Liu Tan knew that Huo Guang was talking about a trial plow. In ancient times, farming was very important in the Central Plains. Holding such a ceremony when the day was truly suitable for farming was a desire for a good harvest.
At such times, even the emperor would personally go to the fields to drive cattle to plow the land to show his importance to farming. This was the Xiannong Li.
The queen would personally raise silkworms and weave cloth, which was considered a major event at the time.
Liu Tan sat down and said, "Isn't it a bit early for you to come and talk about something on the second day of the second lunar month?"
Huo Guang said, "It's getting late. If I remember correctly, Your Highness has never touched a treadle plow, right?"
Liu Tanxin said that not only had I never come across it, but I had seen it in pictures before today!
He coughed lightly and said, "Isn't this thing just... for show?"
No one would require the emperor and princes to farm. They just need to pretend to do so and let the people see and set an example. Strictly speaking, it is a weather vane that shows that the court attaches great importance to it.
Huo Guang looked at Liu Tan quietly and asked, "Your Highness, are you sure your appearance is flawless? Your Majesty always walks through at least one ridge during the Xiannong ceremony."
Liu Tan was silent. He never expected that Liu Che was actually more down-to-earth than him?
As an emperor and an official, he had to plow a field every year. But Liu Tan had never been involved in farm work before or after he came here, not to mention that he had never done any farm work before!
Liu Tan felt that he understood Huo Guang's intentions to some extent: "So the Prime Minister wants me to familiarize myself with the situation beforehand?"
Huo Guang sighed, "Your Highness probably doesn't want to make a fool of himself in public."
In fact, not every prince performed the Xiannong ceremony. Some of them did so because they were basically mascots. The direction of the domestic situation still depended on Chang'an and His Majesty.
Some princes acted recklessly. Even if such princes really implemented the Xiannong ritual, the people would not be willing to follow them as role models.
But Liu Tan is not in either of these two situations. Based on Huo Guang's understanding of him, he attaches great importance to his image in front of the people, so... Your Highness the King of the Northern Territory, let's start the training!
Liu Tan sighed: "After the Lantern Festival..."
"Your Highness, this matter should not be delayed. After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the New Year will be over, and Your Highness will have more things to deal with by then."
Liu Tan: So this is what you mean by letting me attend cram school during the holidays, right?
Liu Tan said dejectedly, "I understand. Let's start tomorrow."
Huo Guang felt relieved when he saw Liu Tan agreed. Regardless of anything else, his prince would definitely do well in whatever he promised.
After he left, Liu Tan turned around and ran back to complain to Lu Xuan, "I never thought I would need to learn how to farm."
Lu Xuan listened with curiosity. It was the first time he heard of the Xiannong Ceremony. He originally thought he knew a lot about the Han Dynasty, but he suddenly found that he didn't quite understand the meaning of these festivals with special significance, as well as the solar terms.
After Liu Tan explained the Xiannong Ceremony, he said, "Actually, due to different climates, the farming season varies from region to region. That's what the Xiannong Ceremony means. Even if I hold the Xiannong Ceremony on the second day of the second lunar month, I can't start planting right away. Similarly, the solar terms also depend on the local climate. Once Wusun has stabilized, you can find someone to try to summarize it."
Lu Xuan nodded seriously and asked, "You just mentioned the Silkworm Ceremony?"
Liu Tan laughed and said, "Oh, that's right. The emperor sets an example for all men, so the empress should naturally set an example for women, encouraging them to raise silkworms and weave cloth. It's the same principle."
Lu Xuan glanced at him and said, "Oh, then... the Northern Kingdom doesn't have the Silkworm Ceremony, right?"
Liu Tan said casually: "I don't have a queen, so where does the silkworm ceremony come from?"
After he finished speaking, he realized belatedly that Lu Xuan probably didn't mean that. He turned his head and found that Lu Xuan was smiling.
