Chapter 97: At the zenith, above the sky, the blazing sun was like a golden plate that had been calcined to incandescence, shining without reservation.
When the sun reached its zenith, the scorching sun above the sky was like a golden plate that had been burned to incandescence, pouring out its blazing light without reservation. The cloudless blue sky seemed to be melted by it, presenting a dazzling bright blue.
In the vast fields, the old farmer gently waved his bamboo whip and shouted a few times, and the oxen immediately stretched their necks and moved forward, and the bells on their necks made crisp sounds with their steps.
The newly turned soil was dark, wet, and gave off a strong earthy smell. The old farmer bent over and planted the seeds into the soil, filling it up. The spring ploughing was in full swing, and he didn't notice the strange people around him.
Song Shiwei took Wu Qining to the edge of the field and looked at them quietly. Behind them were guards dressed in the same way.
They were dressed in cloth and wearing bamboo hats, and seemed no different from the old farmers. The only difference was probably that their clothes were too new.
Wu Qining rubbed his body awkwardly, feeling the discomfort caused by the cloth clothes, and secretly glanced at Song Shiwei who was looking at the ridge of the field seriously.
Even though she had been imprisoned in the deep palace as a puppet for nearly ten years, they would not treat her unfairly in such a small matter. This was her first real incognito visit.
What did she mean? If she really just needed a puppet, she could have placed her high in the palace, making her oblivious to what was happening outside and not knowing anything, and she could only rely on her.
It is too troublesome and unnecessary to teach her to sympathize with the people and understand common affairs.
But if she really had the intention of treason, she didn't believe it. Now everyone in Mingyu Palace was hers, and any movement she made would probably be reported on Song Shiwei's desk.
Forget it, she didn't really want to know what she was thinking. As long as she delayed for a while, Xuan Shi would succeed. By then, the Imperial Guards would be in her hands, and she wouldn't have to be so passive.
Song Shiwei bent down and pinched the soil on the cultivated land. It was shiny black, fine and soft. It was a fertile land. If there were no disasters, there should be a good harvest this year.
"Grandma, your seeds look good. How much can you harvest per acre?" Song Shiwei asked casually, handing a bowl of water to an old farmer who was resting nearby.
The old farmer knew at first sight that she was a stranger, but she looked kind and harmless. She drank the whole thing in one gulp, with a bright smile on her dark face.
"If the weather is good, one mu of land can easily produce 300 to 400 kilograms of chestnuts. The governor is kind and considerate of us. Every adult male pays 2 dan of chestnuts every year, and does not collect extra. People in other prefectures envy us. My sister is waiting for this batch of grain to go to school, so that she can take the imperial examination and become a minor official, bringing honor to our family."
"This day sounds hopeful." Song Shiwei said with some emotion.
"Yes, just thinking about it makes all the fatigue from working day and night disappear, and I can't wait to till a few more acres of land."
Song Shiwei talked to the old farmer very skillfully until she got the information she wanted. Then she gradually stopped talking, but the gentle smile was still on her lips, diluting the heavy sense of oppression on her body.
"Master, it seems that you know a lot about all this?" Wu Qining followed Song Shiwei for a long time. Seeing Song Shiwei sitting in front of the tea stall to rest, looking a little tired, he interrupted a little.
Song Shi raised his narrowed eyes slightly and glanced at Wu Qining who was very curious.
"I was born in a poor family, and my hometown is Jingzhou. Even though I am the only girl in the family, I have to help with farm work. I did all these when I was a child." Song Shiwei pointed to them one by one.
The governor of Jingzhou was her age and her native place was also Jingzhou. She transferred her here the year Wu Qining ascended the throne, so that Jingzhou would not fall into the hands of the aristocratic families. Jingzhou could be considered her old nest.
I understand. It's no wonder that the hometown of the treacherous minister is not controlled by the aristocratic family. I'm afraid that all the officials in Jingzhou Prefecture are Song Shiwei's people. Wu Qining nodded seriously and extracted useful information from Song Shiwei's casual conversation.
Although as an emperor, the most taboo thing is that the local military and political affairs are out of control and fall into the hands of others, but it is better for it to fall into the hands of Song Shiwei than those aristocratic families.
The old farmer smiled brilliantly. Wu Qining stared blankly at this bustling scene, which was very different from the indifferent and miserable lives of the people in other states according to her intelligence.
"Your Majesty, why are you still standing here? Why don't you go down and learn? Otherwise, you will make a fool of yourself during the ploughing ceremony." Song Shiwei sat on the stool, leaned back, raised his eyebrows slightly, and Song Lin behind him immediately took out the hoe he had prepared long ago and handed it to Wu Qining.
Since Wu Qining insisted on going with her on the incognito tour, she turned down the etiquette officer from Jingzhou Prefecture who was there to teach her etiquette. Practicing in person is better than just showing off.
Wu Qining was stunned for a moment, but did not refuse. He picked up the hoe and went to the field.
She thought it would be easy to learn, but only after she got the hang of it did she realize how wrong she was.
He clumsily imitated the old farmer's way of swinging the hoe, but after just one swing, he almost fell because he used too much force.
