Chapter 1679 - Applying Ammonia Water

Wanting to hear more but fearing trouble, Kong Xiaode interrupted Old Yang: "Go prepare the ammonia water first. I'll come after I've finished serving the Chief."

"Alright, I'll go now. We'll do your family's first, then mine when yours is finished." Old Yang called Hei Ni to leave with him. Only then did Kong Xiaode relax.

After the meal, Yun Suji had originally intended to find the village Tiandihui director, but based on what people had said, he already suspected the work wasn't solid. He therefore wanted to investigate among the common folk first. "After eating," he said to Kong Xiaode, "I'll help you apply fertilizer."

Though Kong Xiaode protested "dare not, dare not," Yun Suji shouldered the tools and set off for the fields with them.

The so-called ammonia water, Yun Suji knew, was a locally produced chemical fertilizer that Tiandihui had launched in a few areas using indigenous methods. Synthetic ammonia production was still very low, making wide-scale promotion difficult, so it was only implemented in areas with better conditions.

However, applying ammonia water was extremely inconvenient. The Tiandihui-promoted local method for Lingao involved using oxen or donkeys—or simply having several people pull a small cart loaded with containers of ammonia water, either jars or buckets. The containers were filled with ammonia water that stung the nose and eyes. Through a thin bamboo tube, this connected to a hollow implement shaped like a sickle with a long wooden handle. During operation, the long-handled implement was inserted into the soil, and the trickling ammonia water flowed directly into the ground. Working this way meant walking countless back-and-forth trips across each mu of land, from one end of the field to the other, while being fumigated until tears streamed down one's face in an expression perfectly resembling profound grief. Consequently, this ammonia water application work was deeply unpopular at first. Only after everyone truly witnessed its effects did acceptance begin to grow.

Yun Suji had served as a Tiandihui agricultural technician in Lingao for several years. He knew everything about fieldwork and could use any tool he picked up—especially ammonia water equipment. He had trained Lingao's ammonia fertilizer applicators personally.

Nevertheless, he harbored some doubts: along the way, he had observed that the fields were all planted with Chinese milk vetch—a nitrogen-fixing crop meant to enrich the soil. Why would you apply nitrogen fertilizer to green manure? When he reached the fields, however, he discovered the crop was actually winter wheat.

Neither the Kong nor Yang households owned oxen, and local Hainan farmers didn't raise horses or donkeys either. They had to haul the ammonia water barrel by small cart. Normally one person towed while another applied. With Yun Suji present, the two old men pulled the cart from the front, which made the work considerably lighter.

Yun Suji asked while applying fertilizer: "You didn't tether a draft animal for farming?"

"Didn't want to." Kong Xiaode pulled the cart while still smoking his pipe, puffing clouds of tobacco. "My family is just me and my wife. Farming is only to get enough to eat. The land here is easy to work, and taxes are light. Why bother with a draft animal? Raising a small calf is more exhausting than raising a baby! Besides, what's the point of farming well? Can't leave behind a family fortune anyway—extinct household."

Before Yun Suji could respond, Old Yang was already teasing: "Old Kong, your body isn't bad besides the age. Your wife hasn't stopped menstruating yet, has she? Just have another child."

"I'm a bag of old bones, half-buried in the earth already. If something happens, who would raise the child?" Kong Xiaode sighed. "Don't want to think about it. Life is good now—every extra day is a gift."

Yun Suji sensed this kind of fatalistic resignation wasn't healthy and offered some words of comfort.

"Actually, I did want to tether a large draft animal, but I have no money. Can't afford a big ox, and I don't dare buy a small one." Old Yang bent forward, hauling the cart with effort.

"Doesn't Tiandihui offer draft cattle loans?"

"Borrowing usury to buy cattle? I don't dare," Old Yang said. "If the ox dies, do I keep this land or not? The whole family depends on it for survival. Back home, we lost an ox once. One ox dying collapsed half the sky! Better to save slowly and buy one."

"The draft cattle loan interest is only 1.5% annually, and you have three years to repay. Your family has two laborers; your wife can help too. In another two years, Hei Ni can also help cut grass and herd cattle—grass grows here year-round, so fodder costs little. Why would you fear not paying it back? As for cattle diseases, the county has a veterinary station."

"From here to the county takes at least half a day. The doctor isn't necessarily there either—I went to that veterinary station on official business once. Three people total, all of them busy every day with their feet never touching the ground. By the time I'd wait my turn, the ox would be long dead." Old Yang continued: "Although my family has two laborers, we can't keep up with all the corvée assignments. County, township, village—whenever a notice comes, you have to report for duty. Once you go, it's at least half a day. We can barely finish the farming in time. As for female laborers, Hei Ni has an older sister, fifteen this year, who could count as half a worker, but she's useless now."

"Why useless?" Yun Suji had already gathered from the conversation that excessive corvée labor was burdening the grassroots population. But assigning corvée to a fifteen-year-old girl—what was that about?

"Once summer ended, she was sent to Lingao for some study class. Something about 'joining the League.'" Old Yang shrugged. "Farm folk have no idea what joining the League means. Whatever order comes from above, we just follow. She's been gone over three months now. Last I heard from the village head, she won't be back until before New Year."

