Chapter 471: Fun

"Bang!" The palace door opened and a chubby boy rushed in. "Who did you mistreat, Master?"

Following behind was a little kid who was about two years old and was carried into the hall by Xu Zhi.

"Aye!" The little kid ran over, hugged his father's thighs and asked for a hug.

"Chi Nu! Why are you here too!" The emperor picked up the little guy, the chubby little baby.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince and His Royal Highness the Ninth Prince!" Su Ying bowed.

"Are you Lord Su?" The little fat boy snuggled up to the emperor and looked at him curiously.

Unlike the noble ladies in the capital, who are not so dark and thin.

She had a scholarly air and a refined and elegant temperament, but Li Tai actually felt that the noble ladies in the capital were vulgar.

"That's right, Fourth Prince!" Su Ying replied.

The palace door opened again, and two more princesses came in. Both sisters were wearing red jackets with gold embroidered peonies and hundreds of butterflies, and their attendant was carrying a food box.

"Greetings to Princess Changle and Princess Yuzhang!" Su Ying saluted.

"Hey, how do you know it's us?" Yuzhang was surprised.

"I guessed it!" Su Ying smiled mysteriously.

Except for Empress Changsun's children, no other princes or princesses were allowed to directly break into the emperor's office and have fun.

"Why are you all here today?" asked the emperor.

"Let's take a look at Lord Su and see if he has three heads and six arms!" Princess Changle giggled.

She looked at Su Ying with envy, "She looks so pretty! Little Master Su looks so good in her official robes even without a skirt!"

"Father, I want to wear official robes too!" Yuzhang tugged at the emperor's sleeve.

The emperor was holding the ninth prince in his arms, happily pulling his beard; beside him hung the fourth prince, whose plump figure looked very heavy.

Now he was being pulled around by Yuzhang again, and he was too busy to take care of anything.

"We have princess costumes in Xiao Yuzhang, which are more beautiful than the official robes of Master Xiao Su! Besides, you are still young and cannot wear official robes! Only officials can wear them."

The emperor grabbed the Ninth Prince's rebellious little hand and saved his own curly beard. He had to find time to answer Yu Zhang and also make sure the little fat boy leaned on him to prevent him from falling.

"Father, when Yuzhang grows up, can he also wear an official robe like Lord Su? You can appoint me as a seventh-rank official!" Yuzhang thought Su Ying's official robe was good-looking.

"Silly child, the princess is of the first rank, but you give up the first rank and want the seventh rank. Aren't you stupid?" The emperor was amused by Yuzhang's silliness.

"Father, I also want to be a seventh-rank official!" Princess Changle also whispered.

Lady Xiao Su has the lowest rank, but Princess Changle thinks she looks best in the green official robe.

"If Su Qing wears a purple robe someday, you will think it looks good!" said the emperor with a smile.

Fang Xiang, who was standing by, was startled for a moment, then he kept his composure and pretended not to hear.

Princess Changle took out a piece of cut sugarcane from the food box and said, "Father, try it! It's freshly arrived sugarcane from Lingnan!"

The attendant also brought a plate to Fang Xiang and Hou Junji.

"Well, this year's sugarcane is sweet and juicy, as if it was just cut from the ground!" The emperor took a bite, and his mouth was full of sweet sugarcane juice.

"It tastes good, right?" Changle was happy.

Fang Xiang ate silently, while Hou Junji stuffed one into his mouth, chewing it with a crunch until his mouth was full of juice.

This is real sugarcane. The dry, musty stuff from previous years is not sugarcane at all! It's bagasse!

The Ninth Prince sat in the Emperor's arms, chewing on a piece of sugarcane. The juice flowed down his little hands and dripped onto the Emperor's clothes.

No one was busy talking and just focused on chewing sugarcane.

"Lady Su, I heard that you brought several thousand kilograms of sugarcane and planned to plant it in Chang'an?" Princess Changle looked up at this legendary woman.

"Yes!" Su Ying smiled. "I originally planned to travel around Wanxian and Chang'an counties in the next few days, find a barren mountain to buy, and plant some crops in the spring."