Song Shiwei raised the corners of his lips and seemed to smile. Wu Qining's face suddenly flushed red. He hoeed again, but the effort was not enough to hoe away the grass. After hanging his head and keeping silent for a long time, Song Shiwei had seen enough of the joke, so he gave a few stern instructions.
"Your handshake is wrong. Cover your left hand on top of your right hand, palm down, lean forward, and use your waist strength..."
"Try harder."
"You're using too much force. Don't shovel away the seeds."
Wu Qining was sweating all over after just a few strokes of the hoe following the instructions. She wiped away the burning sweat that dripped into her eyes, panting, and looked at Song Shiwei who was sitting beside her and directing her leisurely.
I wanted to encourage her to get down to work, but I caught a glimpse of her collarbone, which was slightly open and soaked with sweat. The rough cloth rubbed her pale skin repeatedly, as if it was burned by fire, and a large red mark appeared. As she moved, a large area of her arm was also injured, but she seemed to be unaware or didn't care.
Wu Qining suddenly turned her head away, looked at the dark fields beneath her feet, and swung the hoe vigorously. The flying soil hit her cheeks a few times. Her closed eyelashes trembled, and she was not surprised to receive Song Shiwei's stern instructions.
The fingers holding the handle opened tremblingly, and soon turned red.
If that treacherous minister came down and hoeed her a few times, she would probably be ill for a few days given her sick body.
Delaying her ploughing ceremony.
Wu Qining convinced himself expressionlessly, lowered his head and worked silently for a long time.
It wasn't until her arms were numb and her body looked like it had been fished out of the water that Wu Qining's movements began to look decent. Song Shiwei watched her carefully for a while, then nodded and put her up.
After resting for a while, they walked down along the fields and saw the lives of many people.
They work at sunrise and rest at sunset. The houses are neat and tidy and the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard.
They walked back along the same path.
The setting sun melted into gold, piercing through the layers of clouds and mist, and showered down without reservation. The mountains, fields, and rivers were all enveloped by this light.
Wu Qining felt as if his body was falling apart, and his feet had become numb from the constant rubbing of his straw sandals.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on Song Shiwei's face, and she felt a burning pain wherever it was illuminated. Her pale face flushed abnormally, and even her breath was scorching hot.
She was breathing slightly, and her legs felt like they were filled with lead, swaying as if she could collapse to the ground at any moment.
Song Shiwei gave a bitter smile. Sure enough, this body was still like this...
Wu Qining looked at her swaying back, pursed his lips, and his mind was cut in two, struggling over whether to help her or not.
He took a step forward as if out of control and reached out to hold her shoulders.
The one who was faster than her was Song Lin, who was standing beside her. She held Song Shiwei's shoulders and helped him to rest under a tree nearby.
Wu Qining's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, and he struggled to retract it by waving his sleeves. His expression changed constantly and looked extremely ugly.
Really, there is obviously a sedan chair, and no one would recognize it if it was disguised. It's just asking for trouble when there is no crime.
Wu Qining looked at Song Shi's slightly furrowed brows, tense face and beads of sweat on his forehead, and frowned heavily.
After a whole day of burning, his fair skin was terribly red. Seeing the guards around him looking as if they were facing an enemy, Song Shi raised his eyes slightly and said in a hoarse voice:
"It's okay, just rest for a while and it will be fine."
Shaking his head silently, Song Lin finally suppressed the urge to send someone back to ask for a sedan chair. He tried his best to pass water and fan Song Shiwei.
The setting sun was indeed quite dazzling. Song Shiwei raised his arms to cover his face. Just as he was about to ask someone to block it, he saw that the beam of light had disappeared.
A figure stood not far away, completely blocking the afterglow that was shining on her.
She was stunned, not knowing what to feel for a moment.
It was such a simple action, and she thought of many people, but she didn't expect it to be her.
Given their delicate relationship, she shouldn't do this. It's unnecessary and meaningless.
The only way for her to lead the army in person was to kill them all. The most taboo thing for a person in power, especially an emperor, is to be soft-hearted.
Being so soft-hearted will lead to being stabbed in the back.
Sticky sweat stained Song Shiwei's face, and she quietly looked at the back shining with golden light in the afterglow.
The salty, wet hair fluttered in the wind, and the tall back was hazy under the halo, making it difficult for her to see clearly.
The dazzling light was cut off by her, and scattered in all directions, without a single spot falling on her. It felt as if all the noise, all the calculations, and all the complicated relationships in the world were silently cut off and isolated by her small back at this moment.
Through the tall body, she saw a little emperor smiling sweetly. He sat beside her, tilted his head and looked at her and smiled. Just like the last time at the Lantern Festival, he called her affectionately:
"Master."
Song Shiwei sighed and closed her eyes. Never mind, when going on an incognito visit, one should not be bound by status, that's what she said.
Wu Qining raised his head high, opened his eyes wide and stared at the dazzling sunset without blinking as if in self-torture.
The original colors in the eyes were swallowed up by the sunlight bit by bit, leaving only a vast expanse of white.
Tears gradually blurred her vision, but she never looked away.
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