I run a training class in Shu Han

Chapter 102 Organic Fertilizer

When Meng Huo was escorted to Chengdu, it was already February.

The banks of the river were lush and green, and the peach blossoms were in full bloom, but he had no heart to appreciate them.

After disembarking, Meng Huo and his Yi soldiers were separated and escorted separately by Guan Xing and Zhang Bao with their personal guards.

Although he wasn't bound hand and foot, his weapons were taken away, and no matter how strong Meng Huo was, he couldn't escape.

The group arrived outside Chengdu. Not far away, smoke swirled and a foul stench permeated the air.

Meng Huo frowned upon smelling the stench, then laughed loudly, "Chengdu is right under the emperor's nose, yet there's such a stench and miasma outside the city. The city itself must be filthy. How can the people live here?"

"It seems the dynasty's days are numbered."

Hearing Meng Huo's sarcastic remarks, Zhang Bao's face stiffened, both angry and at a loss for words.

Guan Xing squinted and looked around. He saw that wherever the foul-smelling smoke was coming from, people were waving shovels. He then sent one of his soldiers to question them.

"Ah, General, do you want me to go?"

The stench was unbearable even hundreds of steps away, so the soldier covered his mouth and nose and naturally refused to go.

"Stop nagging! Just go when I tell you to!"

After Zhang Bao shouted angrily, the soldier left reluctantly.

A short while later, the soldier returned with a farmer who had been working.

The farmer, his face wrapped in coarse cloth covering his mouth and nose, bowed to the two men and said, "Greetings, my two senior brothers!"

Senior brother?

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao both looked astonished.

Why do you call us "senior brothers"?

"I am a student in the Agricultural Science Class of the Imperial Academy. I enrolled later than my two senior brothers, so I naturally address you as 'senior brothers'."

"Is this a rule set by His Majesty?"

"nature!"

"But we've never met, so how do you recognize my brother and me?"

"There is a wall of honor in the Imperial Academy. All students with excellent grades have their photos displayed on this wall. I once saw my senior's photo on the wall of honor."

Wall of Honor?

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao were beaming with pride. They were proud to have studied at the Imperial Academy and now that they had graduated, they could be featured on the wall of honor and become role models for future students. They unconsciously puffed out their chests.

Zhang Bao asked with a smile, "I'm asking you, why aren't you farming properly? What are you doing here...?"

"In response to your question, senior brother, we're preparing for spring planting, so we're piling up the collected manure to ferment before using it as fertilizer for the wheat fields. This is called composting."

Composting?

The two men were unfamiliar with farming, so naturally they didn't know what composting was.

Meng Huo burst into laughter upon hearing this.

"Why are you laughing?" Zhang Bao scolded.

"Piling up large amounts of human and livestock excrement creates a stench, breeds miasma and mosquitoes—isn't that laughable?"

"It seems that you Han people are not as knowledgeable about agriculture as we Yi people are."

Although Meng Huo did not understand farming, he at least knew that manure could be used directly to improve soil fertility.

But I've never heard of anyone piling up excrement, causing a terrible stench. If not handled properly, it could even trigger a large-scale epidemic.

Zhang Bao blushed at his words.

Although he didn't understand, the scene before him was just as Meng Huo had described: a foul stench and swarms of mosquitoes.

He turned to the junior students in the agricultural science class and said, "How did you study at the Imperial Academy? This excrement stinks unbearably. Are you trying to spread a plague?"

The agricultural science student said, "That's how our teacher taught us. Put the fresh manure into the pit, add withered leaves and wood ash, then tamp it down with your feet, seal it, and let it decompose into organic fertilizer before using it."

Step on it?

Sealed and decomposed?

Just hearing about the process made Zhang Bao feel nauseous and he couldn't stop gagging.

Meng Huo laughed even louder after hearing this.

"In my opinion, this must be Zhuge Liang's sorcery, a complete deception!"

Guan Xing felt ashamed and regretted inviting these agricultural science students over, as he had only made a fool of himself.

The agricultural science student looked at Meng Huo and suddenly said with a serious expression, "General, this is neither witchcraft nor the method of Prime Minister Zhuge."

"Oh, then I'd like to ask, who came up with this idea? Haha!"

"This is a brilliant strategy by His Majesty!" the man said respectfully.

"A brilliant plan?" Meng Huo laughed even more unrestrainedly upon hearing this.

"When I was in the south, I heard that the current emperor was a mere seventeen-year-old boy, ignorant and unambitious. Now it seems he must be an incompetent and foolish ruler who believes in witchcraft."

"And your so-called Imperial Academy, it must be a place full of charlatans and ghosts."

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao were about to get angry when they heard the student shout, "What witchcraft? This is science!"

"I thought you and your two senior brothers were both remarkable generals, but I never imagined you would be so ignorant."

Having been captured several times, Meng Huo was already resentful. Now, being mocked by a mere farmer from Chengdu, he immediately roared in anger, "How dare you insult me? Do you know who I am?"

The student showed no fear, tore off the burlap wrapped around his mouth and nose, and said solemnly, "The Imperial Academy is an academy appointed by His Majesty. It was established to cultivate great talents useful to the country and to benefit the people."

"Although this manure can improve fertility, fresh manure is hot in nature and will burn the roots of crops if applied directly to the field. Therefore, it must be ripened before it can be used."

"This method of accelerating ripening was personally researched and bestowed upon the world by His Majesty to benefit the people."

"It's laughable that you, with your limited knowledge and shallow understanding, would utter such vulgar and offensive words, making yourself a laughingstock."

"My two senior brothers, you are exemplary figures in the academy. How could you travel with such people? Wouldn't that be an insult to your status?"

Meng Huo's face turned ashen, and he was furious.

"You lowly latrine scavenger, how dare you slander this general like this? If my weapon weren't out of my sight, I would have ended your life with that one strike just now."

The student remained fearless and sneered, "His Majesty said that although people may differ in rank, there is no distinction between noble and lowly deeds. In my opinion, your awareness as a general is not even as good as mine as a latrine cleaner."

"There's no point in saying more when we're not on the same page. General, there's no need for you to say anything more."

The student decisively left Meng Huo aside and bowed to Guan Xing and Zhang Bao.

"My two senior brothers, I have some good advice for you: avoid associating with this person."

"Farming is busy right now, junior brother, you should go and get busy."

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao immediately dismounted, cupped their hands in greeting, and said, "Junior brother, take care!"

After the student left, Guan Xing and Zhang Bao secretly chuckled as they looked at Meng Huo, who was panting heavily with anger.

Who would have thought that Meng Huo, a powerful local warlord, would be rendered speechless by a peasant?

"General Meng, let's go!"

Half an hour later, the group finally arrived outside Chengdu.

Meng Huo was filled with resentment on the way, and when he saw the tall city of Chengdu, he felt a little uneasy.

Yong Kai rebelled and was beheaded. Gao Ding and Zhu Bao surrendered and then rebelled again, and were also beheaded by Li Hui and their heads were displayed to the public. He did not know what fate awaited him.

"General Meng, we've arrived," Guan Xing said.

Meng Huo composed himself, but his words remained defiant.

"Ah, yes! The stench outside the city is unbearable. I wonder if the city itself is also filthy and full of complaints from the people."

Zhang Bao couldn't stand his sarcastic remarks all the way.

"Stop talking nonsense, you'll find out once you go in."