"Who are you?" Pan Rui frowned, with the character "川" (Chuan) between his brows tightly furrowed, and looked at the uninvited person with fair skin and beautiful face in surprise.
@Unlimited good articles, all in Jinjiang Literature City
Jiang Yushu endured the discomfort of the summer heat, bowed gracefully, and replied gracefully, "I am the daughter-in-law of the exiled Guo family, Jiang."
"So he's a fugitive." Pan Rui was filled with worry, not caring about the surname "Guo" at all. He just asked, "Jiang, have you heard of potatoes?"
Jiang Yushu replied seriously: "Not only have I heard of it, I've also eaten it."
"Are you serious?" Pan Rui narrowed his eyes and looked at the other person suspiciously.
"Absolutely!" Jiang Yushu answered firmly, hoping to gain support. "If your crops happen to be the kind of potatoes I've seen in the capital, everything will be easy."
Pan Rui was stunned for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Have potatoes spread throughout the capital? Can ordinary people eat them at home?"
"Haha, big brother, she is not an ordinary citizen!" After watching for a while, Pan Kui pulled his cousin aside and whispered:
"Jiang's husband is Guo Honglei, the second son of the Marquis of Jingyang, and her father is the Minister of Works of the current dynasty."
"What?" Pan Rui gasped, surprised. "She calls herself the 'daughter-in-law of the Guo family,' and her husband's family actually refers to the Marquis of Jingyang's Mansion?"
"That's right."
Pan Rui sighed deeply and speculated, "Just now I thought she was lying, but now I think about it: the daughter of an assistant minister, the daughter-in-law of a marquis, must have enjoyed every luxury, with exquisite food, clothing, housing, and transportation. With the capital city being so prosperous, it's not surprising that she's tasted foreign food."
"Oh my," Pan Kui sniffed, unable to conceal his longing. "If the capital weren't thousands of miles away, I'd definitely take the time to go and see it! It would broaden my horizons and allow me to experience the scenery beneath the Emperor's feet."
Pan Rui smiled and said with emotion, "The capital is so prosperous! When I went to take the exam, I was so ignorant and overwhelmed by everything. I was so timid, afraid of being laughed at."
"Hehehe." Pan Kui was overjoyed.
Pan Rui frowned, but asked, "Brother Kui, how do you know the origins of the Jiang family?"
"Well, I've known the Guo family for half a month." Pan Kui recounted his experience of hunting down deserters, then angrily said, "I usually rule very strictly, but who would have thought that because I accepted a group of remnants from Yongzhou, they would do such a shameful thing as deserting the battlefield! Humph, I've almost lost all my face."
Pan Rui consoled him, "Didn't we later investigate and clarify? They weren't the so-called 'remnants', but deserters who had sneaked into Xicang before Yongzhou fell. After escaping the enemy's slaughter, they falsely claimed to be remnants and infiltrated the Heqin Garrison. It's not your fault. Blame the deserters for being cowardly and retreating when faced with danger."
"Fortunately, General Dou was very perceptive and didn't punish me for neglecting my duties." Pan Kui then changed the subject and said excitedly, "From my observation, Guo Honglei is quite brave and calm. I plan to take him back to Heqin!"
"That kid? Carry?"
Pan Rui's face changed, and he said bluntly, "Use your brain! The Guo family is definitely not an ordinary criminal. Although they were implicated in a corruption case and fell into misfortune, the Marquisate has been prosperous for a long time, with family and friends all over the world, and they are either rich or noble. Who knows how many people are secretly helping them. And Heqin, alas, Heqin is really in chaos, and who knows when the war will end."
"Brother, as a county magistrate, how can you destroy your own prestige like this? He Qin is obviously a good person." Pan Kui was very dissatisfied.
Pan Rui was so disappointed that he warned him bluntly, "If you recruit Guo Honglei, and he unfortunately dies in battle in Heqin, will the powerful relatives and friends of the Guo family forgive you?"
"The soldiers died bravely for their country, and their death was worthy! Why blame me?" Pan Kui was anxious, his face darkened, and he looked ferocious.
