Chapter 125 High-yield crops
It snowed last night.
The heavy snow fluttered down, landing on the branches and roofs, covering them with silver, as clear as ice sculptures and jade.
Du Qingtang got up in the morning and did two sets of boxing in the house. Then there was a knock on the door.
"Offer jade! Offer jade!"
Du Qingtang wiped the sweat from his forehead and walked over to open the door.
Du Qingzhu lifted the heavy curtain and came in, jumping twice on the spot. The snowflakes on her head and shoulders fell down, covering the carpet with a layer of crystal.
Du Qingtang went to wash her hands and changed her clothes in front of the mirror. "It's snowing outside. Why are you coming here instead of staying inside?"
Du Qingzhu came over, brushed the snowflakes off her eyebrows, and said with a smile, "Xianyu, are you going to Fuyang Street today?"
Du Qingtang easily saw through Du Qingzhu's thoughts, but did not respond, just glanced at her.
Du Qingzhu was busy straightening the youngest's clothes and said softly, "Just give me some jade, give me some jade, then let me go with you."
Last night, Du Qingtang brought back two kilograms of sweet potatoes.
Du Qingzhu ate the roasted sweet potatoes and was immediately amazed by their deliciousness.
She wanted to eat more, but unfortunately her stomach was already filled with the pot and the palm-sized roasted sweet potato, so she had to give up with regret.
After some questioning, I learned that this thing was called sweet potato, and that foreigners would send sweet potatoes over today, so I secretly started thinking about it.
Look, she woke up as soon as the sun rose, went to the kitchen to make breakfast, and then came to find the youngest one in a hurry.
Du Qingtang brushed away Du Qingzhu's rebellious claws and straightened his crooked collar: "You won't be of any use if you go, so you'd better stay at home and avoid another stomachache."
The girls in the Du family acted as if nothing happened during their menstrual periods, except Du Qingzhu, who suffered excruciating pain every time, and even medicine couldn't stop it.
But she is someone who can't sit still, and she runs into the snow even in the cold winter.
The scar has healed and the pain has been forgotten.
Du Qingzhu shyly retracted his hand, his lips pouting so much that an oil bottle could be hung on them, and he muttered softly, "If I don't want to go, then I won't go."
"Yesterday I sent people to Fuyang Street to keep an eye on it. Once the sweet potatoes are delivered, they will be transported to the government office." Du Qingtang put on his official hat. "The remaining sweet potatoes are given to you. Go and do with them yourself."
Du Qingzhu's eyes lit up, and a smile spread across her face. She put her arm around the youngest child and shook him twice: "I knew Xianyu was the best to me. Breakfast is ready. Come out and eat quickly. I'll go study the sweet potatoes first to see if I can make some new dishes."
Du Qingtang waved his hand and Du Qingzhu trotted out.
After getting dressed, Du Qingtang went to the kitchen, while Du Qingzhu squatted on the ground peeling sweet potatoes.
I can't stay idle for a moment.
But it’s better this way, so she doesn’t have to go out in the snow.
After Du Qingtang finished his breakfast, he left the inner house and went straight to the lobby.
Officials and yamen runners came to work in the heavy snow, with a thick layer of snow on their bodies. They stood under the eaves and shook off the snow, which flew into the air.
When he saw Du Qingtang, he stopped what he was doing and bowed.
"Blessings, my lord."
Du Qingtang nodded. Seeing that their faces were pale from the cold and they were shivering non-stop, he grabbed a clerk and said, "Go to the inner house and tell them to boil a few pots of ginger soup and send it over."
There is a cook in the inner house, but Du Qingzhu likes to cook, and they are used to eating Du Qingzhu's dishes, so on weekdays she is only responsible for the three meals a day of Du Yi and others.
When the weather gets cold, the donkey is unwilling to grind the mill. It has to be given some sweet treats so that it can grind the mill more efficiently.
The clerk agreed, and Du Qingtang ordered, "Send the patrolmen to shovel the snow from the road. It's cold and the roads are slippery. If they fall, they will be punished severely."
The clerk complimented him, "Your Excellency is so kind. I will inform everyone right away."
Du Qingtang went to the duty room, put the tea on the stove to boil, and went outside to fetch some clean water to wipe the desk and bookshelf.
She does this every day and it has become a habit.
After wiping the table spotlessly clean, Du Qingtang poured out the dirty water. His fingertips were frozen and swollen, so he placed them on the charcoal basin to warm them up, and they soon warmed up.
The clerk brought the official document, which was half a person's height, and also ground some ink.
Du Qingtang glanced at him but did not stop.
The teapot was bubbling, and the hot steam made the lid clink.
Du Qingtang poured a cup of hot tea and placed it beside him, picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and began to work at his desk.
On the other side, the cook cooked three large pots of ginger soup and brought them to the lobby.
The officials and yamen runners drank the sweet, refreshing, and slightly spicy ginger soup. A layer of sweat broke out on their foreheads and their bodies became hot.
They held the bowls in their hands, their eyes filled with tears of emotion.
"The prefect is so kind to us."
"I have been an official for twenty or thirty years, and I have never seen such a considerate superior."
"I'm full of energy now, so I'll go get busy first."
......
At seven o'clock in the morning, Pei Yuchun's personal guards were ready to appear.
The guard carried the food box and said in a muffled voice, "Sir, there is no lunch today."
Du Qingtang raised his head from the official documents.
