Chapter 53 If Only Grandma Were Here (Malnutrition Version, Two-in-One): With something to look forward to, the head of the farm added two more dishes to the lunch menu: braised yellow croaker and preserved vegetable stew...

With something to look forward to, the head of the farm added two more dishes to the lunch menu: braised yellow croaker and braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens.

The pork belly filling had been fried a long time ago; it seemed they hadn't taken it out before. Pork isn't rare, but making delicious braised pork belly is a real hassle, so the head of the village definitely wanted to keep it for himself.

Perhaps it's because I left home early in the morning, or perhaps the journey was bumpy, but the most likely reason is that the vegetables and meat in the countryside are fresh enough. Unlike at home, where there's a short distance to deliver food from the kitchen to the east courtyard, the food cooked over a wood fire in a large stove is served as soon as it's done, and the taste is just different.

Shen Wanqing and Dai Jia both ate with great relish, and even Fangyi, who was both excited and a little scared on her first trip out, ate more than she would at home.

"Grandma, would it be alright if I prepared roast goose and stewed beef for dinner tonight?"

After the meal, the village head's wife and daughter-in-law came in to tidy up. They quickly left, leaving the village head alone.

"Are there any more large yellow croakers? I'd like to braise another one."

"Yes, yes. A few days ago, the people from the Imperial Estate released a batch of food. Since we live close to the Imperial Estate, we ordered more, just in time for Madam to come and eat. If you weren't coming, I would have sent it over in a couple of days."

The headman is being a bit too obsequious right now, mainly because the stewards from the other two estates should arrive as early as tonight or at the latest tomorrow morning. Once they find out about the eldest mistress's arrangements, those men will definitely try to take over from him.

Even if they couldn't win anything substantial, they still had to compete with the eldest grandmother to see who was more obedient and respected. After all, the fact that they could go back once every two weeks while the others could only go back once a month was enough to arouse jealousy.

While he was cooking in the kitchen, Zhuang Tou had already discussed his plans for the next twenty years with his wife. Now, he was ready to fight anyone who dared to thwart his aspirations.

Hearing Shen Wanqing take the initiative to order food, he smiled so much that the wrinkles on his face almost came together. The back that he used to find more comfortable when he stood up was now so hunched that his face was almost invisible.

He was afraid that his master would say something like "it's all good," which meant that his master hadn't appreciated any of the things he had prepared.

It's good to know how to order food; it means you really like it. As long as your master likes what you make, your son and grandson will have a good chance of getting jobs.

"Don't prepare too much other meat and vegetables, as eating too much at night can cause indigestion. See what fresh vegetables are growing in the garden, stir-fry them with lard, and they'll taste delicious."

"Yes, yes, our master is so considerate of us servants who are busy with farming. This is our blessing."

This was too much flattery. Shen Wanqing was really not used to seeing people act like this in front of her, so she could only say a few words and quickly send the person away.

Dai Jia, who was standing to the side, saw all of this and couldn't help but have a thought in her mind. She had never seen such sincere and genuine joy on the faces of these stewards before.

"It seems that money obtained through legitimate means is more tempting. My managers are always lining their own pockets, but they pretend they haven't done so. They're never this attentive and considerate to me."

However, Dai Jia wanted to learn from her, but Shen Wanqing shook her head and advised her to wait a little longer.

“I’m also feeling my way across the river by feeling for stones. My sister-in-law knows that my family is a complete mess. No matter how much I mess around, it’s still like this. It can’t get any worse. My sister-in-law and aunt are managing the family well. Why would I let this kind of trouble happen out of nowhere?”

"It's all because of what Grandma said, that tenants will work harder in the fields after they have something to look forward to, and that we're all family, so it's better to earn money for our own family than to spend it on outsiders."

They get the money and still remember your kindness, but those guys outside who sell you eggs for forty coins a pound, take your money and then call you stupid. Didn't you say all of that?

These were indeed said by Shen Wanqing during lunch, but it was just something she said casually.

Dai Jia was a very straightforward woman, but she wasn't the kind of person who was straightforward but lacked intelligence. In addition, as the wife of the Commander of the Cavalry, and with the two families having a good relationship and no conflict of interest, Shen Wanqing felt very relaxed talking to her.

It even feels a bit like a dream back to the days when we would eat and chat with colleagues, mixing work and personal matters together and saying whatever came to mind. If even one of those things turned out to be useful afterwards, that was already pretty good.

