☆, Chapter 245 Have you had enough of the excitement?
There were no unusual methods to save the damaged seedlings, nor were there any Taoist rituals as some people speculated. Instead, the seedlings that were not completely dead were simply straightened, watered, and fertilized.
Zhou Mujiao and Zhao Yunjing didn't personally tend to every single seedling in the five mu of land, but Zhou Mujiao personally irrigated each field and mixed the fertilizer herself. Zhao Yunjing and several officials personally led the way in spreading the fertilizer. Putting everything else aside, their hands-on approach to everything was worthy of praise from the people of Nanjiang City, not to mention the wisdom that Zhao Yunjing and his group had shown in dealing with the floods before this.
Originally, it was thought that no matter how hard the Zhao couple worked, it would be in vain. But starting from the third day, the destroyed seedlings actually stood up straight and raised their heads again, and some even sprouted new buds!
Is this... a case of being saved?
Hu Quan could hardly believe it. He practically pressed his face against the seedlings, his eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out of their sockets, but he still couldn't tell whether the new shoots were fake or real.
It was other villagers who confirmed for him: "They are really new shoots, Hu Quan, your rice seedlings have survived!"
Although nearly a quarter of the seedlings in a field were cleared, it's still better than having none left. Even if only half a mu of two mu remains, it's still better than having no harvest at all in the fall.
Two days later, the seedlings sprouted a new green, a light green. When a gust of wind blew by, they swayed from side to side, very delicate, as if they would break at any moment. But when the wind passed, they stood stubbornly in the field, very resilient.
These seedlings did indeed survive.
The people were naturally convinced of Zhao Yunjing and his wife's virtues and said that if Zhao Yunjing ever asked them to plant or do anything, they would not ask why and would just follow along.
Nie Shuang observed from the shadows for five or six days before revealing himself. He first went to pay his respects to Li Changyi before going to find Zhao Yunjing.
Zhao Yunjing was discussing with Hu Peiran and He Jiu how to carry out next year's spring plowing work when Xie Jiang led Nie Shuang in.
"Lord Zhao, you have worked hard. I feel deeply ashamed."
Zhao Yunjing raised an eyebrow slightly and cut to the chase: "Lord Nie, how have you been enjoying the excitement in the city these past few days? Have you had your fill?"
Nie Shuang became somewhat uneasy and quickly bowed to apologize: "My lord, please calm down. I am new to Nanjiang City and unfamiliar with everything. I dared not show myself rashly... Now it seems that I was being petty."
"Now that we're here, let's hand over the affairs of this yamen to Lord Nie. Xiao Ran, you'll handle the handover with Lord Nie later, and the rest of you will come out of the city with me."
Nie Shuang had prepared himself for Zhao Yunjing to make things difficult for him on his way here, but Zhao Yunjing just made a sarcastic remark and then dropped the matter. No matter how he thought about it, something felt off.
Hu Peiran went to retrieve the files, and he asked his attendant, "Master Yang, what does Lord Zhao mean by this?"
Master Yang stroked his goatee and said, “Sir, this Lord Zhao has influence with the Emperor and is highly regarded by him. If he really keeps quiet about this matter, then you don’t need to worry too much. But if he seeks revenge later, then we must prepare to deal with it. From now on, you are the official in charge of Nanjiang City.”
Nie Shuang pondered for a moment and nodded: "One should not have the heart to harm others, but one should not be without the heart to guard against others. Master, have someone follow Zhao Yunjing."
Little did they know that Hu Peiran had overheard their entire conversation, and that very night he told Zhao Yunjing about it, to which Zhao Yunjing simply smiled.
"How he guards against me is not important; what matters is his sincerity towards the people. To be an official in the court, having a pure heart is not enough; one must also know how to protect oneself. This Lord Nie is indeed a clever man."
Now there are three forces in Nanjiang City: the county magistrate Nie Shuang, Zhao Yunjing's promotion team, and the last force is Li Changyi. However, after Li Changyi saved the rice seedlings in Nanfeng Village, he rarely appeared in front of everyone. But every time he appeared, he was always accompanied by Sijiu. The guards who were lurking in the shadows seemed to have left overnight.
The three parties maintain a balance of power, and while things appear calm on the surface, undercurrents are surging beneath the surface. Fortunately, everything remains peaceful.
On the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhou Mujiao pulled Zhao Yunjing down to the river and fished up a bucket of palm-sized crabs from the Donglan River outside the city. Along with the crabs, they also fished up half a bucket of snails, as well as plump water and shrimp.
Crabs are best steamed to retain their original flavor. However, the dipping sauce is also important. Zhou Mujiao has come up with her own unique recipe. The dipping sauce is not only fragrant, but it also removes the fishy smell without overpowering the crab's natural freshness.
Stir-fried snails taste even better with spiciness. Luckily, the chili pepper plant she had planted in the flowerpot had sprouted, so she added a few to stir-fry, and it was incredibly fragrant and delicious.
The fish was braised, and the shrimp were coated in flour and then fried until golden brown. In addition, Zhou Mujiao also made roasted chicken, plum goose, and tangerine peel duck soup, plus the Nanjiang dishes made by the chef, filling the table to the brim.
Of all the dishes on the table, everyone was most curious about the crab, because no one had ever eaten crab before. Since it looked terrifying, everyone thought it was poisonous and inedible. So even though the crab was steamed until it was golden and shiny, no one dared to touch it.
Zhou Mujiao didn't say anything, but took one over, lifted the shell, ate the tender, oily crab roe inside, cut off the crab legs, and ate the tender white meat inside. In no time, she had dismantled and eaten a crab that weighed eight pounds, leaving only a pile of shells.
Everyone was stunned and asked how it tasted.
Zhou Mujiao still had something in her mouth, so Zhao Yunjing poured her a cup of tea to cleanse her palate and answered on her behalf, "It tastes delicious, and it has a different flavor when dipped in water. As for what it tastes like, I can't describe it for the time being. You all might as well try it for yourselves."
Since the Zhao couple had already eaten, the others naturally didn't suspect that the crab was poisonous. Li Changyi was the first to take one and ate it like Zhou Mujiao. The others followed suit, and after taking their first bite, everyone's eyes widened in surprise.
"This terrifying-looking thing actually tastes so delicious! How much have we been missing out on before?!"
Zhou Mujiao laughed: "It's not that you haven't eaten it before. Firstly, because this thing really looks terrifying. Secondly, even if you knew it was edible, you wealthy families would generally consider it a vulgar thing, not worthy of being on your dinner table."
As she spoke, she poured the crab roe onto her rice, added a little dipping sauce, and ate it. People watching her eat thought she was eating the finest delicacies.
—Forget about being vulgar or not, as long as it's edible and tastes good, it's a good crab!
Time flies. Just a few days after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the rice seedlings in the fields drooped their heads, and as far as the eye could see, they were golden.
The village's grain protection team patrolled even more frequently, fearing that someone might try to steal the grain fields at the last minute.
Fortunately, everything turned out alright, and the rice is ready for harvest.
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