97 Fengshan

◎Sima Langjun seems to really like you◎

Two horse-drawn carriages slowly drove out of the city. It was already March, and the people along the way began to roll up their trousers, hold hoes in their hands, bend over to hoe the ground, or drive oxen to plow the fields.

As Qi Gu watched as vast swathes of land were turned up from underground, the once pale gray and lifeless soil was now transformed into a layered dark brown, complemented by scattered green foliage along the roadside. The capital city had transitioned from a pale and solemn winter to a vibrant spring.

Once the seeds are planted this year, they will be lush and green in summer and golden in autumn. Then, the people of the capital will no longer suffer from hunger.

Qi Gu took a deep breath, as if she could smell the fragrance of wheat from the bountiful harvest of autumn.

Next year, the millet seed that my father named "Number One" will be promoted throughout the country.

At that time, people all over the country will know how powerful Father is. Thinking of this, Qi Gu could almost feel how Father felt when he decided to come to the capital.

Unfortunately, it is the planting season now. Her father originally wanted to go into the mountains with her to find wild millet and wheat seedlings, but he was pulled away by the Minister of Agriculture to go to the outskirts of the city to oversee the sowing of "one generation" of millet and wheat seeds.

In the past, her father would go into the mountains with her to find wild millet seeds, but this time it was Xiao Zhuang'er who went.

She looked at Zhuang'er beside her, who was peering out the window with wide, curious eyes.

She chattered non-stop the whole way, "Sister Yuanchu, look, those farmers are holding hoes that are exactly the same as the ones you brought today. Sister, did you prepare a hoe for me too? I want to go to the fields with you in a little while."

Looking at her thin arms, Qi Gu said, "Zhuang'er, I hope that once you're actually working in the fields, you'll still have a strong desire to hoe the land."

"Sister, you and Mr. Li are so amazing! You can grow high-yield millet and wheat."

Qi Gu said, "It hasn't been planted yet."

Zhuang'er was even more excited than Qi Gu, saying, "Sister, don't be modest. Mother told me that you've already planted them in Li Family Village. Next year, when all of Da Jin can plant these millet seedlings, everyone will know how amazing Sister Qi Gu is!"

"It's not that I'm good, it's that my father is good." Her tone was full of pride for her father.

“I don’t care, in my heart, my older sister is the best. I heard everything my older sister said at Mother’s birthday banquet. Older sister, you are the best!”

Aunt Qi pinched Zhuang'er's little face. "Our Zhuang'er has such a sweet tongue. By the way, did the mother and her two children cause any trouble?"

Zhuang'er wrinkled his fair face and pouted, saying, "Hmph, they wouldn't dare. They're like mice seeing a cat when they see Mother, very well-behaved."

Qi Gu nodded. Since her aunt had agreed to let the three of them enter the mansion, she naturally had her own appetite. That day, she saw that her uncle and Sima Hong were so calm, so they were probably not surprised that the mother and her two children had entered the mansion. She guessed that her aunt had her own plans.

Thinking back to the birthday banquet, after the Emperor summoned the Marquis of Xilin, the Emperor entrusted the spring plowing work for this year to the eldest prince and also sent him to inspect the northern army camps. It was thought that the Emperor had made a final decision, but then the Emperor turned around and sent the second prince to accompany Prince Yi to inspect the southern camp.

The emperor still hadn't made a decision and was still wavering.

She had heard more than once that Consort Guo was visiting her father's bedchamber more and more frequently, and that the Second Princess was attending banquets of various princes and ministers. The Guo family was having a great time.

The Emperor seemed to have been indulging the Guo family all along, while the Empress Dowager watched coldly from the sidelines.

The Empress Dowager was methodically arranging affairs in the inner palace. At this time, she proposed to the Emperor: "Your Majesty was appointed by Heaven in the past and later received Heaven's favor to rule the world. Now that the Great Jin Dynasty is at peace, it is time to build a palace and offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, so as to tell the people of the world that Your Majesty is the one destined by Heaven, has unified China, and has made outstanding achievements."

As soon as the Empress said this, the ministers seized the opportunity to flatter the Emperor.