"Sister-in-law, I won't give you any empty platitudes. If you really want to learn my methods, you should wait and see. Don't just look at how attentive the head of the village is; what if he starts to disobey you in a few days? You can never be sure what people are thinking."

"If I succeed, when you want to change your tenants' ways, they'll see that mine are making money and will naturally be willing to follow suit. If I don't do well, why bother with all this effort?"

"Alright, our commander has married a good wife. From now on, with you in charge of the affairs of our commandery, our lives will definitely get better and better."

Shen Wanqing smiled but didn't speak; that was indeed her intention. The Hesheli family was a pilot project; if it went well, it could be promoted throughout the entire Zuo Commandery.

The forest farms, pastures, and fields under the jurisdiction of the Zuo Ling (a military unit) can produce a lot of things. Rather than selling them, it is better to supply the banner people within the Zuo Ling first.

After all, the war between the Eight Banners and Galdan had been going on intermittently for the past few years. Every Zuo Ling (military commander) had wounded and disabled people who had come down from the battlefield. Many families had lost all their male members and their wives had remarried, leaving only the elderly and children at home.

These people lived off the pensions issued by the imperial court, and each year they received some silver, rice, flour, oil, and meat from their military command.

Their lives were not good, so it was inevitable that they would complain. With these people complaining, the armored soldiers in the Zuo Ling were naturally unhappy. No one knew if they would be able to come back next time they fought Galdan. If they could not come back, their families would be living like this. Over time, the people most affected would naturally be Yu Lang, the Zuo Ling, and himself, the Zuo Ling's wife.

This matter must be resolved. Shen Wanqing's idea is to find a way for these young and old people to make a living without relying on others or being at the mercy of others. Regardless of time or place, people can only have hope if they live with dignity.

After all, not every bannerman could wear armor and receive a salary; there were quite a few bannermen who had fallen on hard times and become slaves. Although they were nominally still hangers-on, they were doing the work of servants.

But even if the disabled, the old, and the young were willing to throw away their dignity and refuse to become slaves, they were still not wanted. In addition, the Manchus were not allowed to engage in agriculture or commerce, which fundamentally blocked the possibility of the lower-class Manchus making a living on their own.

It's already the 30th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, and the situation is getting more and more tense as time goes on. Shen Wanqing has no intention of becoming a high-ranking official just to make money.

It didn't matter that they weren't allowed to do business or farm; the public land and forestry in the Zuo Ling (a military administrative unit) belonged to everyone in the Zuo Ling, so working there wasn't considered a violation of the prohibitions. They raised poultry and made needlework and embroidery, which the Zuo Ling would then arrange for the families who were going to buy them to purchase them from the public land, and the money naturally ended up in their pockets.

However, the management of the forest farms, pastures and estates under the jurisdiction of the Zuo Ling has always been unclear. In reality, it is not Yu Lang or Ak Dun who manage these industries in the Gong Zhong, and even the leaders like Fu Chang only have so much say.

Those who truly control these land resources are the senior clan elders under the Zuo Ling (a military command), and this is not unique to Yu Lang under the Zuo Ling; rather, it is a problem shared by most of the Zuo Ling.

Some of these people were of the same generation as Sony, and they all shared the surname Hesheli. This generational distinction might not be useful in front of Suo'etu and the First-Class Duke's mansion, but it was extremely useful in front of Yulang for relying on seniority.

Let alone Yulang, even when Erhe was alive, he couldn't do anything about them. If you asked a couple of questions about how the forest farm and ranch were doing this year, the old men would each have a hundred questions ready to shut you down.

In their view, you are a Zuo Ling (military commander), and you should take the public produce that is rightfully yours. How they operate and trade below you is none of your concern; after all, if you're eating the meat, why shouldn't we get some soup?

The annual output of the public farm is collected by regular buyers, and the accounts are accurate. No one dares to investigate further to see if the goods have been sold at a low price.

Shen Wanqing naturally dared not provoke public anger. The best way to overthrow them was to rely on the majority of people within the Zuo Ling (military command). Everything she was doing now was merely a prelude. Once most people under the Zuo Ling could profit from it, these elders would have to step aside.

Dai Jia initially thought Shen Wanqing was just being polite, but when the other two stewards from the manor arrived in the evening, she saw with her own eyes that one of them was even more attentive than the manor head, while the other seemed indifferent. Only then did she realize that Shen Wanqing was genuinely advising her to wait a little longer.

"Why is that Song Zhuangtou acting like this? Won't he interfere with your plans?"

