The porcelain bottle that Du Xiuyuan ordered arrived. The two of them spent the whole morning brewing herbs, poured the herbal oil into the porcelain bottle, and sealed it.
"Madam Su, there are more than 600 bottles of herbal oil this time."
This was just a small-scale production run. Six hundred bottles were filled by Zhao Ruyun and the other two together, and it took half an hour to fill them.
"Six hundred bottles would be worth more than ten taels of silver. Take these to Ji'an Hall to test the waters first. If they sell well, we'll produce them in large quantities."
"Okay, I'll go right away."
"Luo Luo, what dishes would you like to eat today? I'll make them for you."
Zhao Ruyun said to Su Luo while washing her hands.
"I'm fine with anything I eat. Let's see what Yanchuan and Yihuan want to eat."
Zhao Ruyun didn't ask about this. The two children spent every day in the embroidery room, and Xie Wanwan started teaching them even before her hand had fully recovered.
"They are studying, and I'm afraid of disturbing them."
"Never mind then, there's still some pork at home. Let's pick a radish from the vegetable garden in the backyard and stew it together."
After tidying herself up, Su Luo prepared to go out again.
"Luo Luo, it's almost noon, where are you going?"
Su Luo was worried because she hadn't checked on the fields for two days.
"I'm going to check on the rice by the river; it should be ready for harvest."
After saying that, he went out the gate, and the three acres of land by the river were fenced off with bamboo by the people sent by Xu Hongkuo.
Fearing that someone might steal the seeds, they guarded the area day and night.
Even when sparrows came, they were chased away by knocking them with bamboo tubes.
"Madam Su, you've finally arrived. Take another look, is the second crop of rice ready for harvest?"
Having not seen their families for a long time, the young yamen runners were eager to wait for Su Luo to harvest the rice so they could return to Anchangzhou.
Judging from the degree to which the rice has turned yellow, it is ready to be harvested.
"Thank you for your hard work, gentlemen. I plan to harvest the rice tomorrow."
The two constables smiled, a smile they hadn't shown in a long time.
"That's wonderful, Madam Su. We haven't stolen anything in all this time."
"Could you send each of us some double-cropping rice tomorrow? We'll take it back and use it as seed."
The two weren't from Changping Village, and they knew the seeds might not be available until the year after next. They figured they might as well be shameless and ask Su Luo; maybe they could get them.
“Sure, you two can each cut one plant to take home. Each plant should weigh about a pound, which should be enough for seeds.”
"Thank you, Madam Su. Thank you, Madam Su."
Only after receiving Su Luo's permission did the two of them become excited.
After telling Zhao Ruyun, the two of them went to prepare for harvesting rice that afternoon.
The next day, when Su Luo opened the gate to the courtyard, she was taken aback by the scene before her.
Five horse-drawn carriages were lined up neatly in front of her house.
Besides some villagers from her own village, there were also Nangong Qing, A Xu, Xu Hongkuo, Magistrate Jiang, and a few other people she didn't recognize.
"Madam Su, I never expected to see you again."
Xu Hongkuo smiled and stroked his beard, seemingly in a very good mood.
"Lord Xu, what are you doing?"
Judging by the time, these people were here before dawn.
"It's because you said today was the day to harvest the rice, so we all came to witness this historic moment."
Nangong Qing waved his fan and said with a smile.
She had just told the two junior yamen runners yesterday that even Xu Hongkuo had come all the way from Anchangzhou. The government's news came faster than Su Luo had imagined.
At this moment, a middle-aged man suddenly stepped forward and bowed to Su Luo.
"Madam Su, I am Lin Kaiji, the Grand Minister of Agriculture of this dynasty. I have long admired your name. It is a great honor for our country to meet you today."
"This humble woman greets the Grand Minister of Agriculture."
Su Luo bowed slightly in return, never expecting that her second harvest of rice would even alarm a high-ranking official like the Grand Minister of Agriculture.
"Luo Luo, I've got the baskets ready, let's go..."
Zhao Ruyun stacked the two pairs of baskets and carried them on her shoulders. Before she could finish speaking, she saw a group of people at the door.
What are you doing here?
Fifty or sixty people from the village came, each carrying a sickle.
“Mrs. Zhao, since Yan Chuan’s mother is willing to exchange seeds with us, of course we have to come and help you harvest the rice.”
"We're all from the same village, you're too kind."
With so many people helping them harvest the rice, they can finish harvesting the rice in less than a morning.
"What are you standing there for? Come on, the villagers have already helped you move the rice into the field."
Nangong Qing was urging Su Luo to arrive; everyone was waiting for her.
"Okay! Let's go."
This rice harvest was of particular importance in the history of Nanning Kingdom. After Su Luo personally cut down two stalks with a sickle, the officials from Changping Village and the government began to harvest.
Even the village chief rushed back from Shuiqingzhuang, as did Chen Ping'an. There were eight rice hulls, and four people were working on each hull.
The rest of the people were harvesting rice; the three acres of land were packed with people.
Lin Kaiji also went down into the field, standing among the unharvested rice stalks, to experience the real fragrance of rice.
This time, after receiving Nangong Qing's message, he rushed from the capital without stopping and finally arrived last night.
If he had been even a fraction slower, he would have missed this exhilarating moment.
I picked a rice stalk with a beautiful ear of grain and started to cut it.
"Madam Su, this rice harvest is even higher than the first season's yield; it's all thanks to you."
"When I return to the capital, I will present this rice stalk to His Majesty, and the history books will record it prominently in the name of Lady Su."
"This humble woman thanks the Grand Minister of Agriculture."
As long as Su Luo gains some fame in the imperial court, Yan Chuan's future career will face fewer obstacles.
Lin Kaiji's smile was even brighter than Su Luo's, who was enjoying a bountiful harvest.
"Hahaha... Lady Su, it should be me thanking you on behalf of the people."
He then moved closer to Su Luo and whispered in her ear.
"Lady Su, once the second crop of rice is planted in all suitable places, such a great achievement that benefits the country and the people will make you more than just Lady Su of Changping Village in less than two years."
The Grand Minister of Agriculture's words were cryptic and left Su Luo unable to decipher them.
She wasn't Su Niangzi from Changping Village. Would they really let her become an official? Throughout history, there has never been a woman who held an official position.
"What do you mean by this, sir?"
"Hahaha...it means exactly what it says."
After saying that, he walked into the field, just like Xu Hongkuo and Magistrate Jiang, cutting rice grains here and there.
Zhao Ruyun worked with the villagers. There were so many people in the fields that even the sickle Su Luo brought was taken away by someone.
"Su Luo, don't take what the Grand Minister of Agriculture said to heart. He was just too happy and couldn't help but say things he didn't mean."
Nangong Qing looked at Su Luo and said, "It's been a long time since I've seen Su Luo. She seems to have gotten a little rounder."
Her cheeks were slightly moist, her eyebrows were delicately arched, and her eyes were large. Every movement she made was like a painting.
Su Luo stood beside Nangong Qing and said, "...Don't worry, I won't even think about things that aren't for me to covet."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com