Chapter 362 The Caravan Returns

Chapter 362: The Caravan Returns

Sui Yu asked the Horse Supervisor to deliver five cotton plants infected with rust disease. She cleared a patch of radishes from her small vegetable garden and planted the five diseased cotton plants there.

Before planting the cotton plants, Sui Yu instructed Erhei to prepare a large basin of wood ash solution and soak the cotton plants in it for about as long as it takes to drink a cup of tea. Wood ash is alkaline and can, to some extent, kill pathogens.

While the cotton plants were soaking, the clerk who had delivered them remained and inquired, "Ma’am, what’s the purpose of this?"

"Wood ash is what’s left after burning—it’s clean and free of insect eggs. It can even be used to wash clothes, which shows it has germ-killing properties. I’m testing whether it can kill the pathogens on the cotton plants," Sui Yu explained half-heartedly. In truth, she wasn’t entirely sure either, only knowing that wood ash is alkaline and might have some germ-killing effect.

"The cotton leaves aren’t infested with insects, and the roots aren’t rotten. This disease likely has little to do with pests or watering—it might be due to a lack of fertilizer," Sui Yu added.

"Then why is it that in the same field, some cotton plants are diseased while others are perfectly healthy? Could it be that half the field was fertilized and the other half wasn’t?" the clerk questioned her.

Sui Yu shrugged. "That’s a question you should ask the landowner, not me. As far as I know, uncultivated wasteland wouldn’t be fertilized. But there’s also the possibility that when manure is scarce, only two or three rows in a field might be fertilized. You should know this better than I do."

The clerk suddenly understood and apologized, "I forgot to consider that."

Sui Yu softened her tone and advised, "Cotton is newly introduced to the Han Dynasty, and any diseases it develops are unfamiliar to us. Without any leads, the only way to minimize losses is to uproot and burn the infected plants. For now, we can only eliminate unrelated factors one by one. Crops depend on soil, water, fertilizer, and sunlight. So far, water and sunlight seem fine, so we focus on soil and fertilizer. The cotton plants have already been transplanted, so both soil and fertilizer conditions have changed. Now it’s just observation and experimentation."

Her son, holding Xiao Hua, stood outside the vegetable garden and listened intently. After careful thought, he asked, "If wood ash solution can kill pathogens, can it also kill cotton pests?"

Sui Yu perked up. "I’m not sure. You could try mixing wood ash solution and testing it."

The boy nodded eagerly. "Mother, I’ll help you take care of these five diseased cotton plants."

Sui Yu agreed with a smile.

After planting the cotton plants, Sui Yu piled wood ash around the roots of three plants and watered them, leaving the other two untreated. Then came careful observation.

Three days later, the newly sprouted leaves on all five cotton plants showed no rust spots. The boy was excited and wanted to report the news to the Agricultural Bureau’s clerks in the city, but Sui Yu stopped him, telling him to observe for five more days.

Almost overnight, the two without wood ash developed rust spots on their new leaves, and the cotton bolls were also covered in rust.

Three days after that, the boy came inside with a shovel, dejected. "Mother, the new leaves on the cotton plants treated with wood ash also developed rust disease," he said listlessly.

Sui Yu gave a noncommittal ‘Hmm’ and motioned for him to come closer, fanning him with a palm-leaf fan. "Even when people get sick, they don’t recover completely after just one dose of medicine, much less plants. They don’t have doctors to diagnose them, so we don’t even know if the wood ash treatment is the right remedy. Be patient, observe more, and if it doesn’t work, try something else. If medicine doesn’t help, try acupuncture or poultices. At least, give them time to fight the pathogens."

The boy took the fan and began fanning his mother and sister. "I went to check the house across the river. The ground has been leveled, and as you instructed, the workers have laid a pebble path in the yard. The next step is transplanting trees. Once that’s done, we can move in."

Sui Yu nodded. "What has your uncle been up to lately? Running around in this heat?"

