51 Chapter 51

◎Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi's talents◎

County Magistrate Huang said, "The treacherous Yan family and their clique have been destroyed. The court has petitioned the King of Yanyun to ascend the throne. The ceremony will take place next month."

Cheng Mu asked, "Isn't the Prince's Palace in Yanyun City preparing to relocate now? Will there still be a Prince of Yanyun here in the future?"

County Magistrate Huang shook his head.

Cheng Mu also knew that Prince Yanyun had taken advantage of the opportunity to lead the army here, so how could he give this power to others in the future?

Moving the palace to the capital is a major undertaking, and time is tight; it likely won't be completed in a month or so. They'll definitely go there first to complete the coronation ceremony.

My original family, the Cheng clan, had prospered and would likely move to the capital. Many wealthy families in Yanyun City would also move their entire families to the capital.

It seems that Mr. Song was in a hurry to move out during the first month of the year, and he must have concealed something from her. He must be one of those people who have risen to heaven and can live in the rich and prosperous capital. Who would be willing to stay in the bitter cold of the border?

Cheng Mu only thought in her heart that County Magistrate Huang had made some achievements in Puyang City, and perhaps after the new emperor ascended the throne, he would be recalled to the capital and appointed to office again.

Let’s go, let’s all go, everyone has a bright future.

When County Magistrate Huang heard that Cheng Mu had bought a hundred acres of land, he asked to go and take a look.

Cheng Mu has already learned to ride a horse. Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi are still young and have not grown up yet, but Feixue has grown up. Feixue is now Cheng Mu's mount. She asked Yu to make her a set of riding clothes, which is very convenient to wear when riding a horse, and it is even more convenient to have a horse for transportation.

"In Ping County, there's been a tradition of horse racing since the Tang Dynasty. The horses are unsaddled, and the roads are littered with ash. Your skills are enough for horse racing."

County Magistrate Huang asked with a smile, "Why don't you get a saddle?"

When Mu Yun was around, Cheng Mu never thought about learning to ride a horse. It might be a kind of psychological dependence. When he left her, she wanted to learn to ride a horse first. In this northwestern border, it is difficult to move forward without riding a horse.

Although Feixue was a two-year-old foal, it was already taller than Cheng Mu. When Cheng Mu stood next to it, her eyes could just look straight out from its back.

It was the first time for Feixue to ride a horse, and also the first time for Feixue to be ridden. They put on the saddle, and as soon as they stepped on the pedals, Feixue moved forward. It had never been ridden before and didn't know how to cooperate.

Yu and Gui'er were both afraid of Cheng Mu falling, but Cheng Mu was indeed very determined and asked them to hold Feixue and steady her before she went up. After raising Feixue for a year, they had a good relationship with her. She was not a wild horse with a fierce temper, so it took only one try to get her.

Later, when Gui'er rode Feixue, she gradually stopped using the saddle, saying that it would allow Feixue to better sense the signals from her legs, and then Cheng Mu also stopped using it.

Now the saddle is only used when the sixth and seventh graders are riding.

Even Yu can ride Feixue.

Now there are twenty acres of land dedicated to growing alfalfa, and Cheng Xi also wants to raise two more horses.

Cheng Mu rode on horseback with County Magistrate Huang to take a look around the newly purchased hundred-acre field and told him about her future planting plans.

The idea of ​​harvesting two or three times a year came to Huang Xiancheng's mind. He had this expectation for Cheng Mu's high-yield grain. If planted in the south, rice can be harvested twice a year. Cheng Mu told her that in Qiongzhou, further south, it can be harvested three times a year.

"Later generations of seed breeding were basically done in Qiongya. The abundant sunlight conditions can shorten the breeding cycle. The emergence of a new variety requires six or seven generations of trials. From breeding to variety approval, it takes at least ten years."

As a farmer, the thing I fear most is not having enough time.

Fortunately, it is not a problem for her now.

County Magistrate Huang didn't want her to be restricted by the climate here. "Do you want to go? If you want to breed there, I'll find a way."