The guard, covered in snow, stood at the door like a snowman. "Last night, bandits attacked Loushan Pass. The general led his troops to meet the enemy and was injured in his right arm."
Du Qingtang paused for a moment, then asked in silence, "Is he seriously injured?"
The guard nodded. "The wound was deep and long, and there was a lot of blood. Doctor Zhang had to sew over twenty stitches."
More than twenty injections, that's really serious.
Du Qingtang twirled his wolf-hair brush and took the opportunity to suggest, "Since General Pei is seriously injured, there's no need to send food here in the future."
She couldn't give Pei Yuchun what he wanted, so the best thing to do was to cut the losses in time and draw a clear line between them.
The guard shook his head like a rattle, snowflakes falling all over the ground: "I dare not make decisions for the general."
Du Qingtang: “…”
"The general is not in a position to cook, but I made some steamed buns for you, my Lord." The guard seemed not to notice Du Qingtang's silence. He placed the food box on the table, clasped his fists and bowed, "I'll take my leave."
As he turned around, Du Qingtang called out to his personal guard, "Take this medicine back to him."
The medicine for wounds was made by Du Qingju and is very effective.
She had no relatives with Pei Yuchun, but Pei Yuchun had been cooking for her for a month, rain or shine. Now that he was seriously injured, he should express his gratitude.
The personal guard took the white porcelain bottle with both hands and said with a simple smile: "Thank you, sir. I will definitely pass it on to the general."
After the guards left, Wang Tongpan came over and said, "Sir, there was a snowstorm in Jingdong Prefecture next door, and many victims came from outside the city, almost causing a conflict with the guards."
Du Qingtang made a prompt decision: "If you want to enter the city, register. Send you to the refugee camp first, observe for a period of time, and then register your name."
"Yes, I'll do it right away."
Wang Tongpan retreated and passed the small table by the door. He saw the food box was still untouched, obviously the prefect had not eaten yet. He said: "Your Excellency has a lot of official duties and is exhausted from paperwork. You must take good care of your health."
Du Qingtang responded casually, but in his heart he was thinking about how many documents he had to deal with and how many sweet potatoes the foreigner would send over.
But it's snowing so heavily today, that person may not come.
On the other side, the personal guards left the government office and rode back to Loushan Pass.
They galloped all the way and arrived at the military camp in just an hour and a half.
The personal guard tied up his horse and went straight to the main tent: "General, I have brought the steamed jade pastry to Lord Du."
The young man with green eyes and rosy skin sat behind a long desk, his eyes slightly lowered, focusing on military affairs: "What did she say?"
The personal guard presented a porcelain bottle: "This is the medicine that Lord Du asked me to give you."
A white porcelain vase lay in the palm of his hand, with a crabapple flower painted on the bottle. It was somewhat similar to the crabapple lantern that he had spent an hour making that day.
Pei Yuchun's green eyes rippled, and his voice was as gentle as spring water: "What else did she say?"
The personal soldiers secretly complained that the general was usually very strict. Even the most difficult to tame troublemaker would be skinned alive if he fell into the general's hands.
Who would have thought that once one falls in love and has a loved one, even a tough guy like a general can't escape the temptation and become as soft as silk.
However, in his opinion, Lady Du was no ordinary woman and could not be easily impressed.
It is a long and difficult road for the general to win the beauty.
"General, Lord Du didn't say anything else."
Pei Yuchun's eyes dimmed for a moment, and he gripped the porcelain bottle tightly: "Got it, leave now."
"Yes, I'll take my leave."
After the personal guards left, Pei Yuchun rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong forearms.
There was a bruise on his forearm, but it was a very shallow one.
I'm afraid it will be healed in another three to five hours.
Despite this, Pei Yuchun still pulled out the cork, tilted the bottle, tapped the bottle mouth with his long fingers, and light yellow powder covered the wound.
When you get close and smell it, the fragrance of flowers lingers in your nose.
Pei Yuchun rubbed the powder with his fingertips until it completely covered the wound.
Feeling the slight heat coming from the wound, Pei Yuchun curled his lower lip imperceptibly.
My father once said that men can show weakness in moderation.
When a woman feels pity for him, she is halfway to success.
The green-eyed young man stroked the crabapple flowers on the porcelain vase, his eyes flickering and dark.
So Ayu.
Have I ever aroused your compassion?
......
Du Qingtang has a bad habit.
Once you get busy, it's easy to forget about eating and sleeping.
It was an hour later when he looked up from the documents again.
Du Qingtang put down the wolf-hair brush, stood up, relaxed his shoulders and neck, stretched his arms, and after the pain subsided, he lifted his feet and walked out.
As soon as I took a step, my stomach growled.
It’s my stomach that’s protesting.
Du Qingtang opened the food box, and inside was a plate of steamed jade pastries neatly placed.
At the Hehuan Festival, Pei Yuchun revealed his feelings while drunk, but Du Qingtang explicitly rejected him, thinking that he would give up.
Who would have thought that Pei Yuchun would retreat in order to advance, not showing up himself, but making his presence felt in front of Du Qingtang through other means.
For example, lunch is served on time at 7:15 pm.
For example, every three sentences he talks about is about the general's personal soldiers.
Du Qingtang said everything she needed to say, and she refused almost every day, her meaning was very clear, but Pei Yuchun insisted on doing it, and she couldn't point a musket at his head.