Liu Tan's mind moved, and he stood up and sat on him, putting his arms around his neck, looking Lu Xuan up and down.
Lu Xuan was startled by him and quickly held onto his waist. He felt a little uneasy under his gaze and couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
Liu Tan said maliciously, "Well, she is a little big, but most women in the Northern Territory are tall, and the queen's clothes are quite luxurious, so it's not a bad idea to cover it up. Otherwise, little Kunmi can be the Queen of the Northern Territory for once."
After Liu Tan finished speaking, he waited to see Lu Xuan's embarrassed look. He had discovered that although Lu Xuan was straightforward, he was sometimes very thin-skinned and would blush easily when teased.
Perhaps because he'd been bullied so often, Lu Xuan had developed an immunity to it. After hearing what Liu Tan said, he calmly replied, "Okay."
Liu Tan: ????
Seeing Liu Tan's slightly surprised expression, Lu Xuan smiled and said, "But Your Highness hasn't married yet. Should we first have a wedding ceremony and enter the bridal chamber?"
As he spoke, he tightened his arms, gradually reducing the distance between them.
This time it was Liu Tan's turn to blush. Just thinking about the scene of getting married in the hall made him feel excited.
He couldn't help but turn his head away from Lu Xuan's gaze and said, "The Queen of the Northern Territory... you can't have an unknown origin. You should first resolve your identity issue."
Lu Xuan readily agreed, "The Wusun Kingdom could also have more princesses. In the past, the Han people would marry their princesses to the grasslands or the Western Regions. The Wusun Kingdom could also marry its princess to the Northern Border Kingdom. Since they're neighbors, wouldn't that be a good fit?"
This guy is going crazy!
Liu Tan turned around, bit his ear and said, "Don't mess around."
If this is really done, it must be concealed from everyone, and most importantly, from Liu Che.
However, thinking about the difficulty, Liu Tan felt that hiding it from Liu Che was almost the same as hiding it from everyone else.
Lu Xuan thought about it and felt that this operation was very difficult, but he still leaned over and said softly, "I don't care. His Highness has just promised me the position of Queen."
Liu Tan was at a loss for words: "What's yours is yours, and no one else will have it!"
Lu Xuan was satisfied. Just as he was about to return to the bedroom with the person in his arms, he heard Miao Rui ask from outside, "Your Highness, are you ready for dinner?"
Liu Tan jumped off him with a smile and said, "I'm hungry!"
Lu Xuan had no choice but to let him drag him away.
But soon Liu Tan could no longer laugh. He originally thought that the Xiannong Ceremony was very simple. After all, he was not really required to farm. Huo Guang had simplified the ceremony to the point that he only needed to turn the land over with a treadle plow.
However, when it came time to use it, he could only stare at the fallen plow in silence for a long moment, questioning himself: "Why should I, the dignified King of the North, suffer this injustice? They won't even give me a cow?"
Then he looked up and saw Lu Xuan happily playing with the treadle plow next to him.
Lu Xuan successfully finished plowing a field and said, "There are few cattle in the Northern Territory. Even using cattle won't motivate them."
In essence, the Xiannong Li is to encourage farmers. Even the princes plowed the land themselves, so everyone should work hard too.
Liu Tan sighed and said, "The sun rises from the west, and you actually speak for Huo Guang!"
Lu Xuanren smiled and walked over and said, "It's very simple, I'll teach you."
The slave standing next to Liu Tan was trembling: He had been teaching the King of the North for a whole morning, and the King of the North's current progress was - two feet.
Lu Xuan lifted the treadle plow and was about to put it into Liu Tan's hands, but Liu Tan waved his hand and said, "Forget it."
Lu Xuan looked at Liu Tan in surprise, and then he heard his beloved say, "If you don't use the cheat, you'll be struck by lightning. Wait!"
Liu Tan ran off without giving anyone a chance to react, leaving Lu Xuan standing there bewildered with the treadle plow in his hand: What is that?
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