For this autumn hunt in Xishan, the emperor granted special permission for officials of the third rank and above to bring their families.
To enhance the enjoyment of the autumn hunt, the ten people who caught the most prey during the hunt received generous rewards.
The emperor held his first autumn hunt after ascending the throne, and it was an unprecedentedly lively event. Every household in the imperial city that was qualified to go to the imperial palace was mobilized.
On the day they set off for the Western Hills Imperial Palace, the procession was very large. The people at the front had already arrived at the palace, while the people behind had not yet left the imperial city.
It was the first time for Ye Jingshu and the others to leave the palace. From the moment the carriage left the palace, even the usually composed Ye Jingming frequently looked out the window.
The imperial city was exceptionally lively today, with many ordinary people flocking to the streets to watch the nobles' procession. The sounds of laughter and chatter, along with the shouts of vendors on both sides of the street, created a bustling scene.
Although there are many unsatisfactory aspects to Da Yuan's current situation, the dynasty is currently prosperous and has not yet shown signs of decline.
In the novel, the decline of Dayuan begins when all the male members of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion die on the battlefield.
But since Ye Jingchen has taken over the original owner's body and become the Crown Prince of Dayuan, he will naturally take responsibility for the people of Dayuan and do his best to spare them the suffering of war in their lifetime.
"The capital city is so lively! I wish I could leave the palace to play anytime!" Ye Jingyu leaned against the window, looking at the pedestrians and buildings on both sides of the street, and sighed.
The carriage was very spacious, with a specially made, long carriage that carried all of them.
“It’s very lively, but there may be hidden dangers in the liveliness. We are still young, so it’s safer for us to stay in the palace,” Ye Jingchen told him.
"Can we participate in this autumn hunt too?" Ye Jingshu asked eagerly.
Although she had practiced archery for several months, she had never tried to shoot a living creature with accuracy.
"Sister, I heard there are bears in the Western Hills hunting grounds. Some of these bears are taller than you when they stand up."
"Falcons are easily frightened. Even a rabbit suddenly darting out of the grass can make them anxious and might throw you off their backs," Ye Jingchen warned her.
Ye Jingshu: ......
Ye Jingshu's expression changed slightly, but she still held her head high and said arrogantly, "If I don't want to go, I won't go. Why are you trying to scare me? How could this princess be frightened by your few words?"
“Our archery skills are still very basic, and we are not strong enough to hunt in the mountains. It would be too dangerous for us, and we would be more likely to become prey. If you practice diligently in every archery lesson, Your Highness, you should be able to participate in the autumn hunt in three years,” Ye Jingchen said with a smile.
"Didn't I practice properly? But we only practice against a stationary target every time, it's so boring!" Ye Jingshu muttered.
"Doesn't Your Highness think hunting live animals is bloody and cruel?" Ye Jingchen asked, somewhat surprised.
"Is the ultimate goal of our archery practice to shoot targets? Isn't it so that we can fight back and protect ourselves when we encounter danger? Killing enemies is the ultimate goal of our shooting practice. Isn't it normal to use living creatures as training subjects?" Ye Jingshu asked in confusion.
"You all think so too?" Ye Jingchen looked at the others.
Everyone except Ye Jingyan nodded.
"Brother Crown Prince, you dare not kill?" Ye Jingyu asked him with a face full of doubt.
Ye Jingchen: ......
He's thirty years old; what is there that he wouldn't dare to kill?
but--
How old are these little kids in front of me? Ye Jingshu and Ye Jingyu are still young girls, yet they act so matter-of-factly when it comes to killing?
And then there's Ye Jingshu; the words 'shoot the enemy' came out of her mouth with such composure.
When he was eighteen, he couldn't even kill a chicken properly. He was afraid to use too much force, so the chicken, whose neck had been slit in half but was not quite dead, struggled fiercely and splattered blood all over him.
"Once you can hit the target every time, we'll let you practice with live animals on the training ground," Ye Jingchen told her.
"Within a year at most, I'm sure I can hit the bullseye every time!" Ye Jingshu said proudly.
"Your Highness is amazing!" Ye Jingchen said with a smile.
The carriage left the city through the west gate. Outside the city was a wide moat, and beyond the moat, on both sides of the official road were large rice paddies.
The golden rice stalks sway in the wind, like ocean waves, creating a beautiful scene.
"After the rice grains are husked, they become the rice we eat every day," Ye Jingchen said to the children in the carriage.
After saying that, he instructed the guards outside the carriage to pick a small bundle of rice ears.
Wei Yi accepted the order and left.
He returned shortly afterward and handed Ye Jingchen a small bundle of rice ears through the window.
Ye Jingchen took it; the rice stalks felt heavy in his hands.
"The rice husks are actually golden! How amazing!" Ye Jingshu grabbed a few grains and played with them in her hand.
Ye Jingchen plucked the rice stalks and distributed a few grains to each person.
"You can peel off its shell and take a look."
Ye Jingchen peeled a grain of rice first, brought it to his nose and smelled it, and could even smell the fragrance of rice.
In this era, there are no pesticides or chemical fertilizers; rice is all-natural.
Ye Jingchen put the crystal-clear grain of rice in his mouth and bit it. Sure enough, it was a little sweet.
"What are you doing, Your Highness? How can you eat things of unknown origin?" Ye Jingshu saw this and quickly said.
"Why don't you give it a try?" Ye Jingchen said to them.
"Doesn't this need to be cooked before eating?" Ye Jingshu asked, somewhat puzzled.
"It does need to be cooked thoroughly before eating, but it's fine to eat just one grain. It'll be a good opportunity for you to taste the purest flavor of rice," Ye Jingchen said.
Ye Jinghe was the first to respond, removing the husk from the rice, taking out the rice, and putting it in his mouth.
This grain of rice is too small; you need to chew it carefully to taste its flavor.
It's slightly firm, with a faint aroma of rice and a hint of sweetness. It's neither particularly delicious nor unpalatable.
Several people frowned and swallowed with difficulty.
Having grown up eating delicacies from land and sea, they might not be used to this kind of taste.
"Experienced farmers can judge whether rice is ripe and ready for harvest by the hardness and plumpness of the grains," Ye Jingchen told them.
"Your Majesty is so amazing, you know so much!" Ye Jingyu said.
The others nodded in agreement.
Children born in the palace, yet they know nothing.
"I read it in a book. If you read more books, you'll know it too," Ye Jingchen said without changing his expression.
Ye Jingshu's lips twitched, as if she wanted to speak, but then she didn't.
Based on Ye Jingchen's daily classroom performance, he really doesn't seem like someone who enjoys reading.
But if not through reading books, where did the younger brother learn so much knowledge?
That doesn't make sense!
Perhaps, without their knowledge, the younger brother had been secretly studying and working hard all along?
"Everything is in books, so you must read more books." Ye Jingchen said calmly, seemingly oblivious to their confused expressions.
Since they are still young, we can simply explain things they don't know by referring to books, which can also encourage them to read more.
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