After all, they have worked together before, so there is no need to tear each other apart or be too drastic. Maybe one day Shaoqing Prefecture will still need the assistance of Loushan Pass.
Du Qingtang was not a stubborn person, so since persuasion was ineffective, he simply gave up and let him be.
The steamed jade pastry is white and crystal clear, shaped like a beautiful jade.
It melts in your mouth as soon as you take a bite.
After Du Qingtang finished a plate of steamed buns, he stood under the eaves and looked up at the sky.
The snow has stopped, and the surroundings are covered with snow, which is very beautiful.
Du Qingtang admired the snow scene for a while, and just as he sat back down, the clerk arrived.
The clerk stood outside the threshold and spoke in a slightly raised voice, "Sir, this afternoon the foreigners brought four carts of earth lumps. I settled the bill as you instructed and have now delivered them to you."
Du Qingtang put down the wolf-hair brush and strode out.
The clerk stamped his feet and hurried after him.
The cart was parked in front of the government office, piled with lumps of earth of various sizes.
It happened to be break time, and Zhou Tongzhi and others were standing in the lobby, looking around with curiosity.
"What is that?"
"It's in weird shapes and there's a lot of mud."
"What is the prefect planning to do now?"
"What can this thing do?"
"The prefect is here!"
Everyone was startled and quickly turned around to greet him: "Your humble servant greets you, sir."
Du Qingtang walked straight towards the cart without looking around.
Seeing this, everyone became even more curious.
Seeing that the prefect had not sentenced them, they plucked up the courage to follow him.
Zhou Tongzhi was older and more experienced, so Wu Tongzhi pushed him and he staggered to the front.
Zhou Tongzhi barely stood still and glared at Wu Tongzhi: "Why did you push me?!"
Wu Tongzhi winked and signaled him to ask quickly.
Zhou Tongzhi was so angry that he fell backwards, glared at him, and snorted, "Forgive my humble opinion, but may I ask, sir, what is this?"
Du Qingtang said nothing, held his wide sleeves with his left hand, and lowered his head to search.
In addition to sweet potatoes, there are also potatoes and peppers.
Maybe it's been in the cellar for too long and it's a little wrinkled.
It does not affect consumption, but may be difficult to grow.
But it doesn’t matter. This difficult problem will be left to Emperor Qingyuan to deal with when the time comes.
"Come here, take these to the cellar of the Third Hall." Du Qingtang put down the potatoes, pinched the mud off his fingertips, and turned his head to look at Zhou Tongzhi. "What did you ask just now?"
Zhou Tongzhi: “…”
Zhou Tongzhi asked again.
Du Qingtang adjusted his sleeves lightly and said slowly, "Good stuff."
Zhou Tongzhi fell silent.
Du Qingtang watched the yamen runners load the crops from the carts into bamboo baskets and carry them into the government office together. He added, "Two thousand kilograms per mu of crops, good stuff."
Officials: “???”
Officials: “!!!”
Shocked gasps rang out one after another. Zhou Tongzhi's old face flushed with excitement. He took a step forward, but then felt offended and quickly stepped back, clenching his fists and looking at someone with a burning gaze.
"Are you serious, sir? How did you know this stuff could yield 2,000 kilograms per mu? I've never seen these lumps of earth before. Could they be from foreign tribes? But why would foreigners sell such good stuff in the market? Aren't they worried that Daxia might get hold of it and turn against them?"
The questions came one after another, and the speed of speaking was very fast and the voice was like a loud bell, which made Du Qingtang's ears hurt.
Du Qingtang: "Shut up."
Zhou Tongzhi shrank his neck and fell silent for a moment.
Du Qingtang looked back and saw that Wu Tongzhi and the others had eyes full of thirst for knowledge, just like hungry birds.
Du Qingtang: “…”
What a disgusting metaphor.
Du Qingtang paused and spoke seriously, "I have been sending people to look for high-yield crops. Not long ago, I learned that some foreign tribes have crops that can produce 2,000 kilograms per mu. After careful consideration, I decided to open a trade and take the opportunity to obtain the high-yield crops from these foreign tribes."
"All you need to know is that they have a very high yield per mu. With them, tens of millions of Xia people will no longer have to endure hunger."
"Everyone, please do not spread this news casually. If outsiders find out, they will reclaim these crops at all costs."
Everyone's expression became serious and they quickly expressed their opinions.
"Don't worry, sir. I will keep my mouth shut."
"Your Excellency is so righteous that I am far inferior to you."
"I wonder when these crops will be planted? It's freezing cold out there, so I'm afraid we'll have to wait until winter ends and spring arrives, when the ice and snow melt."
Du Qingtang walked in with his hands behind his back. "It's planted in May, and it will take at least two months to mature. After the harvest, it will be shipped to Xiajing. I don't know when it will be widely available."
"So I plan to send them directly to Xiajing. This way, we can save the time of trial planting and have His Majesty send people to verify their yield per mu."
Zheng Tongpan twirled his beard, deeply agreeing: "Your Excellency is absolutely right. If we delay for several months like this, I wonder how many people will die from lack of food."
The other officials echoed this.
Du Qingtang waved his hand and said, "Everyone, go get busy. Don't gather here. I'll go to the Third Hall to take a look."
Zhou Tongzhi and the others also wanted to go, but then they remembered that there were female relatives in the third hall, so they had to give up with regret and watched the prefect enter the inner house with eager eyes.
