Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 443 - 407: Farewell to Li Mingtan

Sure enough, when Yu Xiaolian mentioned Madam Wu, a trace of discomfort flickered across Li Mingtan’s face, but it was only fleeting. Li Mingtan immediately replied with a calm expression, "Your sister-in-law, Madam Wu... is doing well!"

"I wonder how my sister-in-law’s health has been these past few years?" Yu Xiaolian believed that Li Mingtan understood the true meaning behind her question.

Sure enough, Li Mingtan hesitated for a moment before replying, "Your sister-in-law still hasn’t been able to conceive, but I now have a son, who is nearly three years old."

At this point, Yu Xiaolian understood that Li Mingtan had taken a concubine.

This man ultimately went against his own vow and took a concubine!!!

Alas, Li Mingtan taking a concubine and having a child, Madam Wu must feel like dying inside, right?

After all, back when Madam Wu came to her house and chatted while doing embroidery with her mother, she had said that if Li Mingtan took a concubine, she would rather die.

Although Yu Xiaolian wanted to curse Li Mingtan for being heartless, she also somewhat understood his predicament.

Actually, thinking it through, Li Mingtan was already quite considerate. After all, he had held back for over ten years for Madam Wu’s sake and never took a concubine. Many men surely couldn’t achieve this.

All she hoped was that Madam Wu wouldn’t be so love-struck, and could open her mind and perhaps feel better.

"Haha... congratulations, Brother Li, I suppose Sister-in-law Wu should be very fond of the child, right?" Yu Xiaolian forced a smile.

"The child is under her name, and she will raise him!"

"That’s how it should be, that’s how it should be!" Yu Xiaolian let out an awkward laugh again.

From what Li Mingtan conveyed, it seemed he had given the concubine’s child the legitimate title, but he didn’t mention if Madam Wu liked it or was happy about it.

It seemed that Madam Wu was stuck in a dead end.

"Once the Spring Examination begins, you will be able to leave the Examination Hall. By then, you must come to our home for a visit, and it would be good for you to catch up with your sister-in-law as well!"

"Definitely, definitely!"

After Li Mingtan left, Yu Xiaolian pursed her lips. When this man didn’t have money or power, he could remain faithful. But once he gained influence, it inevitably changed his original intentions.

Yu Xiaolian felt that in a while, she should probably visit Madam Wu, even just to talk some sense into her. If it weren’t for the fact that Madam Wu and her mother got along so well back then, she wouldn’t bother meddling in this affair.

Where Yu Xiaolian lived wasn’t an independent courtyard, but rather one room among a row of houses in the Examination Hall. The rooms on either side of her were occupied by two civil servants, men, hmm, accurately speaking, her neighbors were two old men.

These two old men, one surnamed Liu and the other surnamed Yu, were supervisors of the Examination Hall.

Supervisors, as the name implies, were officials responsible for proctoring exams. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Yu Xiaolian had only a nodding acquaintance with these two old men and hadn’t engaged in deep conversation, just nodding in passing whenever they met.

Yu Xiaolian glanced toward the arched gate and, not seeing Zhao Sanyan return, was about to head back inside when Old Liu, the supervisor, stopped her.

"Greetings, Yu Xueguan!" Old Liu saluted with cupped hands.

"Lord Liu!" Yu Xiaolian hurriedly returned the gesture and bent slightly in respect.

Old Liu was over sixty years old, and although his official rank was small, only seventh rank, beneath her, Yu Xiaolian did not consider herself superior in any way.

Though the position of a supervisor was modest, it wasn’t for just anyone, Yu Xiaolian over the years had adhered to the principle of not offending anyone and making friends whenever possible. So, when Old Liu approached to speak with her, she immediately lowered her posture out of respect.

"Yu Xueguan, I have a rather presumptuous request, but I’m not sure if I should say it?" Supervisor Liu looked a bit embarrassed before getting to the point.

Seeing Supervisor Liu’s demeanor, Yu Xiaolian felt he didn’t resemble someone hardened by years in officialdom.

"Supervisor Liu, feel free to speak, if there’s anything I can help with, Xiaolian will certainly do her best!"

Since Yu Xiaolian moved into the Examination Hall, she became the talk of the entire place. Although it wasn’t as if her entire family history was being discussed, it was close enough. Supervisor Liu had heard from others about Yu Xiaolian’s significant business in Luocheng, especially her achievements in growing chili peppers, building a workshop, and bringing prosperity to Taohua Village.

Supervisor Liu’s hometown was in Chuantou County in the Northern Land, a very poor place with bad geological conditions, lots of saline-alkali land, and poor grain yields. Supervisor Liu approached Yu Xiaolian mainly to ask if such saline-alkali soil was suitable for growing chili peppers.

Yu Xiaolian shook her head, "Saline-alkali soil doesn’t seem suitable for chili peppers!" According to what she knew, alkaline soil was only suitable for planting things like sand dates and goji berries, whereas sandy soil was more suitable for peanuts and watermelons.

Hearing what Yu Xiaolian said, Supervisor Liu was somewhat disappointed. He had hoped to make a small contribution to his hometown, but didn’t expect that chili peppers, which were so valuable, weren’t suitable for his hometown’s soil.

As for watermelons, his hometown’s people weren’t willing to cultivate them. They were highly seasonal with poor yields and, even though they fetched a higher price than grains, they had a poor sales market. Farmers couldn’t sell them at satisfying prices, wasting the land in vain.

However, Supervisor Liu wasn’t giving up. He started discussing with Yu Xiaolian about how to transform saline-alkali soil.

Soil truly can be improved, but soil improvement is a major project. It requires excavating high-quality black soil from other places and laying it over the saline-alkali soil to a considerable thickness.

There are many methods for soil improvement: microbial, phytotechnology, fertilization, additives, or replacing soil. However, among all these methods, the one truly suited for ancient times might only be fertilization.

Having nothing else to do, Yu Xiaolian patiently explained to Supervisor Liu how to alter soil fertility.

"If conditions allow, it’s best to mix organic fertilizers into the soil, such as pig manure, dung fertilizer, cow manure, etc. Using organic fertilizers prevents soil from clumping, and by enhancing soil fertility, it can also improve the soil’s looseness and aeration..."