"Madam," the maid reported, "Tunning County Magistrate, Lord Sun and his wife are here to visit."
Jiang Yushu turned around in surprise, "Again?"
"Come, come!" The baby nestled in his mother's arms and babbled.
"Strange! We just talked for a while yesterday, and they're here again today?" Madam Pan muttered as she embroidered the uppers of her shoes. "We're clearly not close friends, so how can they have the nerve to keep interrupting us during the New Year?"
Jiang Yushu ordered, "As usual, everyone who comes is a guest! Please invite the guests into the hall for tea. I'll be there shortly."
"Yes." The maid bowed and retreated.
"Come! Come come come..." The baby's voice was tender. He was playing with a pen holder, and his chubby legs were leisurely kicking the table on the kang.
Jiang Yushu handed the child to the wet nurse, "Yes, guests are coming, mother has to go to meet them! Be good, I will play with you later." She cheered up, got off the kang, quickly changed into clothes for meeting guests, simply combed her hair, and walked out.
"Huh?" The baby threw the pen holder away, eager to go out and play, struggling to stretch out his hand and shouting: "Mom! Come, come——"
Jiang Yushu smiled with relief, waved her hand and said, "I'm really not going out to play, see you later!"
A short while ago, living room
"Lord Sun, Madam Sun, I'm sorry, I was taking care of the children just now and kept you waiting for a long time." Jiang Yushu apologized with a smile.
Sun Jie hurriedly stood up to greet him, "No way! We are the ones who should apologize for disturbing you again."
"Mrs. Guo." Sun's wife also stood up, afraid of making a mistake in her words and actions, and smiled stiffly. "I'm so sorry to bother you with the children."
"No problem."
The maid served tea, and before Jiang Yushu sat down, she raised her hand and said, "Sit down, please sit down."
"Where's Captain Guo?"
"He just went home to see his children and returned to camp at daybreak."
Sun Jie nodded in realization, and his wife asked with concern, "I heard your son was feeling unwell. How is he now?"
"If there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate!" Sun Jie said generously.
Jiang Yushu smiled and said, "Thank you both for your concern. My child has recovered."
"That's good!"
After exchanging pleasantries, Sun Jie, already prepared, picked up the booklet on the coffee table and said anxiously, "I borrowed this booklet yesterday. I went home and read it three times overnight. I benefited a lot from it, but there are a few things I'm confused about that I can't figure out, so I came to ask for your advice."
You actually read it carefully overnight? Jiang Yushu was half-believing and half-doubting, and asked gently, "I guess it's because I didn't write it clearly enough. I wonder if there are any parts that you are confused about? Feel free to raise them and we can discuss them together."
"To be honest, I was immersed in reading when I was young, and I have been busy since I entered the officialdom. I have only a vague understanding of agriculture and sericulture. I don't dare to be called an 'explorer'. Please give me more guidance, Special Envoy." After saying this, Sun Jie got used to it. He stretched out his index finger, dipped it in saliva, and opened the booklet.
Jiang Yushu caught a glimpse of it while drinking tea, and her breath stopped for a moment. She thought to herself: That booklet is useless!
"Well, I don't quite understand the following points." Sun Jie dusted the booklet, and spoke incessantly with a humble and studious attitude. He had questions about almost every link, from seed selection, germination, cutting... to harvesting and storage.
Although this person was a bit boastful, he had clearly put in the effort, and only serious questions and discussions could be raised. Jiang Yushu listened patiently as he answered questions. When the discussion got to complicated points, she simply asked the servant to bring pen and ink, and she wrote and drew while the other person took notes.
After a long pause, Jiang Yushu took a sip of tea, her interest growing. She spoke enthusiastically, "For storage, a cellar is the most suitable. Every household in the village has one, and government warehouses generally have them too. Potatoes have the advantages of high and stable yields, and are drought-resistant, cold-resistant, and barren. Their biggest disadvantage is that they are not very durable. Once they are planted on a large scale in the future, I will try to dry them or make them into vermicelli noodles to make them more durable!"
"Yeah, good, good idea."
“Let’s wait and see!”
During this time, Sun Jie praised him repeatedly, whether he understood or not. Finally, he said dejectedly, "As for the cellars, our county had already prepared them. Unfortunately, the harvest was poor, and nine out of ten cellars are empty. Alas, all my efforts in urging the workers to dig the cellars were in vain."