"Pretending to run a household," the boy giggled. "That’s what he said."

"What?" Sui Yu guided Xiao Hua’s hand down. "Sit still. Your brother is tired—don’t ask him to hold you."

"The first batch of silkworms hatched this spring have spun their cocoons. Uncle went out to collect them," the boy said, waving the fan vigorously. He grabbed Xiao Hua’s chubby fingers and playfully nibbled them before tossing the fan aside and running off.

Xiao Hua let out an indignant "Ah!" and thrust her hand in front of her mother’s face, demanding attention.

"Hmm? What’s wrong? Did you suck your fingers again?" Sui Yu played dumb, wiping the drool away with a handkerchief. "Come here for a kiss. Xiao Hua is adorable, and so are her fingers."

Xiao Hua bought it, happily swinging her legs and playing with her chubby fingers.

By evening, the scorching sun had set, and the outdoors grew much cooler. Sui Yu carried Xiao Hua outside and ran into Sui Liang, who was sweating buckets and carrying a stuffed cloth sack.

"Sister, Xiao Hua," Sui Liang greeted them.

"Out in this heat all day? You didn’t even take a nap—you bolted after lunch," Sui Yu said, giving him a once-over before noticing the sack. "Don’t tell me you were out collecting cocoons?"

Sui Liang gave a sheepish grin and said, "I have an idea to earn some cash I want to try out."

"Great! Do you need funds? I’ll support you," Sui Yu said excitedly, pleased that Sui Liang had taken an interest in something.

Sui Liang waved his hand. "No need, I’ve got money saved up."

Sui Yu stepped aside and said, "Go on in."

Later, she carried Xiao Hua to check on the five diseased cotton plants. She noticed Xiao Zai and Da Zhuang sitting under the mulberry tree working on something. Upon closer inspection, she saw several jars and pots placed beside them—some containing mashed herb paste, others filled with insects, earthworms, and cotton pests.

Sui Yu watched silently and sat on the mulberry roots to catch the breeze.

"Xiao Zai, did you take my tung oil?" Sui Liang hurried out to ask, but upon seeing Sui Yu, he cut himself off mid-sentence.

"I only scooped a small spoonful," Xiao Zai replied. "I didn’t touch the rest."

Sui Yu looked between the uncle and nephew before looking away with a quiet chuckle. She was curious to see what big idea the two would come up with.

After finishing the herb paste, Xiao Zai went to the kitchen to grab a handful of peppercorns and continued mashing. Finally, he asked Sui Yu for the key to the warehouse, fetched a handful of mugwort, and soaked it in water.

When night fell, Da Zhuang carried an oil lamp into the small vegetable garden. Xiao Zai brought over the concoctions he had prepared that afternoon—water mixed with wood ash, mulberry leaf water, persimmon leaf water, peppercorn water, mugwort water, soybean oil, and tung oil—and brushed each of the five diseased cotton leaves with these foul-smelling mixtures. Whether they worked or not, the flies and mosquitoes were the first to flee from the pungent odors.

Sui Yu quietly observed Sui Liang and Xiao Zai busying themselves day after day. By the end of the month, white cotton bolls appeared in the fields—harvest time had arrived.

When the first basket of cotton was brought back, Sui Liang immediately took ten pounds of cotton bolls, keeping only the lint and discarding the seeds. After taking the lint, he locked himself away in an empty guest room, working diligently.

"Master, we’re too busy picking cotton to spare any effort catching pests. Tomorrow, I’ll hire some laborers to help," Er'hei reported to Sui Yu.

Considering the workload of the cotton growers—each tending four or five acres, occupied with picking, separating, and drying cotton—Sui Yu realized they had no time left for pest control.

"Fine, same pay as before, including two meals," Sui Yu agreed. "How many laborers this time?"

"Fifty."

"Alright, I’ll tell Cui Sao to prepare meals for fifty more people," Sui Yu said.

