research, which ultimately revealed numerous systemic flaws.

Although agriculture was ostensibly valued in this era, his investigative conclusions left him alternating between laughter and tears, summed up in four characters: *Lord Ye's love of dragons*—a mere superficial pretense. This applied to everyone, including his esteemed grandfather, Emperor Taizong, and his benevolent parents.

Because class distinctions were rigidly defined, scholars—meaning the bureaucratic elite—occupied a lofty position, looking down upon merchants and holding farmers in low regard. While the court claimed to attach great importance to agriculture, officials, prior to attaining office, spent their lives bitterly studying classical texts to pass the imperial examinations, focusing entirely on textual exegesis. Alternatively, those who entered government service through hereditary privilege belonged to aristocratic lineages and were utter laymen regarding farming. Once in office, their energies were consumed by bureaucratic politics and the machinations of power; very rarely did they direct their thoughts toward agriculture. Even when an official genuinely cared for farming, he did little more than issue exhortations to plow and cultivate mulberry fields while remaining profoundly ignorant of actual agricultural practices. Believing themselves incompetent, they simply abstained from interfering altogether.

A copy of *Essential Techniques for the Peasantry* could sit on a shelf for centuries without a single official actually reading it. Had Li Wei not brought it up, Di Renjie would never have perused it. Had he not been the crown prince, and had it not been for the ritual of the ceremonial plow, the Jiangdong plow might never have been promoted at all.

Yet, now that he was the crown prince, the nature of the matter was entirely different. For instance, the sorghum growing outside the walls of Chang'an had attracted the keen attention of numerous commoners; once a bumper harvest was reaped, the peasants would readily adopt the methods. At this thought, he turned to Bior and asked, "I wonder how the sorghum in the Jingzhao region is growing?"

Bior shook her head and replied, "This slave does not know. It likely grows well, but alas, we cannot see it. We may not even catch a glimpse of Big Black and Little Black this year."

With all these delays, compounded by the unfavorable conditions in Guanzhong, it was highly probable that they would not be permitted to return to Chang'an this year.

The carriages rolled out of the city and arrived at their destination. Upon inspection, Li Wei expressed slight dissatisfaction, asking, "Is there an imperial estate nearby consisting entirely of low-lying, waterlogged land?"

The estate steward replied, "There is. Some dozen li to the southeast ahead, there is a tract of land belonging to the imperial estate. Because it borders the Luo River, the river banks are low and marshy. When the Luo River swells, it inundates the area. Surrounded by elevated ridge lands, organizing the commoners to build dikes would cost more than the land was worth. Consequently, it has degenerated into a marshland filled primarily with reeds and tidal flats. Although classified as an imperial estate, very few tenant farmers reside within it."

This was precisely what he was looking for. Li Wei declared, "Let us go there."

Zhu Jingze was utterly bewildered and asked, "What is Your Highness's intention?"

"Imperial Censor Zhu, you will understand once we arrive."

They turned southwest, and sure enough, they encountered a bleak and desolate expanse of marshland. Not only was it choked with reeds and accumulated withered vegetation, but a few legume crops had also been planted on the higher ground. As autumn gradually approached, the bean pods were taking on a faint golden hue. From time to time, wild birds startled from the reed beds took flight, vanishing in terror into the horizon.

Not far away stood a few small hills, which were also properties belonging to the imperial estate. But upon seeing them, Li Wei was even more gratified. He kicked off his boots, rolled up his trousers, and stepped directly into the water.

Zhu Jingze and the guards hastily intercepted him, lifting him bodily into the air, and cried out in alarm, "Your Highness, what are you doing?"

"I wish to see how deep the water is. Put me down."

"No, Your Highness! If you wish to see, we ministers shall go down and look."

"Very well, then tell me: how does one transform this wasteland into a treasure trove?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jingze was momentarily struck dumb. Gobi deserts, towering mountains, and snowy plateaus were naturally uncultivable. Yet other types of land—such as saline-alkaline soil, arid lands lacking water, or marshes like the one before them—were likewise difficult to farm. In the north, such marshes were relatively rare, though they were far more common in the Jianghuai region. Nevertheless, fertile fields were all privately owned, and to survive, some commoners still attempted to cultivate these barren soils, even carving out primitive terraced fields on hillsides. Conscientious officials would identify these tracts and exempt them from taxation for a period of years precisely because crop yields were so abysmal.

How could such a place be turned into a treasure trove?

Yet Li Wei had his reasons; he had observed numerous regions, most notably Guangcheng Marsh. At this point in time, peasants still focused primarily on agriculture and sericulture—growing grain to fill their bellies and planting mulberry and hemp for clothing. Even winter quilts were remarkably thin, as cotton had not yet been introduced. People simply wrapped themselves in thick hemp cloth to brave the cold. Consequently, warfare generally subsided during the winter months. However, the commoners possessed a high tolerance for cold, which left Li Wei deeply suspicious of how he himself would endure the winter. His parents practiced strict frugality, and it would not do for him to swagger around in fur coats. If he were forced to wrap that thick hemp garment around himself, would he freeze to the point of not daring to step out the door? Yet while they endured the cold easily, they feared the heat. Regions with the highest grain surpluses in the empire were, first, the Jianghuai region, and second, certain arable areas in Lingnan and the Xiang River basin—such as Tan, Gui, and Hengyang prefectures. Later on, the Four Great Rice Markets were named as Changshu, Huzhou, Wuhu, and Changsha, yet commoners remained reluctant to migrate there, part of the reason being their aversion to heat.

The people of the Tang dynasty were somewhat better off in this regard, while the Tibetans were even more so. Although they found the Tianzhu region easy to bully, they feared the heat and could not expand southward, leaving them with no choice but to push eastward and clash disastrously against the Tang.

As for other subsidiary occupations, however, the commoners remained as primitive as ancient tribes. For instance, lotus roots, water chestnuts—currently referred to in written texts as *fuzi*, though the common people called them *diluo* or *matí*—and water caltrops were rarely cultivated on a spontaneous basis; only wild rice shoots (*jiao bai*) fared slightly better, being classified among the six staple grains alongside panicled millet, glutinous millet, common millet, sorghum, wheat, and wild rice, used for sustenance rather than as vegetables. This marshland supported vast quantities of *jiao bai*, which was likely the primary source of value for this particular imperial estate.

Yet that was not all; there was a vast scope for development.

Glancing at Zhu Jingze and the others, Li Wei added, "Gentlemen, since you have no means to turn this waste into a treasure, then watch closely and see how I shall accomplish it."