"In the composting process, one batch of fertilizer is produced every 24 hours, with a maximum storage of four batches."
"From now on, rotten vegetable leaves and tree bark will be placed in the compost bin. Every other day, take out the fertilizer, store it, and take one-third to the fields to test its effects." Lu Ming said to the man beside him, a member of the Mohist school whom Ma Jun had found.
Although called a member of the Mohist school, he had actually fallen into poverty and couldn't even afford basic necessities.
If Lu Ming hadn't offered help, he probably would have starved to death.
The Mohist school was never something the poor could handle. They excelled at designing intricate items, such as the repeating crossbow, which required extraordinary ingenuity.
Although the Mohist school had declined, it had still survived.
Craftsmen had low social status, but at least they could make a living.
"Yes, sir." Ma Tong was unaware of his lord's thoughts, nor did he care. He only wanted to fulfill his lord's orders and, incidentally, study some mechanical arts.
On his last night, Lu Ming stayed home with his mother. Chen Rong and her daughter Fa Shu weren't brought back; instead, they were kept outside. It was like keeping them as mistresses in a gilded cage—his personal possessions, to be used later.
After a passionate night of intimacy, Lu Ming rose early and, with his mother's help, dressed. He packed his belongings and left with his personal guards.
The private soldiers he brought back were stationed in the barracks outside the city, responsible for training and protecting the city's security during his absence.
Therefore, Lu Ming only took forty men with him. These forty men were all advanced soldiers, top-notch fighters.
Quality over quantity is key; a large army without discipline is just a disorganized mess.
From childhood, Lu Ming had rarely left Tao County. The previous war had shown him much. Now, venturing out again, his feelings were somewhat different.
A few days later, Chang'an City.
As the capital of the Western Han Dynasty, Chang'an still housed a group of prominent old nobles.
Some high-ranking officials would also own a residence here. While the Western Capital couldn't compare to Luoyang or Ye City in Hebei in terms of prosperity, its cultural heritage remained strong. One could also find many unusual and exotic items here.
Occasionally, merchants from Jiuquan would come to Chang'an to sell their goods.
Upon arriving in Chang'an for the first time, standing outside the city walls, Lu Ming could feel the profound atmosphere of civilization emanating from them.
The towering city walls, their tiles still covered in patches of moss, told tales of bygone eras.
Before the massive drawbridge, several armored soldiers stood on either side, spears at their sides, while a civil official sat at a table nearby.
To enter the city, one had to pay an entrance fee.
Except for certain special professions, ordinary people had to pay money to enter the city! As soon as they reached the city gate, the guards stopped Lu Ming and his group. "What are you doing here?"
"We are subordinates of Zhang Sikong, here to join him. We are generals quelling the rebellion in Xiliang. My name is Lu Ming. Are you sure you want to stop us?" Lu Ming sneered. They actually dared to intercept him?
"I don't care who you are! If you want to enter the city, you have to pay!" A bookish-looking clerk behind him didn't even stand up, looking at Lu Ming with contempt. "A bunch of ruffians, thinking they're something special!"
"You!" The personal guard behind him couldn't stand it anymore and immediately rushed forward to beat him.
The city gate guards immediately raised their spears in front of them and blew their whistles, their uniforms as if facing a major threat.
Lu Ming reached out to stop his personal guard. He was, of course, very annoyed by the contemptuous looks.
But he knew he couldn't act now.
The city defenses of Chang'an were no pushovers; otherwise, this place would have fallen long ago.
Although they had been out of action for a long time, the city walls, over twenty meters high, made holding out a simple matter.
The moat alone was eight meters wide and bottomless, at least five meters deep.
It would be wrong to act now; revenge is a dish best served cold.
"Don't act rashly. How much? We'll pay."
"Hmph, one string of five-zhu coins per person!" The clerk sneered, demanding an exorbitant amount.
The entrance fee was originally only two five-zhu coins per person; one string was one hundred five-zhu coins, a fifty-fold increase.
Lu Ming nodded and said to his personal guard, "Lin Dong, give him the money."
The guard was seething with anger. They had risked their lives, only to be charged a city fee upon arriving in Chang'an? But he couldn't disobey his master, so he took forty strings of coins from his treasury and tossed them over.
"Let's go." Lu Ming didn't utter any threats. He had plenty of ways to deal with this kind of person; he'd make him pay back with interest later!
Seemingly sensing Lu Ming's calmness, the clerk didn't take it seriously. Instead, he put away the money and handed over the city entry permit. "Remember, don't cause trouble, or you'll all be arrested."
"Put it away and come with me." Lu Ming gave the clerk a deep look; he remembered his face.
Watching Lu Ming and his group leave, the clerk spat angrily. "What a bunch of trash! Whether they're insects or tigers, they all have to kneel down here!"
Entering the city, the blue brick roads truly lived up to its title as the Western Capital.
"My lord, the entrance fee was clearly two five-zhu coins per person! Who's going too far?" Lin Dong, a personal guard, said indignantly. He had been converted into a personal guard by Lu Ming, initially as a knife-wielder, and then fought his way up to become a swordsman and shield bearer. He was incredibly grateful for Lu Ming's promotion, hence his furious anger at the humiliation of his lord.
Lu Ming wasn't in a hurry. Instead, following the instructions in the letter he had left behind, he led his men to Dong Zhuo's residence. "How much this kind of person has taken from us? He'll have to pay us back with interest."
Being new to the area and unfamiliar with the people, Lu Ming didn't want to cause trouble. The power dynamics here were complex and intertwined; he wouldn't rush things. He'd let things develop for a while.
Dong Zhuo also had a large residence in Chang'an, and it was said he had some connection to the Empress Dowager Dong. Even if it was completely unrelated, he had to force a connection; having a reputation would make things easier later.
"Haha, Anmin, you've finally arrived! Good, good, good. Come with me to visit Zhang Sikong later. There are many connections to be cultivated in Luoyang this time, and I'm afraid the finances might be a bit tight." Dong Zhuo was very enthusiastic in trying to win over Lu Ming. If he knew that Lu Ming had slept with his own mother and still coveted his first wife, he'd probably grab a cleaver and chop him up immediately!
What a scoundrel!
His mother was Lu Ming's maternal grandmother, how could he dare to sleep with her?