The yamen runners moved the crops sent by outsiders into the cellar and left the inner house one by one.
Du Qingzhu came forward, took the youngest's arm, and winked at her meaningfully: "Xianyu, why do I see something else besides sweet potatoes?"
"There are also potatoes, peppers, and some crops I can't name." Du Qingtang pointed to the cellar. "If you want to get them yourself, I have a few ways to eat potatoes and peppers. Try making them later and wait for Eighth Sister to come back and taste them."
After confirming the feasibility of forceps, Du Qingju began to teach midwives how to use them.
In addition to training courses, he also sits in the clinic to see patients and guides his young apprentice Liang Chuxia.
Du Qingju goes out early and comes back late every day, and it is estimated that she will not be back until after dark.
Du Qingzhu didn't like eating alone, and she felt sorry for her sister, so she agreed without hesitation: "Xianyu, you say, I have to hurry and make it. When Xiaoba comes back, we can almost have dinner."
Du Qingtang orally explained how to make spicy and sour potato shreds, potato pancakes, and French fries, and concluded by advising, "Don't eat too much. I need to send it to Xiajing for His Majesty to try and promote."
Du Qingzhu was a little disappointed, but she also knew the priorities of the matter, so she agreed.
Du Qingtang changed the subject again: "But you can save a few and grow them at home."
There were at least a thousand sweet potatoes and potatoes, so it didn't matter if she left a few.
Du Qingzhu's face lit up instantly, she stood on tiptoe and leaned her head on the youngest's shoulder, and said in a long tone: "It's very kind of you to give me jade. I won't be polite then!"
Du Qingtang smiled, said a few words to her, and then went back to the duty room to handle official business.
As the shift was about to end, Zhou Tongzhi came over with the account book: "Sir, this is the profit of the garment factory last month. Please take a look."
As Du Qingtang looked through the documents, Zhou Tongzhi reported, "Right now, it seems that the best business is still in the northwest, with a total of 5,400 taels. The rest of the country only has 82,000 taels in total."
Eighty-two thousand taels may sound like a lot, but this is the profit earned by the garment factory after dividing its profits with more than 200 garment shops across the country. On average, each garment shop only gets 400 taels.
It is equivalent to a fraction of Fumin Garment’s monthly profit.
Du Qingtang, on the other hand, remained calm: "The woolen sweaters are sold by those ready-made clothing stores. They are not as good as the rich people's clothing. Since they only sell woolen sweaters, the profit is naturally much lower."
"Why not think of those 200-plus clothing stores as a single clothing store for the wealthy, with a monthly profit of 80,000 taels?" Du Qingtang raised his eyes. "Sometimes you need to think about things from a different perspective."
Eighty thousand taels a month. Woolen sweaters are basically only sold in spring, autumn and winter, and the minimum profit per year is seven hundred thousand taels.
Zhou Tongzhi's breathing quickened. "Your Excellency is wise. Now that I think about it, everything becomes clear to me."
Du Qingtang smiled but said nothing.
Zhou Tongzhi barely suppressed his ecstasy and continued to report: "The woolen sweaters ordered by Loushanguan have been delivered, and our soldiers are also wearing woolen sweaters."
Du Qingtang nodded and changed the subject: "It's almost mid-month and the end of the year is approaching. We can arrange for people to collect taxes."
"I'm going to make this clear upfront: you are not allowed to embezzle tax revenue, and I certainly don't allow your subordinates to set up private taxes. If I find out, Zhou Wei will be their fate."
Zhou Tongzhi couldn't help but recall how the previous Tongzhi died.
It seems that he was executed by slow slicing, and one of the charges was setting up private taxes.
Zhou Tongzhi shuddered and quickly assured, "Don't worry, sir. I will never show favoritism. I will also keep a close eye on my subordinates and will not let them take advantage of any opportunity."
After reading the account book, Du Qingtang returned it to Zhou Tongzhi: "This is the best."
Zhou Tongzhi left the duty room, exhaled, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and continued to get busy.
When Du Qingtang finished his shift in the evening, he returned to the third hall and found Du Ba had been waiting for him for a long time.
"Master, I have finally found a piece of ore that can absorb metals according to your request. Take a look and see if it is this one."
Du Qingtang picked up a fist-sized iron-black ore, stood in the sunset, and carefully examined it against the light. After a while, he nodded: "This is it."
Du Ba breathed a sigh of relief.
Du Qingtang threw the magnet to Du Ba again: "Come with me."
The two came to the study, and Du Qingtang handed him a blueprint: "Make it as soon as possible."
Du Ba did not suspect anything and retreated immediately.
Du Qingtang walked towards the bedroom, took off his official robe and changed into casual clothes.
It has been nearly a year since I parted with Fu Ci, and I estimate that Daxia’s fleet will set out to sea next year.
When a fleet goes out to sea, it is very likely to get lost at sea.
With a compass, the fleet can sail freely on the sea.
After Du Qingju sorted out the data about forceps delivery, she sent sweet potatoes, potatoes, peppers and a compass to Emperor Qingyuan.
Anyway, sweet potatoes and potatoes can’t be planted until May, so this month doesn’t make any difference.
After changing clothes, Du Qingju just came back from outside.
A cold wind blew, and Du Qingtang smelled a smell similar to rust.
Looking more closely, Du Qingju's blue skirt was stained with blood beads.
