act31side

You don't look disappointed at all.

No point trying to rush things. We take them one step at a time.

Twenty-five percent remains the critical line. Plant survivability drops off precipitously once soil Originium activity exceeds that level. This applies to both cash crops and cover crops.

Yet the figure remains much lower than the level of natural soil Originium activity in the vast majority of regions...

Thinking about giving up?

No...

I'm just not sure... if this is the only result, then there is no way to expand the application of the <i>Wanqing</i> 'the Ten Thousand Qing of Fertile Fields' project.

All these years, and nothing to show for it... not even a bud of hope.

Fifteen percent.

Twenty-five years ago, that was the critical line that had us stumped.

It took nine generations of crops before we found an Originium-resistant variant in the corner of one of the plates.

You and the Tianshis kept going for this long?

Did you know that people used to fertilize the fields with fluids from the Dahuang Fibrous Slug in order to protect crops from the impact of Originium?

Yes, but it's just folklore. There's no scientific basis to it. Originium doesn't infect plants like it does animals, it only changes the...

Yes, but that's what people in the past came up with when technology wasn't so advanced, the result of coincidence and misunderstanding.

We tried so many different things, just to carve out a little piece of farmland for ourselves. It took generations after generations of trial and error to get agriculture to where it is today.

As you said, the Wanqing project is one where hope is hard to come by.

Perhaps, many years later, people will look back at us the same way as we look back at the ancients who fertilized their fields with Fibrous Slug fluids.

Only one thing is clear, though. Plates on their own can't produce enough food for everyone. People will always go hungry in the remote villages, places where the nomadic city can't reach.

And I'm willing to believe that, one day, we'll break the shackles of Originium, and then we'll truly have The Ten Thousand Qing of Fertile Fields... a certain someone said that to me, once upon a time.

Do you mean...?

Still working in the lab at this hour? The power bills keep piling up.

I-I'm just here to submit some data. I'll be going now!

Oh, Xiaohe. Haven't seen you for a while. Look how tall you've grown! Why don't you stay for dinner?

Er, sorry, I, er, have things to do in the fields. Excuse me.

Why does he always look like he's terrified of me?

You're the big boss of Dahuang. People should be scared of you.

Doesn't mean everyone will listen to me. Isn't the hour a little late to still be working?

Alright, alright, I'll be going.

Cooking soup so late is rather tiring.

Mm, smells good.

Who are you treating? Your sisters? Or that 'relative' of yours who came to visit? What's his name, Zuo Le?

Everyone's working hard in preparation for the summer harvest. This soup is for the hardest worker.

Did you have to poke fun at me before dinner? A little mean, don't you think?

Then bring the bowl over.

Alright.

All my life I've been dealing with things that grow from the soil. Now I have to learn everything about engineering from scratch.

And it's not easy, dealing with the Ministry of Works, arguing all day about the assignment of a few Tianshis. It's even more tiring than farmwork.

Eat up, then. You've definitely lost a few catties.

Sure. Except...

Three huge pieces of rib in one bowl? You're trying to burst my stomach.

Three's plenty. One more and it's going to spill over.

Spilled soup would make a mess, and it's even worse when someone gets burned.

You can put it down if you don't want it.

That won't do. So much effort went into this soup, we can't let it go to waste.

Do you have to talk like that today?

I'm just talking about this bowl of ribs and lian'ou soup.

The ribs come from lovingly raised meatbeasts, while the lian'ou comes from ponds that we dug with our own hands.

This soup represents the efforts of generations of people, and of your efforts all these years. We must not allow what should not be here to ruin this hard-won soil.

After all these years, you...

So many years. I've almost forgotten how I came to know you.

Sometimes I wish I really did. If only you were just a diligent Nongye Tianshi, and me a humble farmer.

But I could never forget. Even if I forgot, someone would help me remember. The scrolls of the Sui Regulator remember. The list of fallen Candleholders remembers.

Say no more.

You know what I mean. What I'm concerned about. Your... 'brother'.

One person can fool another, but no one can fool time. It took me the better part of my lifetime to come to trust you. I don't have the time left to trust another.

He shouldn't have come back at a time like this, Shu.

Don't make things difficult for me.

Good evening, Grain Buds.

Inkbrush... why are you standing so far away?

Alright, I promise, I know your book isn't a sketchbook and I won't add faces to the people in it.

(Sketchbook? Does she mean your Record of Martial Combat?)

(My fault.)

(Don't ever let the Grandmaster or Qiubai see it.)

(I know...)

(Although, come to think of it, they might like the cartoonish style...)

Ahem...

Were you looking for me, Grain Buds?

Here, this is for you.

A bracelet?

Weaved from Mianmian's wool. Thank-you gift for bringing him home today.

I didn't do anything... except cause problems.

Well, don't think too much about what Xiaohe said. He's alright most of the time, but he gets all angry and stubborn when it comes to farming. All the young Tianshis he tutors are scared of him.

He's already a Shouye Tianshi?

I think? He takes over Shu's lessons when she's busy. There are so many kinds of Tianshi, I just can't keep track of them.

Say, why are you called Candlestick, anyway?

Candleholder?

Yeah! It's so weird. Nobody uses candles anymore.

The title 'Candleholder' comes from...

Never mind. It means that I'm one of Yan's official Messengers.

Well, mind that you don't accidentally set the letters on fire.

Pfft.

What are you snickering at, sketchbook Inkbrush?

Nothing, Candlestick messenger.

The sky grows dark. The summer breeze brings the fresh scent of the earth.

Insects sing amongst the grass as the stars rise.

There is a figure wandering not far away, and Grain Buds picks it up right away.

Xiaohe! When are you gonna come over?

Are you still angry that I asked you to help get the Tianshis to register the foals?

I'm not angry.

I'm just exhausted after dealing with the foals he brought back.

Oh... do you need to go to bed?

And we need to name the pair. They were found together... I've got an idea! Let's name them Xiaoman like 'Grain Buds' and Xiaohe like 'Grain Stalk'!

No way.

He Sheng sits down on the grass.

Sorry. If you're still angry at me.

I'm not really angry at you...

Candlestick! What is a Messenger like you doing in Dahuang? You're not delivering letters, just playing with us all day.

I made a mistake. Father sent me here to learn.

But I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to learn, or how I'm supposed to learn it.