My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 592 Nothing is Useless

Chen Ling said he got his inspiration from witchcraft, and he wasn't just making things up.

From a young age, besides loving to play, he also enjoyed reading folk tales and supernatural stories, including one about "the old man who blessed the rooster".

In other words, an old man surnamed Zhu was very good at raising chickens.

His chickens didn't need to eat grain, yet they grew very well, earning him a lot of money.

He later became an immortal through his amazing chicken-raising skills.

Liu Xiang of the Western Han Dynasty also made a special record of it in his "Biographies of Immortals".

During the Han Dynasty, witchcraft and sorcery were prevalent, and there were countless legends of sorcerers and immortals.

There are many such stories.

But the only one who attained immortality through raising chickens is this "Chicken Master Zhu".

He is a very peculiar existence among all those who have attained immortality.

Chen Ling was deeply impressed by this.

When I was a child, I thought this was the easiest way to become a god.

It's just raising chickens, right? What country kid can't do that?
When he was in middle school, he even secretly tried it himself, just like in the story.

They raise chicks without feeding them grain.

They are specifically fed insects.

I fantasize that by feeding chickens like this, I can become an immortal like the old man who blessed chickens.

If he became a god, he could find or resurrect his mother, and then the family of three would have meat to eat every day, lots of money to spend, and be able to fly around in the sky every day... At that time, his wish was that simple.

So every weekend I would go to the fields and catch a bunch of insects to feed the chickens.

But...

Grasshoppers, crickets, and cabbage worms are fine, but some insects should not be fed to you indiscriminately.

Sometimes, most of the insects that chicks eat in the morning will die by night.

This made him very discouraged.

After his father, Chen Juncai, found out, he scolded him.

They complained that he fed the chicks too much, and they ate them to death.

Chen Ling was just starting junior high school at that time. He had lost his mother and was very sensitive. Even though Chen Juncai hadn't scolded him, his tone was just a bit harsh, but he inexplicably burst into tears.

This left Chen Juncai feeling quite helpless.

So they tried to appease him, and Chen Ling said it wasn't intentional, and then told the story of the Rooster God.

Chen Juncai was both annoyed and amused.

It is said that the method of raising chickens by the old man Zhu Ji was a kind of witchcraft from the Han Dynasty. The reason he became a deity was that food was more important at that time, and people could not afford to eat, so there was nothing to feed the chickens.

The old man who raised so many chickens was amazing because he didn't consume any food. It was as if he had some kind of magical power that allowed him to raise chickens out of thin air, which is why he became a god.

Chen Ling seemed to understand, but not quite.

Ask his father, "Were people in the Han Dynasty so stupid? Didn't they know to feed chickens insects when there was no grain?"

His father explained that even with insects, it would be impossible to raise so many chickens, and that people back then were not free; they had to plow and farm every day and didn't have time to catch insects.

Chen Ling later realized that this was also a limitation of the times.

Even this little kid can learn about raising earthworms to feed chickens and ducks and get rich from his elementary school textbook.

Who knew these things in ancient times?
Besides, the Han Dynasty was so far away.

And what his father said was also right. In ancient times, food was of paramount importance. The importance of food and arable land was far greater than that of poultry and livestock.

But this did not prevent a seed from being planted in his heart.

Until, because of the Sun and Moon Grotto, he dreamt of a yellow millet, a dream of his past life.

In the army, we raised chickens and ducks, but at that time we didn't really pay much attention to raising chickens; we mainly raised pigs.

Pig farming is one of the main production activities of the military.

The chickens and ducks were raised by the company itself.

Since they're raising them themselves, and Chen Ling is in charge of it, then it's fine to feed them whatever they want.

He recalled his failed attempt to raise chickens when he was a child, so he experimented with various insects.

By chance, he discovered that there was a type of insect that was better suited for feeding chickens than earthworms.

It can not only help you gain weight, but also effectively prevent chicken plague.

These types of insects are also common.

It's a maggot.

The kind of maggots laid by flies, commonly found in rural latrines and manure piles.

Maggots are strange things.

They can live very well in the most disgusting, filthy, and bacteria-ridden places.

Not only do they not get sick, but they also grow to be fat and strong.

So discard all disgusting factors.

View this calmly and objectively.