Du Qingtang frowned immediately: "What's going on?"
Du Qingju rubbed her forehead and said weakly, "Don't mention it. This morning, a woman had an argument with her mother-in-law, and she pushed her and gave birth prematurely."
"She was pregnant with twins and had a difficult labor due to heavy bleeding. The midwife asked me to come over, but I was still a step too late. I could only save one baby. Both she and the other one died."
"In fact, both babies were taken out with forceps. The one that came out later was stuck in my stomach for too long, and soon..."
The wrinkles between Du Qingtang's eyebrows deepened: "Is this blood from the mother?"
Du Qingju shook her head: "It was the mother-in-law of the woman who had just given birth. Her family beat the woman half to death. I happened to be passing by and the blood splattered on me."
Du Qingtang: “…”
Du Qingzhu heard this in the kitchen and poked her head out: "Actually, most mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships are still caused by the man's inaction. If the man had been more resolute, today's tragedy wouldn't have happened."
Du Qingju agreed deeply: "That's right, the man in that family is a coward. His wife and child died, but he didn't care at all. He even asked his mother-in-law not to beat his mother."
Du Qingzhu tutted, "These days anyone can marry anyone, but once they do, they don't know how to cherish them."
Du Qingtang remained noncommittal: "Eighth sister, go back to your room, take a shower and change clothes, and then we'll have dinner."
Du Qingzhu smiled and waved: "Hurry up, there are new dishes today~"
Du Qingju smiled, and most of the depression in her heart disappeared. She ran into the house with her skirt lifted.
Du Qingju quickly took a shower and changed her clothes, and the three sisters sat down to eat.
Although it was his first time cooking sweet potatoes and potatoes, Du Qingzhu did it quite well.
The spicy and sour potato shreds are crispy and sour and spicy, and the taste of chili peppers, which is different from that of dogwood, instantly evokes Du Qingtang's modern memories.
There are shrimps in the potato pancakes. Take a bite of the potato pancake and drink a sip of porridge. The outside is crispy and the inside is soft, and it also has the delicious shrimps.
Du Qingtang ate and couldn't help but let out a sigh of satisfaction.
Du Qingju was used to light meals. After eating some shredded potatoes, her fair cheeks flushed and she took a deep breath, "This red pepper is a bit too spicy."
Du Qingzhu likes strong flavors. The five chili peppers in the shredded potatoes made her face red with spiciness, but she kept moving her chopsticks quickly. "This chili is more spicy than the dogwood. I don't know how it's grown. Using this to cook will definitely attract a group of gourmets who like spicy food."
Du Qingtang suggested: "Plant the chili seeds directly."
Du Qingzhu's eyes lit up: "I haven't thrown away the pepper seeds yet. I'll collect them later and plant them in the fields next year!"
In addition to these two dishes, Du Qingzhu also invented candied sweet potatoes on his own.
Du Qingzhu held her face in her hands and chuckled, "Sweet ones are still the best for me."
Candied sweet potatoes and French fries are good after-meal snacks.
The former is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, soft, glutinous and sweet, while the latter is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with the unique aroma of fried food.
Then they dipped it in Du Qingzhu's homemade sauce, and both Zhu and Ju praised it highly.
In the end, the three sisters finished all four new dishes.
Du Qingju took a sip of sour plum soup and burped, the tips of her ears red. "I accidentally ate too much, but it's really delicious."
Du Qingzhu held his chin in his hand and leaned against Eighth Sister like a boneless person: "This thing may not look good, but it tastes amazing. I wish everyone in the world could eat it."
Du Qingtang estimated the timeline: "It will be available nationwide by the year after next at the latest."
The night was long and the three of them had no desire to sleep, so they just sat under the lamp and chatted.
"Send the woolen sweaters to Baoding Prefecture tomorrow. Sixth Sister and Jun Jie'er are in Xiajing with Sixth Brother-in-law, so they will be sent there separately."
"I bought some things at the market. You two give them to me and I'll take them back."
"I went to the charity this morning. The girls have recovered well. I guess they can go back to work after their confinement. Seventh sister, Xianyu, did you know that Chen Wenxiu and the others are teaching the girls who came later to read? I listened in for a while and they seem to be teaching quite well."
“It’s always good to know a few more words.”
"Yes, on the way back just now, I met Sister Wang. They plan to set up the Qiong English Society in Shaoqing Prefecture next year. The children will have a school, and the older ones will also learn to read and write, to improve their intelligence and understanding..."
Outside, the cold wind roared and hit the windows.
There was a charcoal brazier burning in the house, sour plum soup and empty plates were placed on the table, and three sisters sat around the table, chatting about family matters.
The flickering candlelight brings peace to the room.
-
"It was this man who embezzled the disaster relief silver and grain from Linjiang Prefecture, causing widespread starvation and the people to eat their own children."
"He's the son of Duke Cheng'en and the grandson of the Prime Minister, so why does he eat so unpleasantly?"
“People are never satisfied, and more money is always better.”
"He killed so many people, even being tortured to death is too easy for him."
The sound of murmurs and discussions came into the ears. Cao Xingcan was kneeling on the execution ground, with shackles on his head, shackles on his feet, and a death card tied to his back.
The scorching sun burns the exposed skin, and it becomes burning painful after a long time.
My throat felt burning as if it was being bitten by thousands of ants, and even breathing was a burden.
Sweat slid down his forehead and hung on the tip of his nose, about to fall.