"Really? Then we can eat fresh sugarcane in October!" Changle's eyes lit up.

"Can I go to your sugarcane plantation and see how it's grown?"

"Well, Princess, if you like, I'll give you some. You can plant it in the open space in the palace!" Su Ying had a toothache and didn't know where the land was.

"That's right! Let's plant it in Fengyang Pavilion! There will be fun in the future!" Changle clapped his hands and said, "Father, is this okay?"

Fengyang Pavilion is where the princesses live, and more than a dozen princesses live here.

"I'm glad you like it!" It was rare for the emperor to see his legitimate daughter showing such joy, like a real girl.

"Thank you, father!" Changle said happily, pulling her father's robe.

Then he said to Su Ying, "Master Su, please teach me how to plant it!"

"It's very simple. The land is plowed, loosened, and ridged. When the weather warms up in spring, the sugarcane is cut into foot-long pieces, with buds still attached to each node, and laid horizontally in the field.

Cover it with soil, sprinkle it with water, and new sugarcane will naturally grow…” Su Ying introduced to Changle.

This includes when and how to remove the leaves so that sugarcane can grow strong.

"I never thought that a piece of sugarcane could contain so much knowledge! Sir Su, what is a bud?" Princess Changle was puzzled.

"The bumps on the sugarcane joints are buds." Su Ying gestured.

"From now on, Princess, you don't have to wait for sugarcane from outside. Grow your own sugarcane and it will taste much sweeter!"

"Father, I also want to grow sugarcane! I want to learn how to make sugar and make candy for Father and Mother!" The fourth prince Li Tai would not listen at all.

"Okay, okay, plant! Plant them all! Qingque is thoughtful! Haha!" The emperor was busy wiping the juice off his body happily.

Qingque held him and shook him, feeling both angry and happy.

"Su Qing, other people's sugarcane was transported to Chang'an earlier than yours, why is it not as fresh as yours?" The emperor was curious.

"Your Majesty! After the sugarcane is bundled, it is covered with mud and sand and then packed.

"By isolating it from the air and keeping it moist, the sugarcane's moisture won't dry out or be lost," Su Ying replied.

"So that's how it is!" His Majesty suddenly realized, "You are the only one who is smart!"

"Master Xiao Su, how do you make green mint candy? Can you teach me?"

With his father's approval, Qingque continued to work hard and learned how to make his father's favorite mint candy.

"Uh, this..." Su Ying hesitated. Jinfeng Village had not yet started mass production of rock sugar and white sugar.

"Qingque, don't be rude!" The palace door opened and Empress Changsun walked in slowly.

She is not the weak woman you imagine.

Although she is very thin, she has a straight waist, is gentle and generous, combines strength and flexibility, and acts decisively without dragging his feet.

Yes, without that decisiveness, it would be impossible to stand firmly behind the emperor and be his good wife.

During the Xuanwu Gate Incident, I followed the emperor closely with a sword in hand, and if I fail, I will die!

"Guanyin maid!" "Mother!" "Greetings to Her Majesty the Queen!" Several voices sounded at the same time.

"No need for formalities!" Empress Changsun said softly to Prime Minister Fang, Hou Junji, and Su Ying.

Then he looked at His Majesty and said with a smile, "It's so lively here, Your Majesty!"

"Why did you come here in such a cold day?" the emperor asked with concern.

Out of habit, he reached out and shook his wife's hand, "Look, your hands are cold!"

"Your Majesty, don't worry. This is a problem I've had since I was a child!" Empress Changsun said gently, "Chi Nu, come to my mother!"

"Mother!" The Ninth Prince was about to pounce.

"Your Majesty!" Helan Rongrong was quick to stop the Ninth Prince.

He took out a handkerchief to wipe it, and it was sticky. "Did the Ninth Prince eat sugarcane?"

"Hmm!" The Ninth Prince smiled innocently.

"Are you Su Ying?" After dealing with the Ninth Prince, Empress Changsun finally had time to look at Su Ying.

"Your Majesty, yes!" Su Ying bowed.