"Huh?" Going to Hainan? No need, she has her own space.

"In recent years, the south has suffered from repeated famines. The new emperor has decided to provide a batch of grain relief since his ascension to the throne. The military rations previously transported to the Dingyi Warehouse were mostly collected locally due to the rapid progress of the war, so not much was needed. Now, all of them will be transported to the Central Plains, Hunan, Hubei, and Guangdong for disaster relief."

County Magistrate Huang looked worried. "In comparison, our Yanyun region has abundant grain. Droughts and floods have killed countless people in recent years... Madam Cheng, you have advanced ideas and are dedicated to the people. Could you please go out and see the world and its people?"

"Master Huang, you are too kind." It wasn't that Cheng Mu was selfish. In a dynasty like this, women were deeply oppressed. What could she do in a place with strict etiquette? "This dynasty is full of shackles. The people are ignorant. I am just a woman."

Huang Xiancheng realized that he had been impulsive and said, "Huang is rude."

After County Magistrate Huang left, Cheng Min was also thinking. Faced with County Magistrate Huang's proposal, she hesitated and subconsciously stepped back. Was she really selfish?

She did not have the ambition to help the world. Although she also wanted to use her abilities to benefit the people so that everyone could have enough food to eat, she did not want to put herself in dire straits.

She admired people like Huang Xiancheng in his previous life, who used their lives to light up their faith in the darkness. They were noble and virtuous, but she had always grown up in a peaceful era, and the world had been running on a fair and just track. She might really lack the energy to serve the public.

Maybe... maybe it's because she has no feelings for the Xu Dynasty?

A gentleman will die for his friend. This world belongs to the Xu Dynasty, and it is the Xu Dynasty's responsibility to take care of it. She is not their supporter, so there is no need for her to lead by example.

Take care of yourself first.

After a few days, County Magistrate Huang asked someone to deliver books to Xiaoqi.

Along with the gifts came a letter detailing the books to be learned at each stage, including "Youxue Qionglin," "Qianjia Shi," "Xinglü Qimeng," "Er Ya," and "Shuowen Jiezi." Currently, the books he sent were simple enough for Xiaoqi to learn characters while also learning some social principles. Once he had mastered both character recognition and writing, he could begin "elementary school" and learn phonology and exegesis.

Yu's face was filled with joy. "With the guidance of an accomplished scholar, Xiao Qi will avoid many detours and will surely pass the imperial examination in the future."

This is what Cheng Mu shamelessly asked for when County Magistrate Huang came last time.

Everyone thinks their child is a genius. Yu is more deeply involved than Cheng Mu, at least Cheng Mu is aware of this.

"Let's learn these books first. If Xiaoqi is really a good student, then we can learn the Four Books from a master."

Yu felt that Xiao Qi would be able to finish the study quickly. "Then Madam Cheng can ask Master Huang to come and test him."

Zhao Datian built a bookshelf for Xiaoqi and placed it opposite the kang in the east wing. Yu wiped it again and again and carefully placed the books on it. She used the chicken feathers left over from killing chickens and selected beautiful ones to make a feather duster specifically for the bookshelf.

She warned Xiaoliu, "These are all Xiaoqi's books. Master Huang got them with great difficulty. You must be careful."

In fact, Xiaoliu is not worse than Xiaoqi. She knows everything Xiaoqi can do. Yu didn't think Xiaoliu had any luck.

Cheng Mu hugged Xiaoliu and sighed, "If women could take the imperial examination, our Xiaoliu would definitely be able to pass it."

Xiaoliu held her face and replied seriously: "Mom, Xiaoqi's imperial examination will cost a lot of money. I will earn money to support him."

Cheng Mu laughed, "I have mother here, why should you worry about it? I will support Xiaoqi to take the imperial examination. Whatever you want to do, I will support you. Think about it, what do you want to do?"

"I want my mother to be happy."

Cheng Mu rubbed her and said that her daughter was really a caring little cotton-padded jacket. This was true.

