novelraw Chapter 201
Chapter 201
Chapter 201: Fertilizer and Telescope
In terms of increasing agricultural production, there are many factors involved, and one of the best known is fertilization.
People throughout history have known the importance of fertilization. Even Deng Zhengde, who was not familiar with farming, knew how important fertilizer was.
He looked at Wei Yu in shock, "His Highness, is this fertilizer really what common people imagine it to be? Something that can be sprinkled on the fields as a substitute for manure?"
"Yes."
Speaking of fertilizer, Wei Yu had only just learned about it a few days ago. It was a simple fertilizer concocted by Yuan Qiuzi and Xuan Lingzi. It had not yet been refined into nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, and such. They hadn’t even conducted “clinical trials.”
Wei Yu calmly said, "For now, this fertilizer will not be distributed to the common people. I need to test it in the fields first, to see which crops it works well on and which not, and then improve the fertilizer. Only after confirming its practicality can the Imperial Court officially announce how to use it in writing and distribute that to the people."
What he said made sense.
Deng Zhengde calmed down a bit and nodded in agreement, "What His Highness says is very wise. Agriculture and sericulture are no trivial matters. The effectiveness of the fertilizer is still uncertain. If we recklessly distribute it to the people, and something goes wrong causing the fields to yield nothing, it would not only put the common people in an extremely difficult situation, but it might even cause Your Highness’s reputation to plummet."
Wei Yu didn’t care much about his reputation. He just didn’t want something originally very good to end in irreparable loss because of some mishap in the middle. Good intentions must not result in bad outcomes.
Wei Yu motioned Deng Zhengde to go check out other things, "You go look at the other items. If you find anything good, write it down. Later, go find Steward He; he will find researchers for us."
Deng Zhengde happily went off to gather things.
—
After returning from the manor, Wei Yu again encountered Qi Tishou blocking his door.
Wei Yu was really fed up with him.
There are stubborn people every year, and this year there were especially many.
He directly pushed Deng Zhengde out.
“This is Minister of Revenue Lord Qi Tishou. Brother Deng, Lord Qi has been looking for you for a long time. He wants to discuss the Merchants' Alliance with you, to find ways to fill the Great Wei National Treasury with silver.”
Wei Yu patted Deng Zhengde’s shoulder, "Alright, Brother Deng, go ahead. Lord Qi is a loyal and patriotic man who cares deeply for the people of Great Wei. Don’t be afraid."
Upon hearing the Wise King praise him like this, Qi Tishou instantly blushed.
Oh dear, how could the Wise King speak like that? So… embarrassing!
Having gradually distanced himself from the Eldest Prince faction, Lord Qi rubbed his hands eagerly and looked at Deng Zhengde with great interest, "Are you Brother Deng? I am Minister of Revenue. About the Merchants' Alliance, I have many questions for you. May I trouble you to move to another place so we can discuss?"
Minister of Revenue—indeed a high-ranking official.
In the past, even facing a minor official under the Prefectural Deputy, Deng Zhengde would have been on guard. But now he was far from a mere ant of the past; he had met princes and even the Emperor!
Minister of Revenue, what is he compared to that?
Since His Highness had agreed to Minister of Revenue’s request, the latter must be trustworthy.
Deng Zhengde understood this and agreed to Qi Tishou’s request without another word.
After bidding Wei Yu farewell, the two chatted as they walked away.
Watching their backs, Wei Yu silently shook his head.
A money tree and a money bag—who knows what kind of chemical reaction they will have when they meet?
But oh well, let them have their quarrel, as long as there is money to be made.
—
Regarding the fertilizer, once Emperor Wei learned about it, the first thing he did was summon Yuan Qiuzi and Xuan Lingzi, who had made the fertilizer, to the Ministry of Revenue.
Why didn’t the Ministry of Revenue send people directly to the manor to study? Because there were too many secrets at the manor, especially regarding Fusheng’s research on gunpowder, cannons, and such things. Those were strictly controlled.
As a feudal monarch with strong control desires, after understanding their destructive power, he absolutely could not let anyone else know the manufacturing methods.
As the owner of the manor, Wei Yu had no idea how many people sent by Emperor Wei were guarding his Research Institute.
But even if he knew, he would pretend not to.
After all, Wei Yu did not care.
Wei Yu was an outsider when it came to agriculture and sericulture, but the agricultural department of the Ministry of Revenue was not.
It is said that all of a country’s elites gather at the Imperial Court. This may not be entirely true, but it is about eighty percent accurate.
The remaining twenty percent are either those indifferent to fame and fortune who live anonymously, those from major families who do not need to serve the government, or those who have not yet realized their potential.
How to handle the fertilizer did not require Wei Yu to say much; the agricultural officials knew exactly what to do.
Test fields were established in ancient times as well as in modern times.
So while the Ministry of Revenue was busy testing the fertilizer in experimental fields, Wei Yu also arranged for Zhu Sansheng to experiment with it.
It was not that he did not trust the Ministry of Revenue, but it never hurts to have a backup plan.
While the Ministry of Revenue was busy with fertilizer, over at the Ministry of Works, the telescope was being continuously improved version after version.
Finally, when they created a telescope that looked about the same as the one in the Wise King’s blueprints, the craftsmen at the Ministry of Works were excited.
The joy and sense of accomplishment from successfully improving it made them immediately report to Lord Pei.
Pei Zhi, however, did not go see His Majesty first but took the telescope to see Wei Yu.
It was probably to avoid the Wise King scolding him again with complaints like “exhausting all three armies.”
Pei Zhi had really had enough of the all-day-and-night rush of improving the telescope.
After seeing so many versions of the telescope, Wei Yu was finally satisfied.
Because this plus version of the telescope was truly improved quite well—it could clearly see at a distance of four hundred meters!
Given the current level of technology, a telescope with this range was about as good as it could get.
The Wise King also nodded, so Pei Zhi was completely relieved.
Excellent! If he reported the telescope to the court again, the Ninth Wise King surely wouldn’t speak ill of him this time…
The next day, Pei Zhi demonstrated the new version of the telescope to Emperor Wei at the court.
Being able to see clearly four hundred meters away, such a divine weapon amazed everyone who had used a telescope in the court.
Especially the generals led by Du Xing—they were so excited they were practically staggering.
The ministers and Emperor Wei stood together in front of Taihe Gate, taking turns looking through the telescope at Meridian Gate and even beyond the palace walls, each one exclaiming at the telescope’s wonders.
When it was Du Xing’s turn, the Lord Grand Commandant was so excited he jumped three feet high.
“Your Majesty, this is excellent, excellent! With this, the soldiers standing on the watchtowers can see the enemy from a long distance away. The scouts sent out during marches will be much safer!”
“Your Majesty, I must have this! Our border soldiers absolutely need this!”