Its disease-resistant and antibacterial abilities must be extremely strong.

Moreover, these insects are easy to reproduce and rich in nutrients. Feeding them to chickens can not only prevent chicken plague and keep them healthy, but also help them gain weight quickly.

Is there a better way to raise chickens?

So when Wang Susu prescribed medicine for Shen Jiayi, two of the ingredients were a combination of dried larvae and chicken gizzard lining, she immediately thought of the story of Zhu Jiweng and a series of things that had influenced her.

Feeding chickens maggots can help them gain weight and prevent disease, and the disease-fighting and antibacterial properties of maggots have even greater potential for development.

Insect feed such as those obtained from the droppings of poultry and livestock can also be easily obtained.

Feces also have the value of being used multiple times.

Isn't this a very good paper on animal husbandry?

Aside from his past life in the military, everything else, starting with the story of Zhu Jiweng and how he was inspired later, can be included.

Even his chickens and ducks are well-raised.

With this article, others will naturally start thinking about this kind of thing in the future.

……

Indeed, after having this inspiration, Chen Ling's thoughts flowed smoothly, and the manuscript was completed in just two and a half days.

He even showed it to Zhao Yubao and the other person.

At first, the two old men found Chen Ling's actions disgusting, but then they were greatly shocked, saying that the world is truly wondrous and that there is nothing useless in this world.

Old Zhong even asked whether this thing, which is so effective at fighting disease and bacteria, could be used on humans.

This time, it was Chen Ling's turn to feel disgusted.

Damn it, I can't think about it too deeply.

Fortunately, the lynx returned that day, and Zhao Gang followed closely behind.

Chen Ling went back to the farm to busy himself preparing venison for them.

Stay far away from the two old men.

Zhao Gang left behind many good offspring at the military dog ​​breeding base, and brought over nearly half of them, about ten puppies.

They were all chubby little puppies.

Black, yellow, gray—the little guy crawled all over the farmyard. His father-in-law was overjoyed, picking him up and carrying him one after another.

Seeing so many puppies, Rui Rui got excited and barked and chased them all over the yard.

Some puppies are incredibly brave; when Rui Rui chases other dogs, they chase after her.

Soon, the farm's puppies, seeing how fun it was, also started chasing after it.

In the end, they chased Rui Rui until he was scared.

Terrified, it screamed and ran around, chased by a group of fluffy little fat dogs.

Wang Cunye laughed heartily.

These puppies are with their mother at the shelter. They haven't recognized any owners yet. They're not afraid of people, and their dependence on the big dogs means that when they're tired of playing, they always try to go up to the female puppies on the farm.

These female dogs, still showing maternal instincts, even nursed the little ones when they saw them.

The scene was very warm and loving.

Rui Rui also quieted down, staring at them with her big, clear black and white eyes.

But there is one thing.

The farm's puppies are fierce. With so many puppies mixed together, especially when they are still unfamiliar with each other, it's easy for them to fight over who's the leader.

Don't underestimate a puppy just because it's small and its milk teeth may not seem powerful yet. In severe cases, it can bite other puppies so badly that they become crippled.

This cannot be ignored.

They need constant supervision.

Chen Ling then entrusted this arduous task to his father-in-law.

This was exactly what the old man wanted.

If you say let him manage it, then you should let him raise it for a few more days before selling it.

Chen Ling readily agreed.

As for Zhao Gang, he originally came here to see the puppies at the farm and to see just how good the puppies that Chen Ling had specially kept were.

But after only a couple of glances, I was drawn to the fish tank.

Actually, it was Lynx who wanted to go see it, so he went with him. Once he got there, he never came out again.

"Fugui, you've got a really fancy setup here! So fancy! This fish tank is so big, the fish inside are so beautiful, and the scenery is gorgeous too. It's like a dragon palace..."

Wow, there are sea turtles in here too.

Zhao Gang walked around the fish tank with his hands behind his back, looking at it from all sides. When he saw the pig-nosed turtle, he was extremely surprised.

The lynx laughed and offered no explanation.

Chen Ling said in a serious tone, "That's right, this sea turtle is valuable, and it took a lot of effort to get it back."

"Huh? Doesn't that mean we have to raise them in seawater? They look like baby sea turtles. Can they survive in freshwater?"

Zhao Gang asked curiously.