That day, Xiaoliu insisted on going to the town with Guier. Cheng Mu was afraid that it would be unsafe for Guier to take Xiaoliu with her, so she specially asked Li Yu from the back mountain to go along.

After returning from the town, Xiaoliu happily swung a string of copper coins and said, "Mom, look, this is what I earned!"

What? Cheng Xi's eyes lit up. "You earned it? How did you earn it?"

Xiaoliu pursed his lips and smiled secretly. Gui'er tied up the horse and replied, "She was clamoring to go to town to sell her purses. She helped mother sew a dozen purses. The empty ones were ten cents each, and the ones filled with red beans were fifteen cents each. They sold out in no time."

"Oh!" Cheng Mu hugged Xiaoliu and squeezed her hard, "How come you are so resourceful? You went out to make money without telling mother?"

Xiaoliu chuckled, full of pride, "I just wanted to give Mom a surprise for the first time. I won't dare to hide it from Mom in the future."

Cheng Wei scratched her nose and said, "You are only five years old. You are still a child and have no ability to protect yourself. Don't be so careless."

"We have Aunt Gui'er with us, and Li Yu and the others also know Kung Fu. Oh, by the way, Mom," Xiao Liu pulled Cheng Mu over, held her in his little hand, and whispered in her ear, "Li Yu and the others are going to challenge Aunt Gui'er to a duel. They're really powerful now."

Cheng Mu glanced at Gui'er, who was washing her hands. She turned her head away warily, "Xiao Liu, what are you doing?"

"I didn't. I was just talking to my mother in private."

"What whisper?"

"Since it's a whisper, you can't say it so loudly. Besides, I'm talking to Mom, not you."

"You're so sharp-tongued..." Gui'er picked up a handful of water and threw it at Xiaoliu. Xiaoliu quickly ran into Cheng Mu's arms and shouted for his mother to help him.

Gui'er didn't mention the competition to Cheng Mu. Cheng Mu was still observing quietly, wondering if they were going to compete secretly. Soon Sao Hu came to find Cheng Mu.

He scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "We brothers have made great progress in the past two years. We are thinking of challenging Gui'er to a duel. Madam Cheng would be a witness."

Cheng Mu simply said, "You guys want to compete, is Gui'er willing?"

"Please let Madam Cheng decide."

Cheng Mu called Gui'er over and asked, "They want to compete with you. What do you think?"

Guier glanced at the stooping fox and said, "I'm at your service anytime."

Sao Hu asked her, "We're going to do it one by one. Are you getting scared first?"

Gui Er pouted, "Who's afraid? Come one, beat one, come two, beat a pair."

Saohu returned to the hill behind the mountain. Li Yu and the others gathered around him and asked, "How is it? Is it settled?"

Saohu clapped his hand on Li Yu's shoulder and said, "For you, my brothers have exhausted all their energy and efforts. This battle, we can only win, not lose."

"Of course, I won't forget your contribution then."

Li Yu is full of confidence. It is not easy to defeat Guier, but he is no longer the same as before.

Several of them have reached the age of thinking about women. Ever since Li Yu started thinking about women, he has not been able to think about anyone else. It's all because Gui'er teased him first. He has to climb over this mountain. After he had this idea in mind, he has been trained by the Saohu brothers for the past six months. There is no worry about food and drink here. He just builds up his strength. He eats more and grows stronger. Naturally, his strength improves a little bit every day, and it will be a great improvement.

When they went to the town that day, a carriage rushed over. He protected Guier and realized that he might have surpassed her, so he tried to propose a competition to her.

To be on the safe side, Saohu and the others had decided on a strategy early on. The five of them would compete with Gui'er one by one. The four of them would go first, consuming half of her energy, and then wait for him to come on stage last, so that they could reap the benefits.

Li Yu clapped Sao Hu on the shoulder and said, "When I win, we'll ask Madam Cheng to make the decision."

The other three joined in the booing.

Saohu blushed, which was rare for her.