Pan Rui was a fair-skinned and refined man. He acted like a brother and said sternly, "Brother Kui, calm down. Be careful not to get yourself into trouble. Think twice before you act."
"That Guo kid has great potential. It would be a shame to let such a good talent slip away. I can't bear that." Pan Kui rolled his eyes, leaned closer to his brother, and advised, "Besides, that kid's wife claims to be able to grow potatoes. Perhaps Jiang can really help you out of your immediate crisis and save your official position. Why don't we... take a chance together?"
Pan Rui's expression changed slightly, but he scolded: "What are you trying?"
"I'll test Guo Honglei's courage on the battlefield, and you can test the Jiang family's agricultural capabilities." Pan Kui was full of anticipation, putting on a forgiving smile and asking flatteringly, "Brother, what do you think of my idea?"
“It’s totally rotten!”
at the same time
Several servants surrounded her, Cuimei was twisting her handkerchief and Xiaotao was fanning her.
Guo Honglei held the summer tea and whispered: "You have a little heatstroke. Don't worry even if the sky falls. Drink this cup of tea first."
"Hmm." Jiang Yushu quickly finished her drink, rinsed her mouth, wiped her face with a cold towel, and cheered herself up. She said excitedly, "There's no time to lose. I'll go try it right away!"
Guo Honglei asked in confusion, "I've been in the capital for over a decade and have never heard of 'potato'. How did you learn about it?"
Facing seven or eight puzzled looks, Jiang Yushu remained calm and unhurried, answering calmly, "One year, while visiting a temple fair, the crowds were so huge that I was dizzy and accidentally separated from my family. I happened to see a foreigner selling potato chips, so I was curious to try some and casually asked about them."
The capital's temple fair was bustling with activity, with numerous vendors, many of them foreigners, setting up stalls and hawking their wares. It had been several years, and there was nowhere to ask, no way to investigate, so she wasn't worried about exposing herself.
"Oh!" Cuimei clapped her hands, suddenly realizing something, and said, "So it was that time. I remember! The girl was eleven years old then, and she got lost for a quarter of an hour. Her followers were so frightened that they desperately searched for her. As a result, the master never allowed his daughter to go to the temple fair again."
Jiang Yushu nodded frequently, thinking: Fortunately, this past event happened, otherwise it would be difficult to justify myself.
Guo Honglei frowned as he listened, and agreed, "Father-in-law is wise. If it were me, I wouldn't allow you to go shopping again."
Hey, what right do you have to restrict my freedom? This thought flashed through her mind, and Jiang Yushu didn't bother to chat. She was eager to try and urged, "Let's go! Let's go talk to Lord Pan."
Guo Honglei had no objection and took the first step.
A moment later
Both parties walked out of the prison gate and headed towards a long line of horse-drawn carts loaded with grain seeds.
Pan Rui took a square step with his hands behind his back and said slowly, "Words are not enough. Now that you've seen it, do you remember what it looks like?"
Having yet to see the real thing, Jiang Yushu was extremely cautious. After a moment's thought, she slowly replied, "As far as I remember, potatoes are generally oblate, with white or light yellow skin, and they vary in size. Also, they have a few slight depressions on the surface."
"Hmm." Pan Rui nodded, and his faith grew even stronger. He stopped in front of a carriage and ordered, "Take two beans and plant them."
"Yes!" The officer hurriedly got into the car and quickly took out two potatoes.
Jiang Yushu's eyes lit up instantly, and she thought to herself, "Great! These are exactly the ones I'm familiar with, not just things with the same name." She happily took them and looked over them again and again, but as she read, she frowned.
"What's wrong?" Pan Kui leaned forward and asked loudly, "Could it be that these beans are not good?"
Jiang Yushu noticed the carriage was packed to the brim. She immediately shook her head and subconsciously corrected him, "Although potatoes have the word 'bean' in their name, they are not in the same family as legumes and cannot be called 'beans'. In fact, they are from the same family as eggplants and peppers."