"Yes, Your Majesty founded the Great Jin Dynasty, first destroying the previous dynasty and then eliminating the Great Yan Dynasty. Your achievements are outstanding, and the Fengshan ceremony should be held at Mount Tai."

The Emperor was delighted, but still feigned reluctance.

The ministers below naturally understood that this matter would not harm the country and the state. Moreover, His Majesty's achievements were indeed worthy of the title "outstanding meritorious service." It was also the Empress who suggested it, which would please His Majesty. Naturally, no one would go against the wishes of the Emperor and Empress.

Therefore, the ministers knelt on the ground and repeatedly begged His Majesty to perform the Fengshan ceremony.

His Majesty reluctantly agreed, saying, "I am fortunate to have received the Mandate of Heaven, and all my achievements are attributed to Heaven. Now I should offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, and pray to Heaven to continue to ensure the prosperity and stability of my Great Jin Dynasty."

Even the Imperial Censor couldn't say anything to object, so the imperial court was busily preparing for the Fengshan ceremony.

It is said that Consort Guo had repeatedly requested His Majesty to allow him to take the Second Prince to Mount Tai, but His Majesty did not agree.

However, there is still some time before the Fengshan ceremony, and the Emperor may not change his mind during this time.

Thinking of these things, Qi Gu couldn't help but start to worry. In her previous life, even when faced with problems, she only cared about her own personal feelings.

Now, listening to the court's movements, he unconsciously begins to speculate about his father and mother's thoughts, and sometimes he even wants to ask Sima Hong to confirm whether his thoughts are correct.

The capital is truly terrifying; even a country girl like her has started to care about politics.

"Huh~" Zhuang'er poked half his head out, looking at the figures getting closer and closer behind the carriage, and made a sound of doubt.

"Sister Yuan Chu, look, isn't that... Lord Sima coming from behind?"

Qi Gu looked back and saw that it really was Sima Hong.

She lowered the carriage curtain and instructed the driver, "Let's hurry."

"Yes, Princess."

Zhuang'er chuckled as she looked at her cousin, saying innocently, "Hehe, Sister Yuanchu, it seems like Sima Langjun really likes you."

"Little Zhuang'er, you're still so young, how would you know what it means to like or dislike something?"

"Hmph!" Yuan Zhuang raised his chin and curled the corners of his mouth. "That day, I saw Sima Langjun holding your hand. Sister Yuanchu, is Sima Langjun really going to be my brother-in-law? That would be wonderful. He is the most handsome man in the whole capital. He and you are the perfect match."

Qi Gu smiled helplessly, recalling Sima Hong's undisguised behavior at his aunt's birthday banquet. Although it was to show the Sima family's stance, he wasn't afraid that Sima Taigong would whip him again if he found out.

Outside the carriage, a "Whoa!" could be heard.

The carriage stopped after the sound. Just as Qi Gu was about to ask, her vision darkened and a tall figure bent down and entered the carriage.

"It's Lord Sima." Zhuang'er looked at his cousin with a smug expression that seemed to say, "I told you so."

Qi Gu asked impatiently, "Why are you here again?" She really couldn't shake him off.

"It's on the way." Sima Hong nodded slightly to Zhuang'er beside him and sat down opposite Qi Gu.

Qi Gu looked at Sima Hong warily, "Where are you going?"

“Let’s go,” Sima Hong readily agreed.

Qi Gu was relieved that she had Zhuang'er with her. Thinking of what he had done in the carriage last time, Qi Gu's ears turned red. She felt very uncomfortable in front of Sima Hong, especially with Zhuang'er beside her.

Zhuang'er watched as the usually aloof and stern Sima, a man even his mother feared, frequently glanced at his elder sister, Yuan Chu. His sister, however, either looked out the window or at the ground, refusing to look at Sima.

Zhuang'er chuckled to herself. Even though she had been bedridden for a long time, she had heard of Sima Langjun's reputation and that many women in the capital admired him.

There were the Gao family girls, the Wang family girls, and even the Second Princess and the Ninth Princess, but at his mother's banquet that day, Sima Langjun never looked at any of the other girls; his gaze was fixed solely on his elder sister, Yuan Chu.

On the contrary, it was Yuan Chu's elder sister who avoided Sima Langjun like the plague, which was quite amusing.