Meanwhile, Horse Agricultural Supervisor Hu Ansui sought out Censor Hu, pleading for another five hundred slaves to work the fields. With the cotton harvest in full swing, the growers could no longer manage pest control. Just a few days of neglect had led to a surge in cotton pests, leaving the bolls severely damaged.

Censor Hu naturally didn’t obstruct the request. Laborers from road construction, young slaves from land reclamation, and even spare cattle herders were reassigned to the task.

"Madam, the Commandant’s residence is complete. Please come inspect it," an official reported early one morning at Changgui Inn. He explained, "Horse Agricultural Supervisor demanded more slaves for the fields, and Censor Hu allocated five hundred. But it wasn’t enough—he asked for another five hundred. With slaves now in short supply, and this construction work finished, I’ll redirect these laborers to pest control."

Sui Yu didn’t object. She followed the official to tour the residence—the gravel paths were laid, trees planted, and remaining piles of mud cleared. Only furniture and beds remained to be moved in before it was ready for occupancy.

"The residence is well-built. I have no complaints," Sui Yu said without criticism. "You’ve worked hard these days. Coincidentally, with the cotton harvest, Master Du from the weaving workshop sent me two new cotton quilts. Take one back for your elders."

The official smiled gratefully. "Many thanks, Madam."

Sui Yu instructed A’shui and Da Zhuang to bring the quilts. Glancing at the laborers packing their tools, she said nothing more.

After the official left with the quilt and the laborers, Sui Yu locked the residence, planning to move in after Zhao Xiping returned and they chose an auspicious date.

"Mother—!" Xiao Zai waved excitedly. "Come look! The five diseased cotton plants are sprouting cotton too, and the rust spots on the leaves have reduced!"

Truthfully, the leaves were nearly bare—the five plants couldn’t muster twenty leaves between them—but the rust spots had indeed diminished, with almost none visible on the new growth.

Sui Yu wasn’t sure whether the plants had recovered from the added nutrients or Xiao Zai’s persistent care, but she praised him nonetheless: "Your perseverance paid off. I’d given up, but you saved these plants. When Commandant Zhao returns, I’ll recommend you for recognition."

Xiao Zai said playfully, "This young man thanks the Madam."

Sui Yu suppressed her curling lips and asked, "What cured the rust on the cotton plants?"

The kid hesitated, unsure himself.

"Write down your method. When your father returns, have him report it to the authorities."

The kid grew even more uneasy. He lowered his eyes, his mind racing, and humbly said, "Maybe not? This might just be luck. If the cotton plants get rust again next year, I’ll try my method once more and see which liquid works best."

"Write down everything you used this year so you don’t forget next time," Sui Yu reminded him.

"I know, I’ve written it down." The kid ran inside and brought out a roll of hemp cloth. "Mother, look."

Sui Yu glanced at the cloth briefly before folding it again. "You took the wrong one. Isn’t this your uncle’s?"

The kid was startled. He quickly unfolded it and realized it was indeed his uncle’s notes.

Embarrassed, he put it back in place and fetched his own notes.

"Mother, can you keep this a secret? Don’t tell my uncle. He wants to surprise you," the kid pleaded.

Sui Yu nodded. "Alright, I won't tell."

"Have you already guessed what my uncle is working on?"

Sui Yu denied it.

The kid’s notes were messy, but they did contain his own observations and thoughts. After reading through them, Sui Yu told him to keep them safe.

"Can ash water kill cotton pests?" she asked.

The kid shook his head. "It wouldn’t kill the big ones, and once the cotton bolls open, ash water can’t be used anymore—it would stain the cotton."

"You could try sprinkling it on the soil around the roots to stop eggs from hatching," Sui Yu suggested.

"I’ll try that." The kid immediately noted it down, muttering, "Growing crops is tricky. There’s so much to learn. If only crops could talk."

Suddenly, camel bells rang in the wind. Sui Yu tilted her head to listen. "Which caravan is coming through the pass so early?"