"It's three quarters past noon, execution is underway—"
The fire sign was thrown high up and fell lightly to the ground with a crisp "click" sound.
Beads of sweat rolled down the tip of the nose, seeped into the soil, and evaporated instantly.
The executioner came forward shirtless, removed the shackles, death tag and handcuffs one by one, pulled off Cao Xingcan's prison uniform, and roughly pushed him into a fishing net.
In full view of the crowd, the people watching the execution laughed and cursed him, as if he were a pig to be slaughtered.
The executioner took out the thin and sharp lingchi needle, pierced it into the flesh neatly, and made the first cut.
"ah!"
Cao Xingcan screamed in agony as severe pain struck him.
"Husband! What's wrong with you? Are you having a nightmare again?"
A soft female voice rang in his ears, like a refreshing rain after a long drought, drowning out the people's curses and cheers, and soothing the pain in his body.
"Husband! Husband, wake up!"
There was a slapping sound on his chest, neither light nor heavy, but it made Cao Xingcan open his eyes suddenly.
The surroundings were dim, and in his nostrils he could smell the faint fragrance of his wife Liang.
No scorching sun.
There is no execution ground.
There is no executioner.
There were no witnesses to the execution.
There was no flesh or skin cut off by the lingchi needle.
Cao Xingcan stroked his intact chest, breathing heavily, and held his wife's hand tightly.
Liang felt pain, but did not break free. Instead, she snuggled up to Cao Xingcan and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, her eyes full of heartache: "My husband, are you having a nightmare again?"
Cao Xingcan swallowed and squeezed out a "hmm" from between his teeth after a while.
In September, he received a letter from his cousin.
A minor official in Linjiang Prefecture beat the drum to protest his grievances, accusing the prefect of Linjiang Prefecture of colluding with his brother to embezzle disaster relief silver and grain.
It happened to be an early morning court session, and the incident was brought to the throne room.
At the critical moment, my grandfather stood up and said that it was him, Cao Xingcan, who embezzled the disaster relief silver and grain, not his eldest grandson Cao Xingxuan.
The moment he finished reading the letter, Cao Xingcan felt not only disappointment but also relief that this day had finally arrived.
After his grandfather and father targeted and framed his eldest brother again and again, he resolutely chose to stand on his eldest brother's side, asking him to be patient and not bring shame to the Cao family.
Since he asked to be sent away, his father hit him and made him bleed.
Since he arrived in Pingyang Prefecture, the letters he sent to Xia Jing were like a drop in the ocean, and he never received a reply in more than two years.
——Cao Xingcan had already realized that he had become an abandoned child of the Cao family.
Cao Xingxuan was the heir cultivated by the Cao family with all their strength. Even if the mastermind behind the crime was most likely the Fourth Prince, he must not be convicted and put to death.
Pushing out the abandoned pawn as a scapegoat is the most normal thing, isn't it?
That night, Cao Xingcan had a nightmare.
In the dream, he was convicted and sentenced to death by slicing.
A full two thousand eight hundred knives, a life worse than death.
Cao Xingcan woke up in pain, but not wanting his wife to worry, he lay there stiffly with his eyes open until dawn.
The next day, Imperial Commissioner Shi Zishan arrived, under the Emperor's orders, to investigate the theft of disaster relief silver and grain in Linjiang Prefecture.
Cao Xingcan forced himself to be strong and cooperate with the investigation throughout.
Fortunately, with the blessing of God, or perhaps his mother, Shi Zishan found out the truth and cleared his name.
But the story doesn't end there.
Cao Xingcan dreamed of himself being tortured to death almost every night. He screamed and groaned in pain in his dreams, and could not sleep all night after waking up.
Over time, even though he tried his best to hide it, Liang still knew the content of the nightmare.
Liang burst into tears, feeling sorry for her husband's experience and secretly hating the people in Xia Jing for their extreme coldness.
"Don't be afraid, my dear. Dreams are always the opposite. You are alive and well now, and the real villain has already been brought to justice."
Cao Xingcan's eyes were dazed: "Yes, I'm still alive."
Liang nodded vigorously: "My husband must live a long life, grow old with me, and watch Sister Nuan get married..."
With his wife's gentle comfort, Cao Xingcan's fear disappeared.
But after this, they both lost all desire to sleep and lay on the bed hugging each other.
Cao Xingcan held Liang's hand and said in a deep voice, "Madam, I haven't had time to tell you yet. My cousin wrote to me yesterday evening. He said that Liu Dun was able to arrive safely in Xiajing despite being hunted down by the prefect of Linjiang Prefecture. He was escorted the entire way."
Liang was surprised, but she didn't jump to conclusions. Instead, she asked, "Who do you think it is, my husband?"
Cao Xingcan stared at the ceiling in the darkness, his expression complicated. "I've thought about this for a long time, listing many suspicious people, and I think the person who offered the jade is the most likely."
Offering jade?
Liang was stunned for a moment before she remembered who Xianyu was. She half believed and half doubted: "Didn't Lord Du go to Shaoqing Mansion?"
Cao Xingcan said bitterly, "My cousin said he is not my grandfather's person, and besides my cousin, I only have two good friends, Xianyu and Zizhan."
"Zizhan is kind-hearted and doesn't have that ability. On the contrary, Xianyu, when we first met at Qingyuan Academy, I knew she was unfathomable."