Finally arriving at the foot of Guhuo Mountain, Xu Jin got off the carriage behind and ran to Qi Gu's carriage.

"Lord Sima! You're here too. Is there something you need? When did you arrive? Why didn't you get into my carriage?" Xu Jin was surprised to find that it wasn't the eldest princess who got out of the carriage, but Sima Xiuyuan.

Sima Hong got off the carriage and said, "Brother Xu, I'm worried about Aunt Qi coming out alone."

Xu Jin then belatedly looked at Sima Hong, wondering if... the Empress had sent Lord Sima to protect the eldest princess.

"Her Majesty the Empress truly cares about Her Highness the Princess."

Atai, standing behind him, thought to himself that he had finally met someone more obtuse than Axianghai.

Qi Gu and Zhuang'er got off the carriage, and Hongyan brought two small baskets, each containing a hoe.

Qi Gu first put the basket on Zhuang'er's back, and then put the basket on her own back.

He said to Xu Jin, "Let's go."

Zhuang'er found it very interesting to carry a bamboo basket woven from bamboo for the first time. He looked up at Qi Gu and said, "Sister Yuan Chu, this is really interesting."

Qi Gu placed her hands under the shoulder straps of her basket and looked at Sima Hong: "Lord Sima, go take care of your business." She assumed he really had something to do nearby.

Sima Hong stepped forward and said to Xu Jin, "Brother Xu, lead the way."

Qi Gu looked at Sima Hong strangely. Did he also have something to do on Mount Guhuo?

Qi Gu ignored her and took her cousin Zhuang'er's hand, walking up the mountain. Zhuang'er gently shook her cousin's hand, "Cousin, Sima Langjun isn't just passing by; he's here to see you."

Qi Gu tapped her nose: "You seem to know a lot."

"I also know that Sima Langjun's eyes were on my sister the whole time in the carriage, but my sister didn't dare to look at Sima Langjun."

Qi Gu quickly covered her mouth with one hand. She wondered if Xiao Zhuang'er had been holding back at home for too long, because she was quite talkative.

On Guhuo Mountain, the trees are lush and green, unlike the sparse yellow grass at the foot of the mountain. The vegetation has turned completely green, just like the Dayue Mountain that I went to with Gouwa in Lijia Village.

Qi Gu turned around and saw that Zhuang'er, who had been so energetic just moments before, was now pale and his breathing was becoming unsteady.

"Zhuang'er, are you alright?"

"Huff, huff, cousin Yuan Chu, I'm not feeling well," Zhuang'er said, panting.

"Let's see if you dare to come along again next time."

Qi Gu looked around and found a large rock. Hong Yan immediately laid a clean cloth on it and thoughtfully provided a soft cushion.

He pulled Zhuang'er to sit on the soft cushion. "Your body has just recovered a bit. Sit and rest for a while. I'll go find some wild millet, okay?"

Zhuang'er didn't want to let go of Qi Gu's hand. She held onto Qi Gu's hand with her little hand and said, "No, I want to go with Sister Yuan Chu."

"Be a good girl and wait for me to come back. I'll bring you wild berries and take you to hoe the fields."

"Well... okay, sister, come back quickly."

Qi Gu said to Xu Jin and Sima Hong, "Then I'll trouble you two to keep an eye on my cousin again. I'll be right back."

Qi Gu carried a bamboo basket and headed into the mountains, but to her surprise, someone followed her up from behind—it was Sima Hong.

He no longer hesitated, and directly took Qi Gu's hand, leading her into the deep mountains.

"My cousin..."

Sima Hong immediately said, "I left Atai to protect them."

The two arrived deep in the dense forest. Qi Gu parted the weeds and her eyes lit up. Sure enough, there were wild millet seeds!

She immediately cleared away the surrounding weeds, squatted down, took out a small hoe from her basket, dug at the roots of the wild millet and wheat, and then wrapped the wheat seedlings she dug up with their roots in a damp cloth.

Sima Hong stood aside, his eyes filled with admiration as he watched Qi Gu carefully place the wheat seedlings, their roots wrapped, into the basket.

He remained silent, simply watching quietly. Outside, the wind howled and the atmosphere was tense, yet he felt an immense sense of peace within.

[Author's Note]

Spring has finally arrived! [Sunglasses]