In the afternoon, Han Dazhu led five or six young men to dig pits and build latrines. The others were taken by Zhao Ba and Li Dashan to clear the wasteland. Si Boyan and Si Beishu went along as well. They did not know how to farm, but they were willing to learn. Zhao Ba told them that the first step in clearing wasteland was "burning the wild."
Now that spring had arrived, the grass was withered and yellow, and a single spark could burn the wasteland clean. The ash left behind from the burned grass and wood would act as fertilizer for the crops. Some seeds would yield a harvest just by being scattered, while others only needed the soil to be loosened slightly before sowing. Si Boyan, Si Beishu, and the others listened intently. After explaining, Zhao Ba began to mark out the boundaries, but Si Boyan raised a concern: wouldn't it be dangerous if the fire got too big and ignited the mountain? The psychological trauma from the last wildfire had not yet faded.
Zhao Ba chuckled. As seasoned farmers, they had plenty of ways to handle it and wouldn't let such a thing happen. "This afternoon, we’ll clear a perimeter of trees and weeds around the base of the mountain to ensure the fire doesn't spread upward. Don't worry, Brother Boyan, we aren't foolish enough to let that happen."
Chapter 235