Kyoto, Si Nongji.
Li Xuhai led Li Qingyun all the way to the capital. Fortunately, when Eunuch He left, he left a few people to accompany the two of them on their journey.
Despite their best efforts, it still took them more than a month to reach Kyoto.
Before he could even catch his breath after arriving in the capital, he was summoned to the Ministry of Agriculture by the Grand Minister of Agriculture.
The Grand Minister of Agriculture personally met with the two men and asked Li Xuhai many questions about farming. Li Xuhai answered them one by one, not daring to slack off.
The more the Grand Minister of Agriculture asked, the gentler his expression became; he was indeed a man of action.
"I have arranged accommodations for you and your son. Please rest for the day. Tomorrow, come with me to the royal estate."
"Yes, sir."
The father and son waited until the Grand Minister of Agriculture left before straightening up to wipe the sweat from their brows.
"Father, this gentleman is truly dignified."
"Shh, don't talk nonsense. Let's go, put our things away first."
"Yes, Father."
As soon as the two walked out, two minor officials surrounded them.
"Lord Li, please follow me. The Grand Minister of Agriculture instructed me to lead the way for you."
"Okay, thanks, bro."
Li Xuhai quickly thanked them, and the two followed the two minor officials forward.
"We dare not accept your thanks, sir. It is all our duty. My name is Zhao Baozhu and his name is Wan Changshun. We were assigned by the Minister of Agriculture to serve you. If you need anything in the future, please feel free to give us your orders."
"Thank you, Lord Sinong."
Li Xuhai quickly cupped his hands in gratitude, as Li Qingyao had taught him: to always be grateful to his superiors.
Zhao Baozhu and Wan Changshun led the two men through a series of turns until they finally arrived at a small courtyard with many rooms inside.
This was a resting place prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture for the adults who went to work, but few people came to stay here, so it was left vacant, which benefited Li Xuhai and his son.
"Please, sir."
Upon entering, one finds a room with minimal decorations, but it is indeed very clean, and even their luggage has been neatly arranged.
"Your luggage has already been moved here and has not been opened. If anything is missing, please let me know and I will arrange it immediately."
Wan Changshun thoughtfully explained that he was afraid the two of them would worry that their luggage had been rummaged through.
"No, it should be gone."
"Wait, Brother Baozhu, where is the place to eat?"
Upon arriving in the capital this morning, Li Qingyun was taken to the Ministry of Agriculture and questioned for quite some time. By then, Li Qingyun was already very hungry.
We need to find out about the meals. It would be great if there were public meals available, but if not, we should ask around as soon as possible to find out where we can get cheap food.
Zhao Baozhu quickly admitted his mistake.
"It was my oversight. Please wait a moment, sir and young master, I will go and fetch the food right away."
After saying this, they bowed and left the room, the two of them coming and going in a hurry.
The father and son breathed a sigh of relief.
Dealing with people is really difficult.
"Luckily you asked about dinner."
Li Xuhai looked relieved.
"How could I forget? Qingyao said that expenses in the capital are very high. You have to ask about the price before buying anything, or you'll get ripped off."
"Okay, okay, you've grown up."
My first day in Beijing was filled with awkwardness and restraint.
I didn't sleep very soundly.
The next morning, the two got up early. Wan Changshun brought them breakfast and then led them to the office, where they met the Grand Minister of Agriculture again.
He followed along cautiously all the way to Zongtian. Only when he arrived there did Li Xuhai feel completely at ease; farming was something he excelled at.
And so, the two of them settled down in Kyoto and gradually became familiar with the ministers of the Ministry of Agriculture. Perhaps because of the Minister of Agriculture himself, the ministers of the Ministry of Agriculture were all people who liked to get things done, so it was easy to get along with them.
After the Li family finished harvesting their ratooning rice, they soon ushered in another bumper harvest, and the double-cropping rice finally ripened.
We've been eagerly anticipating this moment, and before the first frost, the double-cropping rice is ready to be harvested.
The weather has cooled down recently, and it's no longer unbearably hot.
After several autumn rains, the crops were bent over and large areas were flattened.
The Li family quickly organized a harvest, and the yield per mu was good, about the same as the first season's yield.
Lin Pei did not come this time. The Li family said that after leaving, they went to Shao County to report the news.
In comparison, double-cropping rice tastes better than first-cropping rice, while ratooning rice tastes even better.
However, for ordinary people today, filling their stomachs is far more important than taste; the world doesn't offer them many choices.
Those adorned in silk robes are not the ones who raise silkworms.
Nothing in this world is more difficult than this.
After the double-cropping rice was harvested, the weather was very kind to them, with sunny skies for more than half a month. The Li family took advantage of this time to quickly dry and store the harvested rice.
The government has already collected taxes once, and will not collect taxes again.
After paying their taxes and selling their grain, the people packed up and prepared for the New Year.
Liu Yun finally found Madam Cao.
Liu Yun had initially planned to search through the Li family's client network, but after looking around, he felt the information wasn't comprehensive enough.
After much thought, he finally found his way to Madam Cao.
The Cao family are locals, and they certainly know more about the people of Shaoguan County than these newcomers do.
Meanwhile, Madam Cao smiled when she received Liu Yun's letter. All parents in the world are the same.
"What makes you so happy, Madam?"
The two were reading in the study, enjoying a rare moment of leisure, when a servant from the mansion delivered a letter from Liu Yun.
"It's not happiness, it's just a feeling of emotion."
Li Xuming's eldest son, Li Qingzhang, is nineteen years old this year. He had been engaged before, but it was called off because of that incident. Now that the Li family is doing well, they're eager to find him a wife.
"His family isn't hard to find, do you need my help to find one?"
"Sigh, it's because I'm not familiar with the local people, and I'm afraid the information I get is incomplete."
After all, he is the young master of the Li family workshop and the eldest grandson; it's indeed better to choose a more stable and reliable woman.
"Were there any conditions mentioned?"
"What? You think you can be a matchmaker?"
"Tsk, there are quite a few girls of marriageable age in the clan. It would be perfect for them to marry into the Li family. The Li family is capable and has great potential. It would be a good thing to form a marriage alliance."
The more Cao Qian thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Although his relationship with the clan was strained because of the matter of his adopted son, it didn't mean he didn't want the Cao family to prosper.
“This is feasible. I need to talk to the elders.”
"Hey! Wait a minute!"
After being rebuked by Cao Qian's words, Madam Cao's heart was quietly stirred with some thoughts.
The Li family now has a workshop, so they are obviously not short of money. There is also a ninth-rank official in the clan who has been sent to the capital. She has met Li Qingzhang in person. He is gentle and refined, like a gentleman.
He is the eldest grandson in the family, with both parents alive and a harmonious family. This kind of young man is indeed a good choice!
How come I only just realized that!
"Husband, is Ying'er alright?"
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