This position suited him down to the ground; he would certainly be able to put his talents to full use!
Dou Wuxing, for his part, asked to inspect the agricultural islands in person.
He Lingchuan naturally had no objections. He took the brothers aboard a boat himself and visited four or five islands in succession.
Along the way, Dou Wuxing inquired closely into the Yangshan Archipelago's geology, soil conditions, and hydrology, frequently lost in thought.
When he set foot on Longji Island and saw the farming sector, he squatted down, scooped up a handful of earth to inspect it, and even tasted several mouthfuls. He could not help frowning.
He Lingchuan asked at once, "Is there a problem?"
"On the surface, your islands appear to possess fertile soil and rich vitality. Reaping bumper harvests for several plantings shouldn't be difficult."
"Then where does the problem lie?"
"The way the farmers work the land here is far too—" Crude. It was far too crude. "—too haphazard. The fields lack planning. Each household's leased plot cuts this way and that, leaving borders wasted and harvesting efficiency abysmal."
He Lingchuan was delighted. "Once this crop of winter wheat is harvested, I'll leave the reorganizing to you, Second Dou."
He had taken over the Yangshan Archipelago in September, right in the thick of the busy farming season. Being no expert in agriculture himself, his only goal at the time had been to get the crops into the ground without delay. How could he have seen to the finer details?
Dou Wuxing put on no airs. "Very well. There is far too much here that requires overhauling."
Dou Wenguan coughed beside them. His younger brother was simply too blunt; the moment he opened his mouth, he was bound to offend someone.
He Lingchuan did not mind in the slightest. "It's quite all right. That is precisely why I invited Second Dou to help."
Dou Wuxing asked again, "Do hurricanes hit this place often?"
"They do," He Lingchuan answered truthfully. "Several hurricanes pay us a visit every year. A hurricane made landfall on the Yangshan Archipelago just over a month ago."
"These islands are surrounded by the sea, so the groundwater table is naturally high and salinity is heavy under the ocean's influence. Since hurricanes strike frequently, storm surges force seawater inland. Once it evaporates, the salt remains behind in the soil. All of this makes it easy for the land to turn saline-alkaline. When that happens, the soil will harden, fertility will drop, and crops will grow worse and worse."
"I did hear that certain plots on the islands couldn't grow crops. So that was why?" He Lingchuan had heard of soil salinization in the past, but hadn't paid it much mind. His affairs were overwhelmingly tangled, and future problems like this hadn't made the top of his list. But now that Dou Wuxing was here, he asked, "Is there any way to remedy it?"
"Yes, plenty of ways. For instance, chopping up wheat straw and returning it to the soil, or mulching with pine needles, wood chips, and horse manure. At the same time, proper irrigation and drainage canals must be dug through these fields—you can't just water without draining. In addition, given your soil conditions, on islands rich in fresh water like Longji Island, the wheat fields can be converted into paddy fields next summer after the wheat harvest. That is what's known as desalinating through rice planting. Then, after the autumn harvest, switch back to winter wheat. That not only brings in an extra yield of rice, but also preserves the fertile land over the long haul."
Continuous wheat-rice rotation was a highly productive farming method, though it placed heavy demands on soil fertility. Since Dou Wuxing had made the suggestion, he naturally had methods to handle it.
"Our rice strains in the Sha River Basin have been improved for over a century. Now they yield nearly five hundred jin per mu, with excellent resistance to pests, disease, and lodging. Why not bring them to the Yangshan Archipelago for trial planting? If the spiritual energy between heaven and earth becomes even richer, the yield per mu will increase even faster."
He Lingchuan nodded. "I will dispatch people to Shahe to purchase seeds."
Dou Wuxing was in high spirits. He had only inspected a few fields, and next he wanted to study ocean currents and fishing seasons, and examine the island's flora and fauna. Talent abounded in both Beijia and the Mou Kingdom; one more of him made no difference, and one less went unnoticed. No matter how deep his insights and ideas were, his status had been too humble for his words to carry weight.
