Chapter 8 Brick Firing

Today when I got up early, the fog was thick between the hills, but the sky was clear and sunny. Standing at the doorway and stretching, I breathed in the fresh scent of grass and trees, feeling light-hearted. This farm's scenery is beautiful; it used to be a tourist spot.

After breakfast, I first channeled some superpower into the potted sweet potatoes to promote their growth.

I took the seedlings and checked on the fields; the rice paddies were ready for transplanting. With the weather heating up quickly, I needed to work fast. With the superpower safeguard, there weren't major concerns about the survival rate.

Rolling up my trouser legs, I got down to transplanting. Today's focus was to finish the rice paddies—other tasks could wait if I managed my time well.

Spring plowing and sowing were all about timing; once I finished this task, there was less rush.

While transplanting, I thought about digging up some soil to make green brick embryos. I needed to stockpile more bricks to fire a cave kiln in one go; waiting three days was too time-consuming.

I worked efficiently today, finishing the rice paddy by noon and only getting to lunch at three in the afternoon. In the latter part of the day, I planned to plant sweet potatoes.

I made do with a quick bite to eat, then rested for a while before going back to the shack with baskets to carry the sprouted sweet potatoes. After running back and forth two or three times, it felt like enough.

I used the direct insertion method for planting sweet potatoes, with a planting depth of around ten centimeters to ensure rapid growth.

After planting, the sweet potatoes grew the fastest compared to other methods. The direct insertion method also reduced the soil area used, greatly increasing land utilization.

To ensure high yields, I had to guarantee a good sprouting rate. For the next two months after planting, I would have to provide daily superpower—no slacking allowed—to ensure a high sprouting rate and in turn, a larger harvest.

I kept busy until past ten at night before finishing planting sweet potatoes over five acres. Potatoes and sweet potatoes each took five acres to secure production; the rest could be less.

Back home, I let out a long sigh of relief after a busy day. I changed and washed my clothes—it could all wait until morning.

I didn't feel like cooking tonight, feeling a bit weary. I threw some potatoes and sweet potatoes in the stove to eat; those had been planted, leaving the rest to consume.

As the potatoes steamed on the stove, I sat by the fire and washed my clothes while taking the opportunity to bathe myself.

No vegetables tonight, and I wouldn't do any tiring work—less food to eat then.

I picked up the carrying pole and baskets, dug up some sticky clay, and also collected some yellow soil on my way back, useful for firing some pottery jars.

Actually, both yellow mud and sticky clay work, depending on what you use them for.

Sticky clay is better for sealing, not breathable, while yellow mud, having relatively coarser particles, is more permeable and suitable for growing flowers and such.

I planned to make various shapes of jars and pots with both types of clay—casseroles, basins, etc. The household lacked enough bowls and basins, so firing some jars would save on purchases, and the extras could be used for planting vegetables, flowers, or seedlings.

I also made some green brick embryos with sticky clay and let them dry on the side.

Only after finishing everything did I go to sleep, ending another busy day.

Getting up early as usual, I washed up, made breakfast, and gave superpower to the potted plants before heading to the fields, supplying superpower to the newly planted rice, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Then I started planting corn.

Keeping busy for the better part of a month, by early March, the weather had warmed up, making single-layer clothes too hot. Eight acres of corn, with five acres left for vegetables, and still more land to clear later.

I would need to clear a few more acres for sorghum, dry rice, and highland barley, planning to plant fruit trees and wheat straw afterwards—cattle and sheep need wheat straw.

The next task was planting vegetables. Today I first infused the fields with superpower, then started planting. I began with various kinds of radishes, meticulously planning the layout, and also decided to plant tomatoes, which are tasty and bring a good price.

After planting one acre of radishes and one acre of cabbage, I put down two acres of chili peppers and rapeseed. I'll plant the leafy greens tomorrow. Rapeseed can be used for oil, eliminating the need to buy it.

Today, I wanted to check the forest for any worthwhile fruits to dig up and bring home.