Liang still found it incredible: "Maybe it's Your Majesty? After all..."
Cao Yuan was extremely powerful in the court and was naturally a thorn in the side of Emperor Qingyuan.
If Emperor Qingyuan had been sending people to keep an eye on the Cao family, it would have been difficult for him not to discover what Cao Xingxuan was doing.
So he took advantage of the situation and escorted Liu Dun to the capital to file a complaint with the emperor.
Cao Xingcan shook his head. "Madam, you should know that once something is done in this world, it will definitely leave traces. Grandfather sent people to investigate, and the people escorting him were definitely not your Majesty's men. They didn't seem to be secret guards or assassins."
The most crucial point is that although Du Qingtang was a "farmer's son" back then, he was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and was especially good at riding and shooting.
He had also investigated out of curiosity, and the two sides almost had a conflict.
Cao Xingcan knew very well that Du Qingtang had always had great magical powers. So he saw that he and the Cao family were becoming increasingly alienated. He predicted that his grandfather would push him out as a scapegoat one day, so it was not impossible that he sent people to keep an eye on the Cao family in advance.
Seeing her husband's confident tone, Liang's heart leaned towards Du Qingtang: "So, it was Master Du who saved my husband's life."
"That's right. I can't repay her for saving my life. As it's the end of the year, I plan to give her a New Year gift and then find a chance to repay her in the future." Cao Xingcan paused and shook his head, "No, what if my grandfather knew about my friendship with Xianyu?"
Since his eldest brother is dead, his grandfather must be angry with him.
Giving a New Year gift to Xianyu at this time would most likely arouse his grandfather's suspicion, which would be disadvantageous to Xianyu.
Liang's tone was inexplicable: "Husband, do you think Grandfather really doesn't know about your friendship with Lord Du?"
Cao Xingcan was stunned.
Liang continued, "I've only lived in Duke Cheng'en's mansion for a few months, but I can see that Grandfather has a strong desire for control. My husband was far away in Baoding Prefecture back then, so how could Grandfather allow you to escape his control?"
Cao Xingcan looked suddenly enlightened.
Yes, as the head of the Cao family, how could my grandfather leave him alone in Baoding Prefecture?
Perhaps his every move in Baoding Prefecture was under the surveillance of his grandfather.
His grandfather knew that he studied and did exercises day and night in order to get the so-called first place.
His grandfather knew that he was depressed and once wanted to commit suicide.
Grandfather also knew that on the night after the college entrance examination results were announced, he was standing on the edge of a cliff, just one step away from death. It was Xianyu who pulled him back from the edge of the cliff and woke him up with a few slaps.
All the past events flashed through his mind like a kaleidoscope. Cao Xingcan hugged his wife and felt cold all over.
So my grandfather knew it all along, but kept it secret, looking at him like a clown, and trying his best to cover up any trace of his friendship with Xianyu and Zizhan.
Cao Xingcan closed his eyes and felt it was extremely ironic.
Liang held her husband's hand tightly and soothed him softly, "Fortunately, we are now far away in Pingyang Prefecture. Your husband will be promoted and given more official positions based on his own abilities. From now on, you can draw a clear line between yourself and the Cao family and live your life well."
But they all knew that once you are a member of the Cao family, you will be a member of the Cao family for life.
It's not easy to distance yourself from the matter.
Cao Xingcan sighed deeply: "Forget it, there is still a long way to go, and I will always find a chance to repay Xianyu."
Liang nodded in agreement.
Perhaps because he had untied the knot in his heart, Cao Xingcan gradually fell asleep.
In his dream, he went back many years.
At that time, he was studying in Baoding Prefecture, and he went in and out with Xianyu and Zizhan, and formed a deep friendship with them.
There, he was not the second grandson of Cao.
His name is Cao Xingcan.
It’s just Cao Xingcan.
-
The next day, Du Qingtang asked someone to send the New Year gifts to Xiajing and Baoding Prefecture.
If nothing goes wrong, it will be delivered before New Year's Eve.
As the year drew to a close, the government office became even busier. Du Qingtang began to leave home early and return late, and would not return to the third hall until late at night every day.
Of course, Zhou Tongzhi and other officials also worked overtime and did not return home until late at night.
They had to go to bed at midnight and report to the government office at dawn, sleeping only two hours a day. Over time, they all had dark circles under their eyes, as if their energy had been sucked away by demons, and they even walked unsteadily.
"The New Year is just a few days away. When I have my New Year holiday, I'm going to sleep with him for three days and three nights!"
"I've been getting up early and going to bed late late late late lately. My wife once thought that Wang was staying at a brothel. If Wang hadn't explained it in time, I'm afraid he would have gone to the brothel. Then I would have been the laughing stock of the entire Shaoqing Prefecture."
"Hahahaha, you're quite funny now."
"You're talking as if your eyes haven't been beaten before. They're comparable to the iron-eating beasts in Chengdu Prefecture."
"You're comparing me to something with four legs. I'm going to fight you!"
Wang Tongpan and Zheng Tongpan, two men over forty, were fighting with each other.
When the other officials saw this, they were all shocked and rushed forward to separate them.
Everyone tried to separate the fight.
The fight failed.
Zhou Tongzhi was punched by Wang Tongpan. He covered his face and screamed, then hit back.
Zheng Tongpan was tripped by Wu Tongzhi, and he got up quickly and pounced on Wu Tongzhi with a ferocious look on his face.
