RWNEFE -Chapter 273 Shen Lanxi Guides Animal Husbandry; Liu Yanhui Gifts a Heavenly Bead!

Shen Lanxi had been inside for quite some time before anyone noticed her presence.

Someone made a sound, and the academy students all looked up and bowed to Shen Lanxi.

Shen Lanxi said, “No need for formalities. Continue with your work.”

They had experienced scenes like this several times already, so naturally they sat back down and resumed working their abacuses.

Watching box after box of silver being stored, then seeing funds withdrawn from the treasury for various projects, Shen Lanxi stepped forward to glance at the stated reasons—expanding ranches, raising chickens and pigs.

Compared to cattle and sheep, chickens have a shorter breeding cycle. Hens can lay eggs, roosters provide meat, and chicken meat can quickly make up for the Northern Garrison’s grain shortage.

Che Mingyuan was once again handed a slip of paper by Sang Guo. Acting as the messenger, he showed no impatience—in fact, he looked rather pleased.

He deeply sympathized with these students. All of them were people of great talent, yet because of physical disabilities, they had ended up forgotten in some corner.

Fortunately, the General had a keen eye for talent and knew how to employ people well. The work she assigned them not only allowed them to realize their value, but also helped them regain confidence.

If it had been him, he thought, he might have collapsed long ago.

“Previously, we found over a dozen chicken breeds in different regions. Some lay many eggs, some grow mostly meat but lay fewer eggs. Some are aggressive—low meat yield, low egg production—but they rarely fall ill. Earlier, someone in the army who’s skilled at poultry breeding divided them into three categories. At present, we mainly raise high-egg breeds, high-meat breeds, and a hybrid of all three. If the breeding succeeds, the Northern Garrison will never lack chicken meat again!”

After reading this, Che Mingyuan handed the paper back to Sang Guo.

As a military strategist, finding himself fired up over farming manuals and nearly wanting to raise chickens himself—where was he supposed to complain about that?

Sang Guo handed him another slip of paper, this one about breeding crops.

“The grain seeds delivered earlier were test-planted on a small scale. The yield reached 800 jin per mu, even with insufficient soil fertility. This year, with large-scale breeding of cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens, we’ll produce much more compost. Estimated yield next year should exceed 900 jin per mu.”

Shen Lanxi nodded. “If the seeds are good, distribute them and plant on a large scale.”

Sang Guo wrote a few quick strokes, and Che Mingyuan relayed, “The seeds have already been distributed.”

As Shen Lanxi walked on, they reached the ironworks.

The clang of hammering was deafening. Shen Lanxi casually picked up a finished farming tool and examined it.

“The agricultural tools have been improved very well.”

Sang Guo quickly wrote: “The General’s blueprints were excellent.” And, of course, the iron materials she had arranged—otherwise, even the best craftsmen would be helpless without raw materials.

Shen Lanxi said, “I only came across it by chance in a book. In the future, we should cultivate more talent in agricultural studies.”

Sang Guo glanced at Che Mingyuan, hesitating whether he should say something in front of him.

“Strategist Che isn’t an outsider. Speak freely,” Shen Lanxi said.

Sang Guo handed another note to Che Mingyuan.

Che Mingyuan hesitated briefly, then read aloud, “A school has already been established.”

Shen Lanxi nodded and continued her inspection.

Liu Yanhui arrived at Qinglong Lake on the third day. When he arrived, Shen Lanxi was at the ranch.

The livestock officials were somewhat awkward—because when Shen Lanxi arrived, they were castrating pigs. If everyone present had been male, it wouldn’t have mattered.

But Shen Lanxi was a woman, and suddenly the knives in their hands felt unsteady.

Under great pressure, the livestock officer explained, “These pigs were caught in the mountains. They’re too wild. After castration, they become much more docile, and the meat tastes better.”

Shen Lanxi calmly nodded. “Wild boars don’t get sick easily. They can be used as breeding stock. Didn’t the caravans bring in some white-haired pigs earlier? Try crossbreeding the two.”

The atmosphere instantly fell silent.

Shen Lanxi walked on calmly, leaving behind a group of people who looked as though they’d just been struck by lightning.

“Why did you stop reporting?” she asked after walking some distance.

Che Mingyuan wiped his face hard. This female general truly had no regard for trivialities.

As they were speaking, Liu Yanhui arrived at the fortress with his caravan.

“General, I bought quite a few yaks and wild donkeys from the west, along with dairy products and horse meat. That region is short on sugar, tea, grain, and cloth. Bringing these goods there works far better than carrying silver.”

Shen Lanxi said, “We can grow sugarcane and sugar beets here. Have land allocated and plant more.”

As for tea, at most they could grow barley and roast it as a substitute.

“Tea leaves can be brought back by caravans going to Jiangnan. You handle the arrangements.”

Liu Yanhui already had a plan in mind. “We can transport salt to Jiangnan. They’re short on salt there, and with the court tightening control over private salt, many trade routes have been cut off. If we send more people under the name of an escort agency, passing checkpoints shouldn’t be a problem.”

Shen Lanxi said, “We can purchase some established merchant houses along the route.”
That way, they could be turned directly into warehouses and reconnect previously laid trade routes.

Liu Yanhui frowned. “That would require a lot of manpower.” And a long time to set up. He worried that if fighting broke out, they wouldn’t be able to return in time to provide support.

Shen Lanxi replied, “Draw manpower from the army as needed. The northwest won’t see a war anytime soon.”

Liu Yanhui already knew about Liang Shao’s arrival in the northwest, and that worried him more than anything else.

“I always feel Liang Shao is overly friendly toward us.” He’d felt uneasy about this back in Dongchuan; Liang Shao coming to the northwest only strengthened that feeling.

Shen Lanxi said, “I’ll meet him tomorrow. You come as well.”

Liu Yanhui immediately agreed. “Alright.”

This trip west hadn’t only brought back livestock—it had brought back something else.

After night fell, he found a moment to go over. He thought no one would be there, but Sang Guo was present as well.

Seeing Liu Yanhui arrive, Sang Guo gestured to the notebook and pen in his hand.

Liu Yanhui understood—it was a report.

“General. Master Sang.”

Sang Guo looked at Liu Yanhui for a moment, then wrote: “I’ll step out for a bit.”

Shen Lanxi nodded.

Liu Yanhui smiled at Sang Guo and watched him leave.

Shen Lanxi asked, “Something on your mind?”

Liu Yanhui hesitated. The courage he’d mustered earlier completely vanished.

“I…”

“Someone gave me something,” he blurted out, “said it’s a sacred object from their people, able to bless the wearer with longevity, good fortune, and peace!” His face flushed as he quickly took it out.

Shen Lanxi looked at the heavenly bead he offered—but didn’t take it.

“This is a fine item. You can give it to your mother.”

Disappointment flashed through Liu Yanhui’s eyes. The object in his hand felt like a hot coal—he didn’t know whether to pull it back or keep holding it out.

“My mother already has Buddhist statues. She burns incense and prays daily. This one is meant to be worn on the body. I don’t mean anything else—I just heard from them that only the most honored people are worthy of wearing it.”

He was grateful the oil lamp was dim—his burning red face probably couldn’t be seen.