Chapter Forty-Six: Becoming an Idealistic Little Landowner (Part Two)

The Fang family’s more than two thousand acres of land were all mountainous terrain. Although the slopes were relatively gentle, the soil was far from fertile. At the very least, irrigation was a complicated affair. Coupled with the extremely rudimentary farming techniques of the time, any significant increase in yield would have been nothing short of a miracle.

Sowing the seeds and hoping for a good harvest was all they could do; surviving without starving was already considered a blessing.

How to increase grain production?

The Fang family had plenty of ideas: high-quality chemical fertilizers, superior seeds, advanced farming techniques...

Could hybrid rice possibly be developed?

Fang Jun gazed intently at the snow-covered fields, his heart pounding with excitement. Perhaps being a small landlord wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Of course, he was born under the red flag and raised in the new century. Even if he returned to ancient times as a small landlord, he would be a four-virtue landlord—idealistic, purposeful, capable, and conscientious. As for having multiple wives and concubines... well, that could be arranged too.

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This five-section residence seemed expansive from the outside, but inside it wasn’t spacious. It was orderly and exuded an aura of scholarly elegance, truly the home of a learned family.

Fang Jun dismounted and leisurely walked inside with his hands behind his back.

Two round-headed, plump, and affable stone lions stood at the main gate. Between them ran the central axis of the entire compound. The buildings in the courtyard were perfectly symmetrical from south to north. The main hall stood on this axis, flanked by side rooms on both the left and right, all connected and facing each other. The layout resembled the familiar siheyuan (courtyard house), only more compact, with smaller open spaces and courtyards. Though exquisitely crafted, it felt somewhat cramped.

Despite the compact horizontal layout, the height of the structures was unique. Except for the second courtyard’s main hall and side rooms, the rear courtyards featured two- or three-story buildings. Each section had symmetrical clusters of four rooms: the main chamber at the front, side rooms on the east and west, and a rear hall to the south, arranged on all sides to form a square shape with a central courtyard, creating small siheyuan within the larger complex.

From the third to the fifth sections, interconnected corridors enclosed six courtyards that appeared independent yet were linked. The houses were arranged in a staggered, harmonious manner, with adjoining courtyards, facing gates, and connecting galleries, offering passage in all directions. Artificial rockeries, ponds, pavilions, and trees dotted the white walls and dark tiles. In summer, it would be a picturesque retreat with lush greenery and blooming flowers—a perfect summer getaway.

Arriving at the main hall, Fang Jun sighed.

There were no tables or chairs. On the polished wooden floor sat several flat, low, elevated square platforms, covered with mats and cushions. These were the “tá” of “sweeping the tá to await guests.”

Stools and such were considered barbaric here; two could be kept in the bedrooms but were not appropriate in the main hall.

Qiao'er suddenly appeared from somewhere, holding a tea cup, with Wu Meiniang following behind.

Both women wore fox fur coats that hugged their slender figures. Especially Wu Meiniang, whose snow-white fox collar enhanced her delicate, almost ethereal beauty, making her seem like a fox spirit refined through cultivation, capable of bewitching souls.

Fang Jun’s burning gaze made Wu Meiniang blush slightly, a little embarrassed but inwardly pleased. She moved gracefully, placing the tray on a small table and lightly biting her red lips as she said, “The bedroom hasn’t been tidied yet. Second Young Master, please rest here for a while and have some tea.”

She was gentle, beautiful, and graceful.

Fang Jun marveled inwardly: Is this really the future Empress Wu Zetian, the sovereign who would one day command the world? The contrast was striking...

Qiao'er set the tea cup on the table as well, her face bright with a sweet smile full of hope. “Second Young Master, please try the tea I brewed. I’ve practiced for a long time. Drink it while it’s still hot!”

The last time Fang Jun drank her tea, he nearly vomited. This had been a huge blow to Qiao’er's confidence. The young maid had endured hardship and even bought treats for the housemaids at the Lu residence to learn advanced tea-brewing skills, and now felt ready to show off her achievement eagerly.

But just thinking of that oily broth she called “tea” made Fang Jun’s stomach churn, and his facial muscles twitched involuntarily. That stuff was absolutely undrinkable—deadly, even.

However, refusing to drink would waste Qiao’er's heartfelt effort. Seeing her hopeful expression, Fang Jun felt a twinge of guilt.

Did he really have to play the role of a Bodhisattva, offering himself to the tiger and cutting flesh to feed the hawk?

Just then, Lu Cheng’s arrival saved Fang Jun from this dilemma.

Hearing that Fang Jun had returned to the estate, Lu Cheng hurried over anxiously. Upon seeing Fang Jun, he clasped his hands and said nervously, “Second Young Master, I have failed in my duty...”

Fang Jun was taken aback and asked, “You couldn’t complete it?”

Lu Cheng gave a bitter smile. “The hotpot isn’t a problem; it’s already done. As for the carriage... that’s finished as well. Unfortunately, the spiral mechanism—my best blacksmith and I have worked day and night on it, but we just can’t figure it out.”

Fang Jun sighed, “Springs are tricky. I was being unrealistic; without steel with sufficient elasticity, springs can’t be made. How far is the blacksmith’s shop from here?”

Lu Cheng replied, “Just on the hillside behind the estate.”

Fang Jun hurried, “Take me there at once.”

Grabbing Lu Cheng’s arm, he practically fled.

Qiao'er called after him anxiously, “Second Young Master, you haven’t even drunk the tea yet...”

If she hadn’t said it, perhaps Fang Jun wouldn’t have run so fast.

Wu Meiniang’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, her face puzzled. Carriage? Hotpot? Spring? What on earth were those?

Rounding the back of the estate, they came upon a smooth path winding all the way up to the mountaintop.

After two bends, they entered a small mountain hollow.

A row of dilapidated brick houses was nestled in the hollow. Several dark caves appeared on the hillside, their entrances propped up with wooden planks and pillars, clearly to prevent collapse.

“Damn!”

Fang Jun was momentarily stunned. Could these be mine shafts?

“Five years ago, the blacksmith discovered a pyrite vein here and reported it to the court. When His Majesty bestowed rewards upon the ministers, our family head was slighted. Out of guilt, the Emperor granted this mine to the family. Unfortunately, the blacksmith was mistaken; the pyrite yield has always been low,” Lu Cheng explained in detail.

Fang Jun was nearly speechless. Although his expertise was in agriculture, he had studied some chemistry. Pyrite isn’t used for smelting iron; it’s iron disulfide, primarily used to produce sulfur and sulfuric acid.

He wasn’t sure exactly how it was extracted...

But iron smelting was certainly out of the question!

Wait...

Fang Jun’s eyes swept over and saw a large pile of dark stones on one side of the hollow. What were those? Pyrite shouldn’t look like that. Could it be coal?

He approached and found the stones were scaly and smooth to the touch. A shiver ran down his spine.

Could it be graphite?

Heavens, this could be a fortune!

Graphite is the best refractory material. It’s well known that ancient steel quality was poor not only because the ore was substandard but also because the smelting temperature was insufficient.

Fang Jun immediately thought of a game-changing tool for steelmaking—the graphite crucible!

Fine. But the problem was: he studied agriculture, not metallurgy. He had no idea how to make such a thing...

Fang Jun was deeply troubled. He came to solve the food shortages in the Tang Dynasty, but was he now about to spark a medieval industrial revolution?