It was her own caravan—the Sui and Song families' joint caravan that had left the pass last August had returned.

Song Xian and Lvya’er brought the caravan straight to the northern part of the city. Sui Yu was shocked to see Song Xian. After a year, Song Xian looked much older, with white streaks running through her black hair, making her appear weary.

"Elder Sister Song, you’ve lost weight. This trip must have been hard on you," Sui Yu said with concern.

Song Xian smoothed her hair and replied, "The summer desert crossing was brutal. From Loulan to Dunhuang, we were drinking nonstop but hardly eating. How could I not lose weight? You’ve given birth? Is it a girl or a boy?"

"A little girl. Her formal name is Mingcan, and we call her Xiao Hua." Sui Yu poured her a bowl of water. "Xiao Hua is sleeping now. When she wakes up, I’ll bring her out for you to see, though she's nothing extraordinary—she looks about seventy or eighty percent like her brother did as a baby."

"You've got a knack for this—both children take after you," Song Xian laughed.

Lvya’er came in from unloading. She pulled out a beeswax bracelet and said, "This is a welcome gift for my little sister."

Sui Yu exclaimed, "Wow! This is too generous! Young innkeeper Song, did you make a fortune on this trip?"

Lvya’er grinned and nodded. "Thanks to your guidance, the padded jackets and quilts we took last year sold for a good price."

"Don’t worry about me—go check your own goods," Song Xian said.

Sui Yu wasn’t in a hurry. She sat down and asked, "Did you encounter any problems on this trip?"

"We ran into bandits trying to rob us. After leaving Loulan, on our way to Yuli, we encountered bandits who wanted our cotton quilts," Lvya'er said indignantly.

"Our goods caught some eyes while we were selling in Loulan. When we left, some local thugs followed us," Song Xian added. "Fortunately, our two merchant groups had enough people. We held our own—fighting and running until we got close to Yuli, where we met an envoy. After that, the bandits scattered."

"Were any of you injured?" Sui Yu asked.

"Three of my household servants died, and two of yours were wounded—Sancao and Qingshan. One hurt his arm, the other his back," Song Xian replied. "Five bandits died, so I’d say we came out ahead."

"I’ll go see them." Sui Yu stood up. "You two go ahead and eat, drink, and rest up first. Your old guest room from last year’s still there, with all your stuff inside."

Song Xian thanked her.

As Sui Yu stepped outside, she heard a child crying next door. She veered into the courtyard, and the crying stopped. Xiao Chunhong came out holding Xiao Hua.

"Here, I’ll take her. Our merchant group has returned—go take a look," Sui Yu said, patting Xiao Hua’s belly. "Hungry? No? Then let’s go check out what the merchants hauled back."

Entering the guest quarters, Sui Yu spotted Qingshan. She studied him and asked, "Was it your back or your arm that was injured?"

"My back. Got slashed by a bandit, but it’s all healed up—no big deal," Qingshan replied.

"Get yourselves to a doctor in town soon—you too, Sancao," Sui Yu instructed. "What treasures did you bring back? Let me see."

"Master, check this out! We traded for five chests of jade and jewelry!" Xiao Chunhong exclaimed excitedly, opening a chest that instantly filled the room with brilliance.

"Is this the little mistress? She’s fair—this fox fur would look great on her," Xiao Xi said, pulling out a pristine white fox pelt from a fur chest.

Sui Yu noticed tiger pelts and red fox furs in the chest. She crouched to examine them and remarked, "These furs are top-notch."

"All high-quality stuff—we got ’em from Parthian merchants," Zhang Shun chimed in.

"What else?"

Li Wu carefully opened a large wooden crate. "These are big slabs of colored glass. They’d look gorgeous in window frames—letting light in while sprucing things up. The moment I saw them, I knew they’d be perfect for our warehouse."

The warehouse had many windows, so these three panes wouldn’t be enough, but they’d be ideal for the new residence.