Yun Suji asked another question: "Isn't Chinese milk vetch planted everywhere here? Why plant wheat as well?"

"Everyone wants to plant wheat. We're not accustomed to eating rice..." Kong Xiaode stopped the cart, straightened to pummel his aching back, knocked out his pipe ash, and refilled it. "Rice is expensive grain, but eating it doesn't keep you full. Always feels like you haven't eaten anything."

Old Yang agreed: "That's exactly right. But the village doesn't allow wheat planting—says the harvest is too small. After rice is harvested, you must follow it with Chinese milk vetch to build up fertilizer." He explained that now every household in the village, like with other miscellaneous grains, planted a little wheat randomly on the edges and corners of fields, letting it produce whatever it might, just to satisfy the craving.

"Then how is it allowed now?"

"This is care from above. Our village is permitted to plant some winter wheat, not exceeding five hundred mu." Old Yang added: "Whether we get to eat this wheat is still uncertain."

"Why?"

"From what the village head implies, this wheat is to be offered as tribute to the Senate."

Yun Suji felt uncomfortable hearing this, but it was probably the truth. The flour supply issue had prompted Senators to raise complaints many times before. Presumably this was arranged by the General Office—no wonder there was an ammonia water quota here. It was all preparation for growing the Senate's specially supplied wheat!

Yun Suji chatted with the two old men while working. He not only helped the Kong family but also guided Old Yang and several other families. Everyone praised him as "truly a good crop master."

After working for a while, the Chief had his guards take turns continuing the labor while he sat down to talk with the common folk. Once an ammonia application session concluded, everyone gathered under the old tree at the field's edge to rest, drink water, and eat their provisions. They squatted in a circle around Yun Suji, peppering him with questions. Only Kong Xiaode remained standing respectfully, not daring to speak freely. Old Yang said: "Chief Yun! You really are a good master! You must farm a lot back home, right?"

"My family originally had no land, but I've done plenty of farming. I provide all the technical guidance for the entire Lingao Tiandihui."

"No wonder you're so skilled at farming." Old Yang spoke with genuine admiration. "We only learned there was such a way to farm after arriving in Hainan! The Chiefs are truly like immortals!"

"Not quite that divine," Yun Suji replied. "Farming is also scholarship. There are specialized programs for it in Australian schools."

"Farming needs to be studied?"

"Of course it does. Do you think Tiandihui's agricultural technicians were born knowing how to farm? Farming is complicated." Yun Suji thought a little popular science education would be beneficial. "Take Chinese milk vetch, for example—does everyone know what it's for?"

"I know this one—it's green manure. You plow it directly into the soil as fertilizer during spring plowing. I've seen the local Southerners who grow rice do it."

"True, it is green manure. But why not simply let the land go wild and grow weeds, then turn those under as compost instead? Why insist on planting this grass like it's a proper crop?"

"This grass is probably more fertile."

"Exactly right," Yun Suji laughed. "Chinese milk vetch is a treasure. What makes it so? Everyone knows—whatever you plant in the ground grows. But without fertilizer, the land grows thin after a few harvests; the soil strength is depleted. Chinese milk vetch is different. Not only does it not consume soil strength, it actually adds fertility to the land. That's why we want to plant it."

"Chief, you mean Chinese milk vetch can fertilize the land on its own?"

"Yes." Yun Suji nodded. "The ammonia water we just applied serves the same purpose as Chinese milk vetch—both add strength back to the soil."

The surrounding villagers listened with surprise and conviction. A woman spoke up: "The Chief really does explain things well—just a few sentences and everything's clear. Not like our village head, who only knows how to shout wildly and tie people up..."

Yun Suji recognized her as the young wife who had interrogated him at the village entrance that morning. He was about to respond when her husband scolded: "Woman, what nonsense are you babbling? Is there a place for you to interrupt when men are talking? Is your bare backside getting itchy after a few days without a whipping?"

The young wife fell silent. Kong Xiaode hurried to smooth things over: "Liang Zhu! Don't scold her. She was just quick-tongued for a moment; the Chief won't take offense." He bowed to Yun Suji. "Isn't that right, Chief?"

Yun Suji laughed. "Yes, yes—everyone's just chatting casually."

Liang Zhu felt his wife had caused trouble and implicated the villagers. He believed since ancient times that "officials protect officials." A smiling official was even less trustworthy—everyone knew they turned hostile faster than flipping a page! If this Yun Suji went back to the village office and mentioned what happened, there would be immediate consequences. In his anxiety, he slapped his wife and cursed: "Can't you be mute? When we get home, see if I don't whip your bare bottom to shreds!"

Old Yang quickly pulled him away: "You unreasonable lout! What are you so afraid of, a woman saying a few words? Chief Yun himself said it's nothing—what's got you so scared?!"

Liang Zhu, cowed by the rebuke, quieted down. Seeing the atmosphere had grown awkward, Yun Suji laughed again: "Since ancient times, people with even a little power have indeed been untouchable. When I was back in Australia, I used to go to the countryside too. Hearing farmhands talk about petty officials who get drunk on their tiny bit of authority, they made up a little jingle."