Chapter 533: We've Come for the Celestial Fertilizer
After penning the imperial decree, the Chongzhen Emperor felt a measure of relief, having effectively shifted the burden onto Yang He.
Chief Eunuch Cao Huachun leaned in from the side, whispering, "Your Majesty, with Yang He's dismissal, the position of Supreme Commander has become vacant. We must select an exceptionally capable official to fill it, otherwise, the provinces will lack unified command and will only shirk responsibility during bandit suppression campaigns."
The Chongzhen Emperor hummed in acknowledgment. "I must give this careful thought," he mused.
As he pondered who should succeed to the post of Supreme Commander, a young eunuch rushed in from outside, exclaiming, "Your Majesty, good news! Splendid news!"
Upon hearing of a victory, the Chongzhen Emperor's spirits lifted. "Report immediately!" he commanded.
The young eunuch quickly reported, "Yansui Governor Hong Chengchou mobilized his troops and suppressed the rebellion led by Shen Yikui, killing ten thousand rebels and capturing ninety thousand. The bandit problem in northern Shaanxi has now been resolved." He finished, presenting a memorial with both hands.
The Chongzhen Emperor quickly read through the details, utterly delighted. His mood soared as if he'd taken flight on a modern jet. "My dear Hong, you truly have not disappointed my high expectations!" he boomed. "Hahaha... I've decided. The post of Supreme Commander shall go to my dear Hong!"
And so...
In a mere three years, Hong Chengchou, from a minor fourth-rank Grain Intendant, had rocketed through the ranks, ascending directly to Supreme Commander of three border regions, overseeing military affairs in Shaanxi, Gansu, Yansui, and Ningxia.
A biting wind howled, chilling to the bone.
Wu Shen and Shi Kefa were seated in a horse-drawn carriage, slowly making their way into Chengcheng County town.
Wu Shen was no longer acting as the imperial envoy. His hundred thousand taels of silver had long been spent, and the imperial court's stance toward the bandits had shifted from "pacification" to "suppression," so his appeasing presence was no longer required.
However, Wu Shen had not returned to the capital. Instead, he remained in Shaanxi, having been appointed Shaanxi Censor-Inspector.
A Censor-Inspector held a minor official rank but wielded immense power. Their duty was to travel widely and observe everything; if they noticed anything amiss, they could report directly to the emperor. Local officials feared such figures most.
Wu Shen now observed something unusual. He lowered his voice and spoke to Shi Kefa, "Look, it's the dead of winter, and the biting wind is lethal. Yet the common folk of Chengcheng County, walking the streets, aren't cowering from the cold. Instead, every one of them is ruddy-faced and cheerful. Over there, a group of children are even frolicking about—are you kidding me? Children elsewhere wouldn't dare step outside in this weather; they'd all be huddled under blankets, shivering."
Shi Kefa nodded. "Indeed," he confirmed, "every one of them has a thick cotton-padded jacket."
Wu Shen felt something was deeply amiss. "A single cotton jacket costs five taels of silver," he remarked. "That's equivalent to a top-quality Japanese blade! Can ordinary folk afford something like that?"
Shi Kefa whispered, "Common folk elsewhere certainly couldn't afford it. But here in Chengcheng County, it's not so strange."
Wu Shen queried, "How so?"
Shi Kefa pointed towards the City God Temple. "Master Wu, look."
Following Shi Kefa's gaze, Wu Shen saw a colossal golden statue. It towered over the tallest building in the county town, its massive form exuding majesty and dominance. Its eyes seemed to watch over the entire city.
Wu Shen murmured, "Is that the Dao Xuan Tian Zun you spoke of?"
Shi Kefa nodded. "Yes, that is Dao Xuan Tian Zun," he confirmed. "He watches over this land and protects its people. That is why the common folk of Chengcheng County are so prosperous."
Wu Shen lowered his voice even further. "Master Shi," he warned, "you, a man of such standing—a hereditary Jinyiwei and a jinshi scholar—you mustn't be led astray by cults."
