“That’s excrement, of course! People in this world don’t care about excrement at all; there are no toilets, and most people relieve themselves anywhere.
So the village roads reeked, and Xu Ning took a long time to get used to it after his Transmigration.
However, this wasn’t without its benefits. Xu Ning, at least, didn’t have to worry about finding manure, as his own waste couldn’t possibly supply the nutritional needs for a field of corn.
At the same time, it was also because Xu Ning often dug up these excretions that he was disliked by the entire village; some people would unreservedly spit when they saw him.
Xu Ning didn’t care about this at all. Others laughed at him for being crazy, but he laughed at them for not seeing the truth; they simply didn’t know how delicious excrement was.
No, it was how delicious the corn grown from excrement was.
Soon, the village roads were dug up by Xu Ning, full of pits, and the manure bucket was almost full.
“Xu Ning, I can’t hold any more!” The manure bucket’s somewhat strained voice reached Xu Ning’s ears.
Xu Ning was also ready to go home.
At this moment, the villagers who had been out working also returned and happened to see the pitted road, instantly flaring up in anger:
“Xu Ning, you’re damaging the road again!”
Xu Ning felt guilty and didn’t argue. He picked up the manure bucket and ran off in a flash.
The villagers gnashed their teeth in anger but could do nothing about Xu Ning.
“Hey! That kid’s mind is already broken; he does all sorts of immoral things!”
Xu Ning didn’t go home but carried the manure bucket directly to his field.
However, upon seeing the scene in the field, Xu Ning was completely dumbfounded, feeling his mind go blank.
The once somewhat green land was now completely bare, with only faint traces of the remaining tender corn stalks that had been eaten.
“Moo—”
Just then, a cow’s lowing came from the hillside.
Xu Ning abruptly turned his head to follow the sound and immediately saw several old yellow cows about to disappear over the hillside.
Xu Ning recognized these cows; they belonged to Yu Jialiang’s family, and anger welled up in his heart.
That damned Yu Jialiang clearly let his cows come to eat his corn on purpose; it was just too much.
Just wait, one hundred years east of the river, one hundred years west of the river, one hundred years south of the river, one hundred years north of the river, you’ll get what’s coming to you then.
Immediately, Xu Ning painfully went to check on the corn.
The final result was not optimistic; only four or five corn plants in the entire field were still intact.
These four or five plants had been trampled by the cows, and Xu Ning had propped them back up.
“Master, I hurt!” As soon as the corn was propped up, a pained voice immediately came from it.
Xu Ning gritted his teeth upon hearing it.
After thinking for a moment, Xu Ning asked, “If I transplant you now, can you still survive?”
The reason he asked this was because Xu Ning wanted to transplant them next to his Cottage; if they stayed here, he might end up with nothing.
“Master, given our current condition, transplanting us would result in 100% death!” One of the tender corn plants replied.
It seemed that transplanting was not an option. After much thought, Xu Ning carried his hoe to the mountain and dug up many thorny plants, covering the entire field tightly, leaving only the small section in the middle with corn.
This way, it wouldn’t be so easy for the other party’s cows to enter, and Yu Jialiang wouldn’t bother to move these thorns just for a few corn plants.
After pouring the brought manure, it was already close to dusk.
“When will you upgrade?” Before leaving, Xu Ning couldn’t help but ask.
One of the tender corn plants immediately replied, “Master, with ten more buckets, we should be able to upgrade to mortal-grade mid-rank.”
Xu Ning: “What benefits will there be then?”
Tender corn: “Increased yield, strengthened offspring!”
Xu Ning felt a sense of certainty and also a bit more anticipation after hearing this.
Upon returning home, Xu Ning, having been hungry all night, woke up early and went to the roadside to dig for manure.
As the old saying goes, the early bird gets the worm, or in Xu Ning’s case, the early bird gets the poop. Xu Ning got up early and found many intact pieces, quickly collecting a bucketful.
At this time, other villagers also woke up and prepared to go out to work.
Many villagers, upon seeing what Xu Ning had collected, couldn’t help but show disdain and instinctively spit.
Xu Ning didn’t care about this at all; in his opinion, this wasn’t ordinary manure; this was the manure from Wang Wei’s poems.
After carrying the manure bucket to the field and watering the corn, Xu Ning immediately went to Mei Miaomiao’s house and, with a thick face, began to help her family with chores.
He really had no choice; he hadn’t eaten all day yesterday, and Xu Ning had been woken up by hunger last night.
No matter what, he had to get some food today.
Mei Miaomiao’s father, Mei Erzhu, was a genuine farmer. Although he was reluctant about Xu Ning’s arrival, he didn’t say anything.
However, Mei Miaomiao’s mother couldn’t help but mock, “Oh, isn’t this Xu Ning? Is your family unable to make ends meet again?”
Xu Ning had a very thick skin and didn’t care about dignity. Only those who have experienced hunger know that dignity is not worth mentioning in the face of an empty stomach.
Moreover, he knew in his heart that although Mei Miaomiao’s mother was verbally unforgiving, she always cooked meals for him.
“Um, Aunt Mei, your cooking is so delicious, I always miss it after eating, and I can’t sleep at night!” Xu Ning said, his face full of sincerity.
Mei Miaomiao’s mother, however, didn’t fall for it: “You scholars! You sure know how to talk!”
Mei Miaomiao remained very cold towards Xu Ning, not giving him any good looks.
And so, Xu Ning shamelessly survived another day.
Over the next few days, Xu Ning would collect manure in the morning, water the corn, and then go help Mei Miaomiao with chores to get food.
In a flash, ten days passed, and the corn in Xu Ning’s field, under his continuous watering, underwent its biggest change today.
The corn plants suddenly grew to three or four meters tall. The first ear of corn on them was estimated to be as thick as a thigh, the second ear was also not small, and only the third ear was similar to ordinary corn.
“Did you upgrade today?” Xu Ning couldn’t help but ask.
“Master, we have now reached mortal-grade mid-rank, and we have already transcended the scope of ordinary crops,” one of the corn plants couldn’t help but reply.
“Will you mature early?” Xu Ning asked expectantly again.
“Yes, Master, in a few more days, we will be ripe!” The corn replied again.
Xu Ning: “Then can you exist indefinitely?”
Corn: “No, Master, once our fruits are picked, we will die. Only by reaching mortal-grade high-rank can we transform into trees and exist indefinitely.”
Xu Ning couldn’t help but ponder. With only a few days left, it was clearly impossible to water them until they reached mortal-grade high-rank.
There was nothing to hesitate about; solving the problem of food and clothing was the top priority.
Immediately, Xu Ning directly broke off the first ear of corn from one of the plants and walked home with it.
Speaking of which, it had been a long time since he had eaten boiled corn; he had to savor it today.
As soon as he entered the door, the cleaver’s surprised voice immediately came: “Xu Ning, there’s finally something to eat! Let me chop it first!”