"Of all the managers in my household, only his accounts are the most impressive every year. It's understandable that he's not excited. The fact that he handed over a lot of things to the manor means that he can keep more. His tenants should be doing alright. Now that I've created this trouble for him, it's just adding to his burden."

Songzhuangtou's estate was the smallest of the three estates belonging to the Hesheli family, and its annual output of grain, poultry, and mountain products was also the smallest.

But before coming yesterday, Shen Wanqing carefully reviewed the accounts and found that only the accounts of the smallest estate, which was managed by Song Zhuangtou, were clear and transparent. It wasn't that he didn't keep anything for himself, but the amount of things he kept was definitely plausible.

These estates are nominally all under the jurisdiction of the East Courtyard, but the steward is the second wife of the West Courtyard, so the stewards on the estates naturally become awkward people who don't know who to please.

Under these circumstances, Song Zhuangtou was still able to keep himself in check and manage the most remote and smallest village in an orderly manner. Shen Wanqing had already marked him before she even met him.

Now that she has met the person, she is even more satisfied. The person is around forty years old, not old, but lacks the impetuousness of a young man. If he can be used after a period of observation, she should have another person to manage things outside.

“Grandma has a grand vision, which is beyond the reach of a rough man like me. I will reward those who do well and punish those who do not. Anyone who violates my taboos will be sold off. I am truly confused by your plans, so I will just watch honestly.”

Dai Jia stopped asking these questions, and Shen Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief. It was tiring to explain everything to others, so it was better to ask her more questions about the affairs under the Zuo Ling herself. After all, it was better to tire others out than to tire herself out.

The farmhouse was only so big. The headman vacated the main house where his family lived for the master to live, while his own family squeezed into two empty rooms next to the kitchen.

The kang (heated brick bed) in the main room was prepared in advance, and only Shen Wanqing and Dai Jiashi would stay there that night. It was truly dark in the village once night fell, so dark that there was no light outside except for the moon. With nowhere else to go, the two simply lay on the kang, wrapped in their blankets, talking.

At first, Dai Jia diligently explained to Shen Wanqing which families under the Zuo Ling had a feud with which family, which families had been intermarried for three generations, and which families' elders were the most difficult to deal with and the most greedy.

Later, the conversation turned into a venting session, with everyone talking about the grievances she had suffered under the leadership of the Zuo Ling over the past few years. The more she talked, the more excited she became, and the less sleepy she felt. As for the 'hmm' sound, Shen Wanqing instinctively knew where to make the storyteller feel most comfortable, so she talked even more enthusiastically.

Shen Wanqing went from listening with great interest to forcing herself to stay awake, then to feeling sleepy, and finally drifting off to sleep. It wasn't until it was completely quiet around her and she could hear soft snoring that she finally turned over and fell into a deep sleep, clutching her blanket.

While Grandma Shen was lying on the kang (heated brick bed) in the farmhouse, listening to gossip after having eaten and drunk her fill and taken a bath, Yu Lang was lying in the courtyard of the Yuqing Palace, unable to sleep.

The duty schedule for the guards in Yuqing Palace is not fixed, in order to prevent a guard from staying in the same position for too long and being taken advantage of by someone with ulterior motives.

This time when I returned to the palace to serve, the first-class guard on duty with me was replaced. Eshan, who was not in the same squad as me before, was assigned to the same squad. He was responsible for guarding Dunben Hall, while I was still responsible for the guard arrangements of Jide Hall.

The first day of duty went smoothly. Not a single word came from the Qianqing Palace about who had been chosen as the Crown Princess. She didn't plan to report to the Crown Prince that she had been to the Shen family. The Crown Prince didn't even think of asking a question or two. It was as if the matter had really been forgotten.

As for Geng'e, he seemed to be hiding and trying to avoid being noticed last time he was on duty. This time, he simply changed shifts and went to work the night shift. No one knows what happened when he was summoned to the Qianqing Palace last time.

"Yulang".

"Um?"

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

How did you know I wasn't asleep?

"You keep flipping me around like a pancake, how could I possibly fall asleep?"

After their visit to Xiangshan Temple, Yulang and Eshan became even closer. Furthermore, since they hadn't been on duty in the same team before, they rarely had the chance to rest together in the duty room. Now that they were finally together, Yulang couldn't hold back his pent-up doubts any longer.

"Tell me, why did Lord Geng decide to volunteer for the night shift?"

For the Eight Banners descendants of the Upper Three Banners, being selected to join the Imperial Guard or the Military Camp was the most important and best path to promotion, and everyone who entered harbored great ambitions.