Shi Kefa insisted, "It truly isn't a cult! Only those who deceive the common folk and instigate them to do evil are called cults. How can something that helps the common folk and does good deeds be called a cult?"
Wu Shen remained unconvinced. Pointing at the enormous statue, he declared, "Let me tell you, any deity whose origins are unclear is certainly a cult figure. Only deities with a clear lineage, like the Living Buddha Jigong, belong to orthodox religions."
Shi Kefa began, "Jigong? Where would there be a Jigong, Master Wu, you shouldn't just spout nonse—"
Just as he was about to retort, he suddenly caught a glimpse, in his peripheral vision, of a person emerging from a nearby alley. They were clad only in a tattered kasaya, carrying a broken palm-leaf fan. The figure chuckled at them, then turned and disappeared back into the alleyway.
Shi Kefa exclaimed, "Hey? What was that just now?"
He quickly called out to the coachman, "Quick, drive to that alley!"
The coachman cracked his whip twice, and the carriage swiftly reached the alleyway. Shi Kefa peered into the alley; the strange monk he had just seen was gone.
A gasp escaped Shi Kefa. "What's going on?" he muttered.
Wu Shen chuckled, "Didn't I tell you? The Living Buddha Jigong truly exists in this world."
Shi Kefa was speechless.
Their carriage proceeded directly into the county magistrate's yamen. It was only then that Liang Shixian received word of their arrival, rushing out to greet them. "Master Wu, Master Shi," he bowed, "your humble subordinate apologizes for not welcoming you sooner, forgive me, forgive me! To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, esteemed sirs?"
The three men sat down around a table. Only then did Shi Kefa speak. "Master Wu and I have come here primarily for the celestial fertilizer," he announced.
Liang Shixian smiled. "Oh? Have you tested it? What were the results?"
Shi Kefa's smile was broad and genuine. "The celestial fertilizer's effects are truly remarkable!" he exclaimed. "In the few areas near Xi'an that hadn't suffered from disaster, they achieved a bountiful harvest after using the celestial fertilizer."
Xi'an, situated close to the Wei River, had some farmers who could still cultivate crops by drawing water from it. This time, with the application of celestial fertilizer, they achieved a great harvest, which significantly eased the food supply pressure on Xi'an.
Liang Shixian merely smiled. This outcome was entirely within his expectations; he wasn't surprised in the least.
Shi Kefa continued, "The two of us have come to discuss the purchase of celestial fertilizer. As you know, ordinary farmers cannot travel all the way to Chengcheng to buy it. So, we've decided to open an official, government-run shop in Xi'an Prefecture to sell celestial fertilizer, which will allow farmers near Xi'an to acquire it."
Liang Shixian replied, "Of course, that's no problem at all!"
Shi Kefa was overjoyed.
However, Liang Shixian immediately added, "However, esteemed sirs, there's one matter I must remind you of."
Shi Kefa prompted, "Oh? Please elaborate."
Liang Shixian explained, "Celestial fertilizer can increase agricultural yield per mu, but the exact increase depends on the farmers' skill and limitations. Furthermore, celestial fertilizer must be purchased, which means..."
Wu Shen immediately understood. "The price of celestial fertilizer cannot exceed the value of the increased grain yield," he stated, "otherwise, the common folk would rather not use it."
"Precisely!" Liang Shixian smiled faintly. "Esteemed sirs, have you calculated an appropriate selling price for the celestial fertilizer?"
Wu Shen and Shi Kefa exchanged a look and were utterly bewildered.
This was an incredibly complex calculation. It involved how much grain a mu of land could yield, how much fertilizer one mu required, the value of a picul of grain, and the worth of a catty of celestial fertilizer.
This wasn't something one could simply conjure with a snap decision. They hadn't properly considered or calculated it before their arrival. No wonder they were utterly stumped now.
Wu Shen quickly produced paper and a brush. He and Shi Kefa began to calculate together, going over the numbers again and again until a few strands of their hair seemed to turn white, yet neither could determine an appropriate selling price for the celestial fertilizer.
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