Yet the Yangshan Archipelago allowed him to put his ideas into practice and give him free rein.
Dou Wuxing immediately felt that he had come to the right place.
Dou Wenguan, however, knew that He Lingchuan was saddled with countless duties as the island lord. He gave a soft cough and said, "Brother He... Lord He, please attend to your business. I'll accompany my brother on a tour around the islands."
He Lingchuan handed them an insignia token. "You may pass freely with this. Bear in mind that the fenced area on the southwestern end of Longji Island is strictly off-limits—that is the territory of the yin hui. Pansi Island is off-limits as well; the monsters on it devour men. The southern islands of the archipelago are also off-limits, though if you approach, someone will naturally emerge to turn you back."
Without this token, the Dou brothers would have been arrested and imprisoned as trespassers.
The prisons on the island were brand new as well, constructed only after the turmoil stirred up by the Bailong people.
"The archipelago is vast, and a few days won't be enough to see it all. Since you two have decided to settle in the Yangshan Archipelago, return to Suoding Island this evening. Once the contracts are signed, drinks are on me." He Lingchuan waved a generous hand. "Don't stay at an inn; I'll gift you a residence. Suoding Island is convenient for daily life and travel, while Centipede Island is quiet. The choice is yours."
The two brothers were overjoyed and offered their thanks.
As He Lingchuan turned to leave, Dou Wenguan suddenly remembered something. "Right, we wrote to Old Du as well. He should be interested in the Yangshan Archipelago."
"Old Du?"
"Du Shan," Dou Wenguan said with a smile. "The Shanyu Kingdom wanted to invite him to take up an official post, but he thought the post was too petty and declined. A few months ago, he went off to the Northern Ocean to watch whales."
He Lingchuan was delighted. "You two still stay in touch with him?"
He had kept a wide circle of acquaintances back in Lingxu City, and Du Shan was among those he often drank with. The man favored unconventional stratagems and had virtually no moral baggage, leaving a deep impression on He Lingchuan.
"Before the two of us returned to Shahe to seek office, Du Shan gave us an idea, too." Dou Wenguan cleared his throat. "We didn't adopt it."
Understanding dawned on He Lingchuan. "It wasn't a good idea, was it?"
The Dou brothers shook their heads in unison. "It wasn't."
Du Shan's tricks had always leaned rather sinister.
Still, He Lingchuan felt there was no harm in hearing them out.
The ferryman sculling the boat for the three of them was Yu Liang, originally one of Min Tianxi's men. He Lingchuan left him behind to serve as their guide while he returned to Suoding Island to attend to official business.
Ever since becoming the island lord, the trivial chores had been endless. He was busy from morning till night, wishing only that he had three heads and six arms.
He had firmly resolved to recruit more talent and delegate the work so he could play the role of an absentee shopkeeper.
If one couldn't slack off, what was the point of being the big boss?
The manor where He Lingchuan conducted business was situated on the shore of Ding Lake on Suoding Island. Leaning against the balustrade on the second floor, one could gaze out over the shimmering azure water and drooping willows.
This was a tiny perk he had arranged for himself.
Yet no sooner had he sat down and taken a sip of hot tea than Lei Ni sent someone with another report:
"Lord, you have guests!"
"Guests?"
"Ten people in all, claiming to be members of Songyang Mansion, arrived at your invitation," the steward reported. "You weren't on the island earlier, so the guests were settled at Yingxiang Pavilion."
"Invite them at once!" He Lingchuan tossed down his cup and shook out his robes, rising to his feet. "No, I'll go greet them in person!"
What an auspicious day! Two batches of his invited guests had arrived back to back!
Yingxiang Pavilion had been completed only recently, constructed specifically for distinguished guests. Its lodging and meals were two tiers above an ordinary inn, and it boasted a private, tranquil cove of white breakers and fine sand, accessible only to guests staying in the pavilion.
