Chapter 008: Understanding the affairs of the world is knowledge, and being well-versed in human relationships is the essence of literature

Approximately two years ago, Wang Yuan began digging a pond to raise earthworms

Shen Fuceng arrived quickly at Wang Yuan's home, accompanied by a young follower

Wang Quan and his son Wang Meng went out to work in the fields early and have not yet returned

The fourth experiment, failure

Liu Yaozu stared foolishly at Master Shen, and the grand image of his teacher in his heart seemed to begin to distort.

"No need for that, young master..." Master Shen, fearing that the other party might not understand, changed his words and said, "Um, where is Brother Yuan?"

The exemplary student Liu Yaozu, who never forgets to study at any time or place, asked: "Sir, what is the Canon?"

The second experiment failed, as the earthworms were poisoned; the added leaves contained a mild toxin

Wang Yuan said in silence: "Then should I say ... ... deal?"

It seems that in the end, it became unserious again; this fellow is truly a bureaucrat enthusiast

Wang Yuan was somewhat taken aback; could it be that this sentence had not yet come into existence? He could only respond perfunctorily: "I do not know how it happened, this remark just slipped out unexpectedly."

That is truly disappointing!

Wang Yuan shook his head and said, "I want to raise earthworms to feed the chickens"

Wang Yuan was too lazy to explain further and continued, "Not only must ventilation be maintained, but humidity must also be preserved, and it cannot be too hot. These earthworms need to be kept in the shade during summer, and they require daily watering. The water should not be too much or too little, and during the rainy season, drainage must be monitored. Last year, all the earthworms I raised in a pond were completely frozen due to the excessively low temperatures in winter."

Master Shen immediately clapped his hands in praise, saying: "Understanding the affairs of the world is all knowledge, and being well-versed in human emotions is indeed literature. How wonderful! Upon hearing this couplet, one should float three large cups of wine, but unfortunately, there is no wine in the village! Brother Yuan, you must have been a person well-versed in the ways of the world in your previous life; such a couplet could not have been composed by a mere impoverished scholar."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yaozu no longer pondered what the Five Classics were. His eyes gleamed as he gazed at the worm pond, and he swallowed hard, saying: "Wang Er, can you really raise that many chickens? Then I could eat eggs every day!"

The ancient people seemed to be more accepting of the concept of reincarnation. Master Shen surprisingly did not dwell on this matter any longer, but instead contemplated the profound meaning of that phrase, murmuring to himself: "Understanding the affairs of the world is all knowledge, understanding the affairs of the world is all knowledge... How should I come up with a suitable next line?"

Every morning, Brother Yuan rises and goes to the larch forest to practice archery

Madam Wang Jiang had just finished nursing her child and was about to start a fire to cook. Upon seeing Shen Fuceng, she hurriedly said: "Sir, please come in quickly, I will pour you a bowl of water to drink."

Wang Yuan smiled and said, "At that time, you can eat to your heart's content."

Master Shen explained: "The imperial examination tests the Four Books and the Five Classics. All of the Four Books must be studied, while one may choose one of the Five Classics as the primary text."

Liu Yaozu, who had been following all the way, sincerely flattered, "Sir, you are so knowledgeable that even the earthworm can be referenced in your writings"

Under the guidance of Liu Yaozu, Shen Fuceng quickly found Wang Yuan in the woods. He was seen standing next to a pit, with a thatched roof built above the pit to shield from the rain, slowly pouring water from a wooden bucket into the pit.

Master Shen pointed at his disciple and laughed heartily: "Indeed interesting, you actually treat worm farming as a subject of study!"

This statement is greatly virtuous

Wang Yuan smiled and said: "However, it is still feasible to promote this in the village. If each household raises a few chickens for free, won't that allow the villagers to become somewhat more prosperous? The reason I haven't taught others yet is that the earthworm breeding experiment has not been completed. I want to know how many earthworms of this size can coexist in the pool at the same time"

Wang Yuan did not want to discuss his marriage and reminded, "Earthworms are not easy to raise. I have only heard that earthworms can be used to feed chickens, but I am not very familiar with their habits. After two years of observation, I found that it is very difficult to keep them alive in winter, unless a house is built to enclose them, and then a fire is lit indoors to keep them warm. However, in doing so, it would be impossible to maintain ventilation, and the earthworms might suffocate and die."

That was an oak grove, where the large trees had long been cut down by the villagers, leaving only those that were at most the thickness of a neck.

Wang Yuan murmured: "Understanding human emotions is itself a form of literature"

Liu Yaozu excitedly grabbed Wang Yuan's sleeve: "Brother Wang Er, you must teach me this method! When I grow up a bit more and learn all my father's skills, I will make you a set of furniture to use when you get married."

Shen Fuceng was quite pleased with the name he had chosen for himself, and he couldn't help but savor it, seemingly finding it more delightful the more he thought about it. After indulging in this moment of self-satisfaction, he finally remembered the matter at hand and asked again, "Where is Yuan Ge'er?"

Wang Yuan had no choice but to change his approach, digging up the silt and water plants from the bottom of the stream, and then throwing in leaves, grass, and decayed vegetable leaves to ferment into compost

As I approached, I could smell a foul odor, and Master Shen could not help but ask: "What are you doing?"