Jiang Yushu felt an inexplicable urge to laugh, but quickly suppressed it. She tapped the crudely drawn map of Tuning with her fingertips and asked curiously, "Yesterday, I heard adults say there was a drought in Tuning. Out of curiosity, I looked through the county annals and found a river running through the county seat, and several other rivers in the suburbs and remote areas. Doesn't that count as a drought?"
"The envoy is unaware of this."
Sun Jie's brow furrowed as he explained, "Look, this is the Yue River, running through the county. This is the Lan River, flowing through the garrison. There's also the Run River, located at the border between the two countries. It meanders so much that one section is in Beiqie, while the next section is in Dagan. Although the county annals record many rivers, in reality, only the Yue River, Lan River, and Run River are usable. Most of the others only appear when there's plenty of rain and dry up during droughts."
Jiang Yushu was stunned. "So it's seasonal, the river only forms during the rainy season? The county annals don't specify that."
"Well, it should have been revised in a timely manner. I have already given the order, and it will be noted in the latest annals." Sun Jie said seriously. According to the law, supervising the revision of the county annals is the responsibility of the county magistrate.
Jiang Yushu nodded casually, picked up her pen, dipped it in ink, and quickly marked it. She re-examined the overall situation and pointed to the border and asked, "What's the water volume in the Run River?"
"The Run River is a tributary of the Cang River, and it carries an abundance of water!" Sun Jie lamented. "It's a shame it's located at the border between two countries. From ancient times to the present, the Northern Jie bandits have always harbored the ambition to attack Dagan. Although the soil there is fertile and irrigation is convenient, the common people dare not approach for fear of being attacked."
Jiang Yushu also felt regretful. She lowered her head and stared at the map, then asked, "According to the county annals, this crescent-shaped barrier is Yilian Mountain?"
"That's right." Sun Jie took the opportunity to compliment him, "The Special Envoy has a photographic memory. It's really admirable."
Sun's wife, who had been watching for a while, echoed, "Tunning's affairs shouldn't be the concern of the special envoy. I'm really causing you trouble."
Jiang Yushu straightened up and said briskly, "It's okay. I'm free at the end of the year anyway, so I don't think it's a bother." After that, she tapped the starting point of Yilian Mountain with her finger, frowned in thought, and then suddenly an idea flashed in her mind. She raised her eyes and asked:
"Has Lord Sun ever been to Yilian Mountain in person?"
Sun Jie nodded and replied, "In the early days of my tenure, I was required to inspect the entire county as per the rules. I went there once, but because the government office was busy at the time, I took a quick look and left."
Jiang Yushu asked again, "According to the county annals, isn't there a long, rocky ravine near the starting point of Yilian Mountain?"
"Yes. There have always been many ghost stories about that rocky ravine, and ordinary people don't dare to go near it." Sun Jie looked at her puzzledly, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong?"
Jiang Yushu shook her head. "It's not that there's anything wrong with it, I just find it a pity. Look, the Run River flows from northwest to east. Before it passes through the Yilian Mountains, there are several sections of the river that are dry. But when it passes through the Yilian Mountains, it happens to turn north! The mountains block the way, and the entire lower reaches belong to the north!"
"What a pity, it's really a pity." Sun Jie sighed.
Sun's wife said hesitantly, "There's nothing we can do about it. It's fate."
Jiang Yushu stared intently at the mountains, rivers, and Luanshigou, choosing her words carefully. "I've never been there, but a sudden thought occurred to me: According to the county annals, Luanshigou and Runhe River are very close. If the terrain permits, could we dig a canal and bring the Runhe River into Tuning?"
"Dig a canal?" Sun Jie was stunned. Tuning was poor and dangerous, and he had never considered staying for long, always planning to ask for a transfer after his term was over.
"right!"
Jiang Yushu tapped the map with her fingers, making a "tap-tap" sound. She spoke slowly, "Yongzhou's terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast. After the Run River was introduced, the Luanshigou ditch became a ready-made river channel. Water flows to the lower areas, and it will merge into the Lanshui River and continue flowing eastward."
"If this succeeds, as long as the Cang River doesn't dry up, Tu Ning won't have to worry about droughts anymore, once and for all! By then, there will be thousands of hectares of fertile land south of Yilian Mountain. Even if the potato yield per mu is only 500 kilograms, you won't have to worry about food shortages."