After finishing my chores, I grabbed a simple bite of potatoes and sweet potatoes before heading up the mountain with a bamboo basket on my back.

The air in the mountains was fresh, a few degrees cooler than below.

The grasslands were lush and vibrant, if only the crops grew with such vigor. Trees towered into the clouds, and only through the gaps in the canopy could you glimpse the blue sky, the sunshine casting pale gold upon the grass.

As she walked, she used her superpower to scan the surroundings; some trees were abnormal, while others were normal.

Some trees had withered away, their branches snapping easily upon bending. She took out her ax and began to chop some of the dry branches, planning to bundle them and take them back for firewood.

Before long, she had chopped a large bundle of dry branches and tied them with readily available white vine to make them easier to carry down the mountain.

There were also plenty of white vines and red vines here, which could be used to make wicker furniture. She planned to chop some and take them back to weave a few baskets.

She did not actually know how to make wicker furniture—she would have to ask if anyone at the base knew how.

As she walked, she came across brilliantly vibrant and radiant yellow flowers.

Li Pan ran over excitedly, looking at the wild grass, "Senna leaves."

She held the senna leaves carefully and felt them; they were indeed positive, cooling, clearing the bowels, acting as laxatives, and providing excellent treatment for constipation and food stagnation.

"This is great, there's quite a lot of them. I can bring them back to the base to sell."

She quickly took out a knife and cut all the senna leaves, placing them into her basket to bring back. Once dried and cleaned, she could sell them at the base's pharmacy for points and money.

She filled her basket nearly to the brim before she stopped—the distance was filled densely with even more plants.

Looking at her belongings, she couldn't carry any more, so she decided to head back first.

She returned with a large bundle of firewood, a small bundle of white vine to weave a few baskets, and the harvested medicinal materials, senna leaves.

Back at her shack, she took out a winnowing basket and sat down to strip the grass from the senna leaves, spreading them in the basket to dry.

Today, she would make something delicious. These past few days, she had been busy with sowing and had been neglecting her meals; she couldn't take it much longer.

She cut some green leafy vegetables with her scissors to stir-fry, and there was also a smoked wild chicken left; she cut half to stew and decided to eat rice cooked with sorghum today.

She prepared a lavish meal to reward herself for the hard work of sowing these past days.

Next, she would finish sowing the remaining vegetables on a few acres of land and then clear ten more acres for planting sorghum and dry rice. Wheat was not urgent, still early in the season.

She made more green bricks before going to sleep.

After two busy days of planting three acres of vegetables, ensuring a rich variety of species, she finally had a moment to spare. All she had to do was to go to the fields in the morning and evening to supply superpower for inspection and weed—it wasn't demanding. She dedicated two or three days solely to making green bricks and clay pots.

Early this morning, she started the brick firing process, which required three days of continuous kiln operation; she couldn't leave it unattended for long periods due to temperature control.

After using up all her superpower in the fields, she began to build the kiln. She had seen others do it before but had never tried it herself. She wasn't sure if it would be difficult, but it was worth a shot—the clay was free, and there was nothing to lose if she failed.

She fired a batch of clay pots first, along with flower pots and cooking bowls, to get a feel for the process.

Out of two kilns, she used wood fire, and while some failed, a few turned out well except for two large bowls that had noticeable cracks and couldn't be used—a pity. The rest were in good condition, a worthy gain.

She took the well-fired pots inside and arranged them; after a wash, they would be ready to use.

Next, she began to fire the green bricks. She had just started the fire and had to let it burn for a while—she went to prepare a meal, making rice, steamed smoked fish, and stir-fried spicy peppers.

After eating, she went to the fields to check on them and transfer her superpower, unwavering in her daily routine, to avoid any waste.

On her way back, she caught two wild chickens and picked up a dozen wild eggs. There were plenty of eggs at home, already a few hundred in stock. She decided to pickle some fresh eggs—without refrigeration, the eggs would spoil in the heat.