This was an upscale venue for business that also offered numerous quiet spaces for consultations and meetings. Stepping inside felt like entering a different world from the bustling, fiery Suoding Docks.
When He Lingchuan hurried over to Yingxiang Pavilion to take a look, he immediately confirmed that these "distinguished guests of Songyang Mansion" were genuine, for among them were two familiar faces:
Direct disciples of Li Fubo, Chief Master Craftsman of the Middle Furnace!
Seeing He Lingchuan, the two stepped forward at once and bowed in greeting. "Li Mingyang and Li Mingrong pay respects to Elder He!"
Both men were about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. When He Lingchuan first visited Songyang Mansion in Shihuan City of the Yuan Kingdom, he had seen them standing behind Li Fubo.
That Songyang Mansion had dispatched the two of them here was testament to the recognition of their abilities.
He Lingchuan held the status of a guest elder of Songyang Mansion and enjoyed numerous privileges, putting him far above these disciples in rank. With a warm smile, he supported their arms to steady them. "Why be so formal? Come, come, sit down, all of you."
The two sat, but the five behind them remained standing, looks of deference on their faces.
After a few pleasantries, it was mostly He Lingchuan asking questions and the guests answering.
When he left the Panlong Desert, he had already decided to sail south, so he sent a flying message to Li Qingge, Master of Songyang Mansion, explaining that he would be heading to Blade Harbor in the Mou Kingdom's rear territory and asking whether Songyang Mansion wished to establish a branch in a distant, unfamiliar land.
After the letter was dispatched, it was like a stone dropped into the sea, yielding no reply.
He Lingchuan hadn't paid it too much mind. For one thing, he was simply too busy, only missing Songyang Mansion when pondering the armament of the guard unit; for another, Songyang Mansion was extraordinarily far from Blade Harbor, separated by several countries, including the two behemoths of Beijia and the Mou Kingdom. A message making the round trip was no easy feat.
Little did he expect that Li Qingge hadn't replied by letter at all—she had dispatched people straightaway!
According to Li Mingyang and Li Mingrong, as soon as the mansion master received the message, she ordered them to head south to Baisha Bay immediately and board a ship bound east. Their voyage had been very smooth, and after two and a half months at sea, they arrived at Blade Harbor.
He Lingchuan was renowned here. With just a bit of inquiry, the Songyang Mansion team came over to Suoding Island to seek him out.
Li Mingrong produced a letter and presented it to He Lingchuan with both hands.
"This is a letter from the mansion master. Please examine it, Elder."
He Lingchuan broke the wax seal and drew out the silver-flecked paper, scanning it.
The handwriting was delicate yet possessed of firm character, opening with:
"Eldest Young Master, seeing these words is like meeting face-to-face."
He Lingchuan could picture Li Qingge's expression as she penned the letter.
In it, Li Qingge wrote that Songyang Mansion had long intended to expand into the Mou Kingdom. Unfortunately, the border was too distant, and she had remained endlessly busy, finding no opportunity. That He Lingchuan could help Songyang Mansion expand into a foreign land was truly a delight for all.
As for the personnel sent east, Songyang Mansion had deliberated for a long time before deciding that the Li brothers should lead the contingent, accompanied by disciples of several master craftsmen.
Li Mingyang and Li Mingrong were both disciples and nephews of Li Fubo. From the age of eleven, they had practiced weapon casting beside their uncle, who frequently kept them at his side and gave them meticulous instruction.
Given their age, they could not yet be called old masters, but their skill and grasp of the craft were first-rate. Both had produced dozens of outstanding pieces; one could say their casting craft was remarkably stable, with a high rate of fine-grade output.
None of Songyang Mansion's several master craftsmen had personally made the voyage across the ocean this time. Once people advanced in age and accumulated seniority, they disliked braving wind and waves to venture far from home. Those like Ding Zuodong, who reached the age of fifty yet still harbored the ambition to build a career, were a rare breed after all.
Chapter 1048