Sun Jie smiled awkwardly, twirling his beard as he pondered for a moment before frowning and saying, "Excavating a river channel is a serious undertaking. We must recruit a large number of civilians, and it's hard to predict how many years it will take. It can't be done easily."
Sun's wife couldn't help but remind him, "Also, although Tuning is vast and sparsely populated, what if the river overflows and submerges the village? Wouldn't that be terrible?"
Jiang Yushu took a sip of tea and nodded, "You two are right to worry. This matter is indeed difficult to handle. I was just impulsive and just talked about it on paper. I'm sorry to make you laugh."
"No, no, no!" Sun's wife hurriedly praised: "Your intention is very good, and it sounds feasible."
Sun Jie sighed deeply, "Alas, this county is short of money and manpower, and even a good cook cannot cook without rice."
Before I knew it, it was noon.
Jiang Yushu put down her pen and spoke frankly and seriously, "After much discussion, the best solution to our pressing problem is to hire a few experienced farmers to plant crops diligently for two seasons and teach the local people how to do it. With time, we should be able to reverse the poor harvest situation."
"That's exactly what I meant!" Sun Jie clapped his hands in agreement.
Jiang Yushu looked at the sky and suggested, "It's noon now. You two should take a break and have a quick meal later—"
"No, no!" Guo Honglei was not at home, and Sun Jie waved his hand quickly. "Sorry to bother you again. We should leave now."
Fortunately, there is no time to talk about marriage today... Sun's wife sighed quietly and joined in the farewell.
Jiang Yushu naturally did not force the guest to stay and personally escorted him out.
It won't take a moment
After bolting the gate, the group returned to the house.
"Oh, that Tuning County Magistrate is so long-winded." The servant Zou Gui, who had served him for several years, dared to grumble, "Will he come again tomorrow?"
"Who knows?"
Jiang Yushu walked towards the east room and said softly, "It's obvious that Lord Sun is eager to make achievements and really wants to be promoted based on his political achievements. But that's normal. As an official, who doesn't hope for high positions and generous salaries?"
Nanny Pan asked curiously, "Then, next time he comes, will Madam still see him?"
The cold wind was biting. Jiang Yushu raised her sleeves to block the wind and replied calmly, "He came here on official business and was inexplicably turned away. It's our fault for being rude."
"Alas, he is the county magistrate after all. The second master is in Tuningwei, so he has to be more considerate of his family." The servant muttered.
Jiang Yushu smiled and said, "Yes."
"Thank goodness we won't be staying in Tunin long! When spring comes and the weather warms up, we'll take the young master back to Heqin," Nanny Pan said cheerfully. "Lunch is already served in the room. Madam, please enjoy."
"good!"
In the blink of an eye, it’s the Little New Year.
Although the family has less than ten people, they still solemnly offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God and prepare New Year's goods in a lively manner.
At night, cakes and fruits were placed on the kang table. The three women sat around it, chatting and playing with the children, with bursts of laughter.
Jiang Yushu said with emotion: "After the Chinese New Year, Ye'er will be two years old. In fact, he will not be one year old until February next year."
"Sui! Sui!" When babies learn to speak, they love to repeat the last word of adults. He sat steadily, picked up a pear, and hit it on the kang table, making a "dong dong" sound.
Jiang Yushu hurriedly took the pear away, fearing that he would hurt her hand, "Come, play with the cloth tiger."
"Today is the Little New Year. Will the adults come back?" The nanny sat on the edge of the kang and teased the child from time to time.
Jiang Yushu sighed, "There's a lot going on at the end of the year, he probably won't be available."
The next morning
After breakfast, Jiang Yushu would spread out paper and grind ink as usual, and write and draw while accompanying her children.
Unexpectedly, after just half an hour of work, Nanny Pan, who was sorting out New Year's goods in the side room, suddenly ran in and reported anxiously:
"Madam, there are soldiers outside the gate. They say they are here on orders from a general. Please hurry to the camp!"
Jiang Yushu's wrist strength suddenly weakened, and the tip of her pen smeared a dot of ink. She hurriedly asked, "Military regulations are strict, and women are expressly prohibited from entering the barracks. Why did they come to me?"
“I don’t know.”
Nanny Pan was apprehensive, her face pale as she speculated, "Could it be, could it be that something has happened to the young master?"
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