"Any way you say it is fine," exclaimed Master Shen, "You and I are master and disciple, inseparable. Come, let us strike our palms as a vow!"

Oh. Liu Yaozu scratched his head, understanding only half of what he heard

Wang Yuan thought: I am just a struggling engineering dog, spending over ten years in the mountains repairing bridges and digging tunnels. If you were to ask me questions related to engineering, I would certainly answer them with great expertise, but writing articles is not my strong suit; at most, I can only write various engineering reports

I won't be getting married for at least a few more years, so will you still be needed to help with the furniture then

At first, he intended to use manure as fertilizer, but in the village, there was not a trace of human feces, let alone dog feces, which had been cleaned up thoroughly.

Liu Yaozu widened his eyes: "Does the curved snake (earthworm) still need to breathe?"

After countless earthworms perished unjustly, Wang Yuan gradually summarized various patterns. Moreover, he discovered that, given the temperature in Guizhou during this era, earthworms could only be cultivated in the spring, summer, and autumn seasons, as they would undoubtedly freeze to death in winter

Wang Yuan said: "That should be enough. As long as there is an ample supply of food, earthworms reproduce quickly. This pond of earthworms, when combined with green fodder for feeding, can sustain at least five or six chickens"

Master Shen suddenly became unusually serious and said earnestly: "Yuan Ge'er, with your talent and disposition, you will surely soar to great heights one day! Let us make a pact: if you become a high official, I will serve as your advisor and strategist. Without mentioning anything else, once you achieve success, just help me secure a position as a seventh-rank county magistrate. In this lifetime, I have no other aspirations but to be a local official! That is a dream I have long cherished; being a subordinate official is simply too dull!"

The vocabulary of the Chinese language is truly marvelous, and Master Shen surprisingly understood it at once. He looked into the pit and saw it filled with mud and decaying grass, and indeed there were quite a few earthworms wriggling about. He immediately took out his book and said: "I know about earthworms; it is recorded in the 'Book of Rites: Monthly Orders' that in the month of Mengxia, the cicadas sing, and the earthworms emerge."

Lady Wang Jiang pointed and said: "There is a grove of evergreen oaks behind the thatched cottage; he must be in the woods."

Wang Jiangshi suddenly remembered an important matter and, holding her young daughter in her arms, requested: "Sir, you are knowledgeable, and I would like to trouble you with a matter. Could you help me give my youngest daughter a name? I want a name that is auspicious and nurturing, as her elder sister fell ill and passed away at six months old. The shaman said it was because the name was not chosen well."

Wang Yuan did not turn around and casually replied: "Earthworm breeding experiment"

"Feeding the chickens?" Shen Fuceng was quite surprised, "Is this all? I fear it won't be enough to last half a month."

Master Shen fell silent for a long time, and finally sighed: "In recent days, I have also been moving about the village and heard that you could recite Buddhist scriptures fluently at the age of three without any teacher. Initially, I did not believe it, but at this moment, I am convinced; perhaps there truly are those who are born with knowledge. Otherwise, no matter how skillfully one might stumble upon it, the saying 'Understanding the affairs of the world is all knowledge' could not have been articulated by you. It may also be what Buddhism refers to as 'innate wisdom'; you were reincarnated without finishing the Meng Po soup, retaining some memories from your past life."

The term "experiment" originates from Wang Chong's "Lunheng" during the Han Dynasty, and can be understood in essence as "practical verification"

Shen Fuceng rubbed his aching palms and recalled the three-in-one soil in the sun-dried field, curiously asking: "Is the method for preparing three-in-one soil also derived from your past life memories?"

Wang Yuan said: "Understanding the affairs of the world is all knowledge."

The first experiment failed; the earthworms were drowned due to excessive water in the pond

Master Shen shook his head repeatedly, saying, "It is too delicate; this method is not easy to promote widely."

"The gentleman is truly knowledgeable!" Mr. Wang Jiang was overjoyed, holding his daughter Wang Wei, and quickly bowed in gratitude.

Wang Yuan was instantly drenched in a waterfall of sweat, unsure of how to explain himself

Good! Wang Yuan slapped out with one hand

Master Shen could not help but praise, then fixed his gaze on Wang Yuan and asked, "Did you come up with this sentence yourself?"

Master Shen covered his nose, squatting beside the pit, watching the earthworms and said: "In my hometown, earthworms are called 'qu shan', commonly known as 'di long'. Are you planning to raise them to sell to the apothecary for profit?"

According to the customs of our region, a humble name is the easiest to nurture. Shen Fuceng stood still, pondering for a moment, and suddenly spoke in a refined manner, "I have an idea, why not call her Wang Wei? Wei means small and humble. It also sounds like 'Hui', which means beautiful and good. Naming your daughter Wang Wei would not only be a humble name that is easy to nurture, but also a beautiful and elegant name, achieving two goals with one action.

The third experiment, failure, earthworms suffocated, either escaped or died, all because the soil was not loosened.

These words may seem light, yet they represent repeated failed experiments

This flattery was very pleasing to Master Shen, who smiled and nodded: "The text I taught in my early years was the 'Book of Rites.' I may not be able to recite it backwards fluently, but it is deeply ingrained in my heart, and I will never forget it in this lifetime"