He was asking from the bottom of his heart.

Chen Ling shook his head: "Then it definitely won't survive. Sea turtles are creatures of the sea, and seawater is salty. Our water definitely won't work. We'll have to add salt when we get back."

"Oh, right, that makes sense."

Zhao Gang nodded in realization.

Upon hearing this, the lynx couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter, tilting its head back and leaning against the fish tank.

"Brother Zhong, what are you laughing at?"

Zhao Gang was puzzled.

"It's nothing, it's nothing, I just suddenly remembered a joke Fugui told..."

The lynx rubbed its eyes, then went to get a fishing net and a small bucket, feeding the fish in the tank with small fish and shrimp.

While feeding it, he said, "Fugui is really amazing. It's one thing to keep a sea turtle alive, but he can also keep a chubby mouth turtle alive."

The mandarin fish, also known as the peach blossom fish, will die very quickly if it is taken out of flowing water.

This thing has high requirements for water quality.

Logically speaking, even with such a large fish tank, fish wouldn't survive without flowing water.

But in Chen Ling's tank, the palm-sized peach blossom fish were in particularly good condition, eating actively and displaying beautiful colors.

Chen Ling laughed and said, "Just raise them from a young age, they'll all be the same once they get used to it."

"so fun."

Zhao Gang was still marveling: "I found that when I feed koi and goldfish, I sprinkle the food on the water surface and they all swim to the surface to fight for it. But these fish are different. They not only chase each other for small fish and shrimp, but they also bite them and then turn around and leave... hiding in these water plants to eat."

He spoke as he gazed intently.

That's what raising fish is like; if you raise them well, it's very stress-relieving.

Before I knew it, I was completely absorbed, my attention following the fish swimming around in the tank.

It felt as if my soul had been healed.

If this aquarium is also beautiful and aesthetically pleasing.

I could spend an entire day in front of the tank and not find it boring at all.

"Fugui, when I leave, please catch some for me. I love these little fish so much."

Zhao Gang rubbed his hands together, his face full of anticipation: "Well, how about you calculate the money from selling the puppy? I'll take a smaller share, okay?"

Chen Ling was speechless upon hearing this.

Turns out this guy really doesn't know anything about fish.

"Old Zhao, these fish aren't worth much. They're just fish caught from the river outside. If you want some, I'll catch a few more for you to take back with you when you leave."

Zhao Gang was indeed surprised: "Huh? There are some outside? Are these all wild fish? Wild fish can be this beautiful?"

Seeing the strange expressions on Chen Ling's and the other person's faces.

He scratched his forehead and chuckled, "I've never been able to tell the difference between fish since I was a child. Apart from goldfish and koi, I call all the wild fish in the river 'carp'."

The lynx thought to himself, "No wonder," and said with a smile, "Brother Zhao, you don't know, the fish are secondary. The main thing is that if the fish tank looks good, any fish in it will look good."

This sentence was like a wake-up call.

Zhao Gang's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands hard: "That makes sense! My house is big enough to fit a large fish tank."

"That's easy. We'll have Fugui build the scenery for you. He's itching to get his hands dirty right now," Mountain Cat laughed.

Chen Ling laughed along, and was just about to say that he wanted to find a glass factory to customize a fish tank, and that Zhao Gang and the others could go and get a fish tank to try out since they were free.

Before he could even speak, someone outside called out to him.

"Fugui, Fugui, Uncle Cunye, is Fugui at home...?"

"Good heavens, where did you get so many puppies? You've really struck it rich."

"..."

"Fugui, it's good that you're home. We have something to discuss with you."

"You guys tell me what's up, I happen to be free today."

As Chen Ling walked out, he took out cigarettes and offered them to the men. They seemed quite eager, and after taking the cigarettes, they didn't even bother to light them before whispering to Chen Ling about what they had discovered while watching the greenery over the past two days.

Chen Ling was taken aback after hearing this: "A rabbit plague? Lynx, I remember you left the rabbit net at the dogfighting arena in your car, did you bring it with you?"

"I brought it, I brought it, it hasn't moved in the car. What's wrong, are you going to the mountains to catch rabbits?"

The lynx quickly ran out, not paying any attention to the messy nets. He never expected they would come in handy so soon after arriving in the village.
(End of this chapter)