"I've never farmed before, so I don't understand what you're talking about." Pan Kui rubbed his chin, puzzled. "Strange! The daughter of the Minister of Works, she must have been raised in luxury, so how could she be so familiar with these things?"
Jiang Yushu had just opened her mouth when she heard her husband's clear voice answer, "It is precisely because she is the daughter of the Minister that she is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. In her spare time, she also likes to tend to flowers and plants. The orchids in the back garden of the Jiang Mansion are a riot of color and beauty. They were all planted by her own hands and are praised by everyone."
...Pan Baihu clearly asked about agriculture and sericulture, but you answered about music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and orchids? @Infinite good articles, all in Jinjiang Literature City
Moreover, Jiang Yushu heard the pride in Guo Honglei's voice. She smiled, but then felt embarrassed and reminded herself: Wake up! The Second Young Master is not praising me, but the deceased Miss Jiang.
After hearing this, Pan Kui exclaimed in amazement, "Tsk, you ladies from the capital really have so much leisure and sophistication!"
Jiang Yushu took a deep breath, quietly suppressed her strong melancholy, raised the potatoes, and said seriously: "Master Pan, at the rate you are going now, I'm afraid this batch of grain will be ruined in less than two weeks."
This matter concerned the county's food rations, so Pan Rui had to take it seriously. He showed a hint of anxiety and asked hurriedly, "What do you mean?"
Jiang Yushu lowered her eyes and didn't answer. She gritted her teeth, raised her hand and rubbed her eyes until they turned red. She said with a thick face and trepidation, "I beg you to forgive my presumptuous mistake... I dare to ask you for a favor."
"Hey?" Pan Kui couldn't help laughing. He elbowed his cousin and said happily, "Brother, she's negotiating terms with you. Interesting!"
Guo Honglei used his body to shield his wife from the scorching sun and said helplessly, "This is truly a last resort. I hope you two adults will be merciful and understanding."
Pan Rui raised his head and asked, "What do you want? Tell me."
Guo Honglei frankly said, "To be honest, we planned to go to Changping County, which should have been feasible, but something went wrong, and the whole family has been waiting in vain until today."
"Changping?" Pan Kui curled his lips. Pan Rui, a long-time official, asked with understanding, "Commander Mu of the Changping Guards, is he an old friend of yours?"
Guo Honglei nodded.
Pan Rui remained calm, "You want me to send someone to find out about Changping, right?"
Jiang Yushu answered cautiously, "Actually, we'd like to follow you north. When we pass through Changping, please tell the local magistrate to let us meet Commander Mu."
Pan Rui pondered in silence, called his cousin aside, and after a long discussion, returned. Pan Kui stepped forward and said bluntly, "You have conditions, and we also have a request!"
Jiang Yushu held her breath and said nervously, "Please speak."
A sly look flashed in Pan Kui's eyes. Without mentioning Guo Honglei, he shouted, "Looking around Xicang, I think you're the only one who understands potatoes. If we just talk about it in a few words, who would know how to plant them? So, you have to come back to Heqin with us and teach the villagers carefully from beginning to end until we have a good harvest!"
Jiang Yushu was stunned, hesitant to speak; Guo Honglei was stunned and refused without hesitation: "How can this be? This is absolutely inappropriate-"
"Wait!" Jiang Yushu hurriedly pulled her husband back and said apologetically to the Pan brothers, "This is a serious matter. Could you please allow us to discuss it with our elders?"
Pan Rui was understanding and replied gently, "Of course. However, I'm in a hurry to return to the county office to handle official business, so I need to leave at 4:45 PM."
"Okay! We will give you an answer as soon as possible." After saying that, Jiang Yushu pushed Guo Honglei away and hurried to discuss with her family.
After watching the Guo family walk away, Pan Rui brushed off his sleeves, raised his hand to straighten his black gauze hat, and said with a smile, "Just wait and see. Brother Kui, you must use your brain more when encountering problems."
The author has something to say:
Pan Rui [raised his hand to straighten his black gauze hat]: Does this hat of mine look good?
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Happy May Day, little angels! Remember to come see me when you're having fun (?ω?)
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