As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Zhao led his entire family to kneel down. Eunuch Li unfurled the imperial edict and read it aloud:

By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:

I believe that the people are the foundation of the nation, and food is the most important thing for the people. Agriculture and sericulture are related to the stability of the country; the abundance of the fields is related to the well-being of the people.

Now there is a woman named Zhao from the Meng family of Pingyang County. She is intelligent and diligent in farming and weaving. She has devoted herself to agricultural work and has discovered a secret formula for fertile fields, which can double the soil's fertility and fill the granaries. I am very pleased with this.

Despite being a woman, Meng was able to spread benevolence and righteousness far and wide, benefiting her fellow villagers. Her aspirations are commendable, and her achievements are worthy of praise.

Special rewards: one hundred taels of gold to recognize his talent, one hundred acres of fertile land to reward his labor, and ten bolts of silk…

Eunuch Li's voice, proclaiming the imperial decree, was exceptionally clear in the cold wind, but Meng Zhao seemed not to hear it at the moment. All she knew was that this imperial decree meant that her name, Meng Zhao, was now on the emperor's radar. From now on, anyone who wanted to touch her would have to consider the weight of this imperial decree.

She couldn't help but recall how she had felt disappointed when she was in Qingshi County, only to receive a small reward of silver. Now, it seemed that all those hard-working days had been absolutely worth it.

Meng Zhao lay on the ground, biting her lip, afraid that she might accidentally laugh out loud. If she were accused of "great disrespect," it would be a huge injustice.

"Madam Meng, it's time to accept the imperial decree and express your gratitude." Eunuch Li's kind voice pulled her back to reality.

Meng Zhao then raised her head slightly, held her hands high above her head, and respectfully accepted the bright yellow imperial edict. Only after she had the edict firmly in her hands did she dare to stand up.

While Meng Zhao was still immersed in the joy of receiving the imperial decree, Meng Dashan had already cleverly stepped forward and respectfully invited Eunuch Li into the courtyard, and then ordered someone to serve him the best tea and snacks.

Eunuch Li took a sip of fragrant tea, his gaze suddenly falling on Madam Gu standing to the side. He asked kindly, "This must be Madam Gu, right?"

Madam Gu was somewhat surprised, "Sir, you recognize me?"

Eunuch Li put down his teacup, smiling broadly: "Of course. Lord Shen is deeply favored by the Emperor and is often by his side. How could I not recognize Madam Gu? Besides, just now during the discussion in the hall, Lord Shen and Lord Wang informed His Majesty that Lady Meng is Lord Shen's elder sister-in-law. So, I'm not surprised to see you here."

Meng Zhao suddenly understood the origin of the imperial edict, but she didn't ask too many questions at the moment. She simply asked Xu Yunrong to prepare a generous gift and give it to Eunuch Li.

Eunuch Li didn't refuse and accepted it with a smile. As soon as he took it, he was a little surprised. Originally, this trip was just a routine matter, but he didn't expect the merchant's family to be so polite. So his smile widened, and he stayed a little longer to give Meng Zhao a few more instructions before leaving.

After Eunuch Li left, the Meng family was overjoyed. Meng Dashan was so excited that he didn't know what to do. "My God, it's truly a blessing from our ancestors! I never thought that I, Meng Dashan, would be able to see an imperial edict with my own eyes in my lifetime!"

Meng Zhao smiled and handed the imperial edict to him, "Father can not only see it, but also touch it with his own hands." When Meng Dashan took the edict, his hands were trembling slightly, and he didn't dare to breathe loudly, for fear of dropping the edict.

Xu Yunrong also stepped forward, carefully stroking the bright yellow silk, and said excitedly, "This is the Emperor's own handwriting! Shouldn't we find a good place to enshrine it?"

Seeing her parents' joyful expressions, Meng Zhao's eyes involuntarily welled up with tears. This imperial edict was not only a reward for her personally, but also the best New Year's gift for the whole family.

Everyone was overjoyed at this unexpected stroke of luck, and they hugged each other in the cold yard.

Meng Zhao suddenly remembered what Eunuch Li had said earlier, so she quickly prepared another gift and asked Xiao Chuan to send it to the Wang residence. The credit for this was originally given to Wang Xian, and now her name has been added as well. It seems that Wang Xian must have also contributed. Even though she has a good relationship with Song Wanyin, she should still show due respect.