No matter how nonchalant he spoke, who among them hadn't dreamed of one day becoming a Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard, or at least a Commander of the Infantry or a Garrison General?

However, to rise to these positions, besides one's own abilities, the most important thing is whether you are a confidant of the master. The Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard is in charge of all the guards, and the Commander of the Infantry is in charge of the entire capital's defense. You can't get a position unless you are the master's most trusted and closest person.

"What's wrong with having an easy night shift? You're young but have a lot on your mind. You've only just entered Yuqing Palace and you're already thinking about getting involved in this mess?"

“It’s not that I want to get involved, but you’re a long-time servant of the Crown Prince. From the Qianqing Palace to the Yuqing Palace, the Crown Prince has never forgotten you, and he can’t forget you in the future. My surname is Hesheli. Just because of this surname and background, do you think it would be difficult for us if something really happened to Lord Geng?”

The Qianqing Palace will definitely place eyes and ears in the Yuqing Palace. Not just simple eyes and ears, but also trusted confidants who can be favored and valued by the Crown Prince. What His Majesty needs is to know what the Crown Prince is thinking at all times. Just having eyes and ears is not enough.

The role is clearly being played by Geng E right now. Regardless of whether the Crown Prince is sincere or not, he has been the one who has been keeping a close guard by his side all this time.

Now that Geng'e has voluntarily switched to the night shift, he is not only refusing the Crown Prince's offer of promotion, but also disregarding the Emperor's entrustment. He is courting death.

“Lord Geng…” Yu Lang’s words struck a chord with E Shan. He had served in the Imperial Guard longer than Yu Lang and had worked in the Qianqing Palace for many years. He knew more about Geng’e than Yu Lang did, and his anxiety was much greater.

"Don't be embarrassed. I'm not trying to trick you into saying this. I just feel uncomfortable keeping this to myself and I just want to talk to someone. After thinking about it, I realized that our situations are similar. I'm not afraid that you'll tell others after I say this."

Yu Lang truly thought so. If it weren't for the fact that he still had several days before he could leave the palace, he would have kept these words to himself and waited until he got home to tell his great-grandmother.

"No problem, I don't know the specifics either, and I can't get any information out of you even if you try to get it out of me."

I wasn't sleepy to begin with, and Yu Lang's antics made it even harder for me to fall asleep. So I got out of bed, grabbed a robe, put it on, and sat cross-legged on the other side of the bed next to Yu Lang: "Lord Geng was promoted by Minister Suo back then. It's hard to say exactly what their relationship is, but they're definitely close."

"I heard that Lord Suo visited Lord Geng a few days ago. I don't know what he said, but I guess it must be related to His Majesty and the Crown Prince."

Geng'e was someone the Emperor had clearly placed by the Crown Prince's side. The fact that Suo'etu had approached him and put him in such a difficult position, even going so far as to defy the Emperor's arrangements to be transferred to the night shift, suggests that Suo'etu actually wanted to win over the Emperor's people to the Crown Prince's side.

"What is this, Lord Suo..." Yu Lang frowned deeply. No wonder the Crown Prince's mood had worsened these past two days. Suo'etu was too arrogant. He kept saying that everything he did was for the Crown Prince's sake. If he really cared about the Crown Prince, he shouldn't have tried to win over Geng'etu.

Geng'e is the Emperor's eyes and ears. What does he want to do by winning over Geng'e? What is the Crown Prince hiding that he can't let the Emperor know? You dare to cut off the Emperor's ears and eyes, what are you planning to do next? Do you want to rebel?

"Just keep this in mind. It's difficult for the Crown Prince too. Sometimes, the Crown Prince can't persuade Suo Zhongtang because of his temperament. Now that this matter has come to light, there's nothing he can do but pretend he doesn't know anything."

“Geng’e is also a fool. On the one hand, he dares not disobey the emperor’s decree, but on the other hand, he can’t let go of his relationship with Suo’etu. What does this look like in His Majesty’s eyes? His indecisiveness is harming the crown prince.”

Eshan's loyalty to the Crown Prince was even purer than Yulang's. He simply couldn't bear to see Yinreng being pulled back and made difficult by these people like a millstone.

"Don't worry, the master is the master after all, he can think of a way."

"Alright, you don't need to comfort me. I'm saying all this so you'll know what's going on, and also because the Crown Prince likes to hear you talk. When you're on duty tomorrow, just act like you don't know anything about this, understand?"

"clear."

"That's good. Go to sleep, go to sleep. Besides, don't sleep tonight."

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I have to go to work tomorrow, I'm completely exhausted.

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