Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

Chapter 1352: Subordinate Dog

Shen Zheng's gaze was fixed on the big yellow dog until it leaped off the ridge and disappeared into the haystack.

"You want to get a dog?" Yu Shizhang asked.

Before Shen Zheng could look away, he continued, "This dog is too big. How about we get a smaller one? There's a breed of dog in the capital that's small, with a short nose, flat face, and long, fluffy fur. It looks like a lion and is gentle and affectionate. If you want to get one, I'll have Zheng Qing find one for you."

"A pet dog?" Shen Zheng shook her head.

Only those with free time are fit to keep pets, but at this moment she was "too busy to take care of herself," so how could she spare any energy to look after the little guy?

After thinking for a moment, she asked, "My lord, do some military camps keep guard dogs? What breed are they?"

"Guard dogs?" Yu Shizhang pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "That's right! We can keep a few guard dogs at the county government office. That way, if there's any disturbance at night, they can bark a few times to give us an early warning!"

"Keeping him in the government office?" If Yu Shizhang hadn't mentioned it, Shen Zheng really wouldn't have thought of that.

But upon closer examination, it seems that county government offices these days could indeed be equipped with a few police dogs.

Firstly, although there are constables on duty at the county government office after nightfall, no one is perfect and there will inevitably be times when they are tired or negligent. However, if they are accompanied by naturally alert dogs on night watch, the government office can be more vigilant and less likely to be in danger.

Secondly, police dogs are so impressive! Taking them out for walks now and then can both deter thieves and bring honor to the county government.

It's a win-win situation!

“Most of the guard dogs in the army are those white-haired, red-nosed dogs,” Yu Shizhang said. “I’ve heard that these dogs can see in all directions and hear in all directions, and they have a very keen sense of smell, making them extremely good at tracking.”

Red nose and white hair?

A picture flashed through Shen Zheng's mind, and she pressed, "Is this dog long-haired? How big is it...?"

She lifted the car curtain and pointed in the direction where the big yellow dog had disappeared: "It's smaller than the dog from before, but not by much."

Yu Shizhang thought for a moment, then nodded in slight surprise: "You've seen this dog before?"

Shen Zheng smiled faintly.

I've never seen it in this life, but I've seen it in my past life.

The Xiasi Dog—with its red nose, white fur, tiger-like head, cat-like ears, pig-like snout, and sword-like tail—is renowned in China for its hunting, village protection, and granary guarding abilities, making it a world-class hunting dog.

To Shen Zheng's surprise, the Xia Si dogs, which were only bred in large numbers in the Zhu family in her previous life, were now being trained and used in the military camps of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

It seems the heavens are determined to scatter the dead.

Suppressing a smile, she said, "I've heard of it. Sir, I wonder if this dog is hard to find?"

Yu Shizhang smiled and said, "To others, this dog may be hard to find, but to us, it's easy."

As he spoke, he lifted the carriage curtain and pointed in the direction of Fuzhou: "The garrison in Fuzhou has raised quite a few of these dogs. I heard that... a couple of years ago, they even held a 'dog show' to select the best dogs for breeding. At that time, many people in the court laughed at them, saying that they were 'people who had nothing better to do than mate dogs.'"

Shen Zheng was surprised by the vision and courage of the garrison in Fuzhou.

"They've even started holding police dog competitions..." she murmured.

The garrison in Fuzhou is truly at the forefront of the world.

"What?" Yu Shizhang didn't hear clearly.

“The garrison in Fuzhou is quite formidable.” Shen Zheng thought for a moment, “Lord, if I remember correctly, General Ningyuan, who commands the garrison in Fuzhou… is a former subordinate of General Lin?”

Yu Shizhang clapped his hands: "That's right. This man is loyal and righteous, and always listens to Old Man Lin. Let's ask him for a few first. If he is unwilling to part with them, you can just write a letter to Old Man Lin."

Shen Zheng rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment.

Although she had the connection with General Lin, she didn't want to antagonize General Ningyuan over a few guard dogs.

"How about this," she thought for a moment, "we can trade them our binoculars—one guard dog for...two binoculars. What do you think? Wouldn't that be a bit stingy?"

After all, a telescope is an inanimate object, but a puppy is a real life.

Seeing the conflicted look on her face, Yu Shizhang quickly said, "Where are you being stingy? If I were Ning Yuan, I'd be eager to get the dog bred again... Oh, never mind that. Anyway, trading one dog for two binoculars is a win for them!"

As he spoke, he immediately opened the small drawer and took out paper, pen, and inkstone.

“Write to Ningyuan right now and tell him how many dogs his garrison in Fuzhou has, and we’ll take just as many!”

Looking at the ink gradually thickening in the inkstone, Shen Zheng was slightly taken aback: "Is...it in such a hurry?"

While grinding ink, Yu Shizhang said, "Some things need to be done urgently. It concerns your safety. It can't be delayed for even an hour, let alone two or three days!"

The carriage slowly passed the dock, and the outside gradually became noisy.

Through a corner of the carriage curtain, Shen Zheng saw rows of boats, stacks of goods, merchants hurrying to and fro, and Tong'an County residents who were always smiling and chatting with others.

This prosperity did not come easily.

She must protect it.

Let the first drug-sniffing dog of the Great Zhou Dynasty be born in Tongan County!

"Write! Write now!"

She rolled up her sleeves, grabbed the envelope, dipped her brush in ink, and wrote: "To General Ningyuan."

......

After the letter was finished, the hustle and bustle of the dock gradually faded behind the carriage.

Fifteen minutes later, the carriage left the dirt road, and the wheels rolled over the gravel and yellow mud, making the carriage bump more.

Another fifteen minutes passed, and then there was complete silence around us.

Birds chirped, leaves rustled, streams murmured, and carriages came to a stop one by one.

Shen Zheng and Yu Shizhang got out of the car, and Mu Ruojue also stepped out of the car behind them.

The mudflats were wide and open, leaving Su Yan and the other county soldiers with nowhere to hide. They were at a loss and all looked at Shen Zheng.

"Just keep watch around here," Shen Zheng said. "If anyone comes over, persuade them to leave."

"Yes!"

Upon receiving the order, the county soldiers immediately became extremely vigilant, keeping a close watch on all directions.

Mu Ruojue unloaded the three wooden crates from the car.

He moved slowly and deliberately. Yu Shizhang, seeing this, became very curious and asked Shen Zheng, "What's in the box? We're already here, so stop keeping me in suspense."

Shen Zheng led him to the wooden box, opened it one by one, and pointed to the pottery jars, saying, "Sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal powder."

Yu Shizhang's nostrils twitched slightly.

This taste...

After a moment's thought, he looked at Mu Ruojue and said, "You've been smelling like this lately. What exactly are you two up to?"

Mu Ruojue pursed her lips and did not answer, then took a box and a case off the carriage.

"Anything else?" Yu Shizhang was completely confused.

The box was opened, and inside were bamboo tubes of various sizes.

The box was opened, and inside were some green things...

Yu Shizhang took out a thread, held it to his nose and smelled it: "A cotton thread wrapped in rice paste?"

Shen Zheng nodded: "Lord, the moment to witness a miracle has arrived."

Yu Shizhang felt that this sentence sounded familiar.

The last person to talk to him seemed to be Shen Zheng as well.

Looking at the sulfur and other powders in the pottery jar, he was completely baffled.

Individually, saltpeter can generate cold, charcoal powder can start a fire, and sulfur can repel insects.

But... what effect would it have if these three things were mixed together?

Could it be...?

Generating Yin Fire?