Everyone was in a fight, struggling with each other.
You punch me and I kick you, and what started as a joke turns into a real fight.
Du Qingtang, who was watching the whole process: "......"
After a brief silence, Du Qingtang had the yamen runners pull them apart. He said expressionlessly, "Each of you must write a 20,000-word self-criticism. If you miss even one word, you'll have to farm the orchard and won't be allowed back until the end of your annual leave."
Everyone: “!!!”
"Sir! No, sir!"
"I know I'm wrong, but 20,000 words is too much. Can you make it a little shorter?"
Du Qingtang: "30,000, you must give it to me before the annual leave."
Everyone: “???”
God wants to kill me!
......
On the 28th day of the 12th lunar month, New Year gifts were delivered to Baoding Prefecture.
That evening, the shop of Du Qingqin and her two sisters was closed. After Du Qingmei finished teaching her female students, she passed by the Qiongying English Society and took Ruan Ran away. The six sisters gathered in the Du family courtyard.
Du Qingqin was responsible for distributing the New Year gifts, while Du Qingmei was reading the letters on the side.
Although the four of them, Qin, Chess, Calligraphy and Painting, knew a lot of words after opening the shop, they were still not as good as Du Qingmei, so they simply gave the letter from the youngest to her.
"Xianyu said that everything is going well for them in Shaoqing Prefecture. The bandit problem has been eradicated, and there are no more refugees. Now that the wasteland has been reclaimed and factories have been built, the people are living a prosperous life."
"Xiao Qi opened another Shixiang Pavilion and even started a franchise, making a lot of money."
"Xiao Ba opened a clinic, and many people seek her out for treatment. She also developed forceps for assisting childbirth. Xianyu plans to present these forceps to His Majesty next year, hoping they can be widely used in Daxia."
As they were talking, the New Year gifts had already been distributed.
Qin, Qi, Shuhua and others couldn't help but laugh when they heard this.
"So the woolen sweater was made by Xianyu. No wonder it's so warm."
"Shaoqing Prefecture has undergone tremendous changes, it can be said to have been completely transformed. I can't imagine how much effort Xianyu has put into it."
"Xiao Qi has been smart since he was young. He can still do business well even if he moves to another place."
"These forceps sound like a good thing. I went through a lot of trouble when I gave birth to Cheng."
Ruan Ran held up her face, her eyes full of longing.
Her sisters are so awesome, she wants to be as awesome as them!
Everyone was chatting and laughing for a while, and then Du Qingmei suddenly cleared her throat and the conversation and laughter stopped.
"What's wrong, Xiaowu?"
Du Qingmei smoothed her hair and said calmly, "I've been married to Guo Qian for a few years, but we still don't have a child. Yesterday, Guo Qian's mother told me that she plans to adopt a child from a relative."
Qinqishuhua's expressions became solemn, and Ruan Ran also frowned.
"You promised?"
Du Qingmei nodded.
"You know what kind of person Guo Qian is. Have you ever thought about that child..."
Du Qingmei smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes: "Of course I know, but as long as Xianyu is fine, he can't cause any trouble."
"What's more, if the child is adopted by Guo Qian, he can be considered my child. Whether he lives or dies is up to me. It's better than him having other women and children outside."
Du Qingqin frowned: "Xiao Wu, you can divorce. There is no need to be the daughter-in-law of the Guo family anymore."
Du Qingmei shook her head and calmly analyzed: "Guo Qian's success in the imperial examination was not without the contribution of Xianyu."
"In two years, he will go to Beijing to take the imperial examinations. By then, he will at least be able to pass the exam and become a Jinshi."
"The Du family worked so hard to raise him to what he is today, how could I let him be given away to another woman?"
Music, chess, calligraphy and painting are speechless.
That night, the six sisters stayed overnight in the Du family courtyard.
The next morning, Du Qingmei returned to Guo's house and Guo Qian was about to go out.
Seeing Du Qingmei, Guo Qian stepped forward, held her hand, and whispered softly, "Madam, today is the final exam. After the exam, I plan to pick up the child."
Du Qingmei smiled and said, "Go ahead, I've already cleaned up the room for him."
"Madam, I'm sorry for putting you in such a difficult position." Guo Qian's eyes were gentle as he assured her, "I will never let you down in this life."
Du Qingmei watched Guo Qian leave, and when his figure disappeared at the door, her smile gradually faded until it disappeared completely.
Guo Qian left home and headed straight for a courtyard house in the north of the city.
Pushing the door open, Guo Qian asked, "Mom, how is the child today?"
Mrs. Guo said a few words briefly, then went into the room and handed the child to Guo Qian, saying, "Forget it this time. I'll only wipe your butt once. If the youngest of the Du family finds out..."
Thinking of how Du Qingtang had rejected him and had to bow and admit his mistake in public, Guo Qian's eyes darkened for a moment.
That woman is really hateful, but she is indeed capable.
When he enters the imperial court in the future, he will still need her help and cannot afford to offend her easily.
"I understand. Thank you, mother, for taking care of my cousin." Guo Qian hugged the child, who was less than a month old, tightly in his arms. "Son, Dad will take you home."
Inside the room, listening to the footsteps gradually fading away, the charming woman let out a smug smile of confidence.
"So what if my sister is a fourth-rank official and a village head, famous in Northern Zhili, and has many students? She can't even have a child. Everything that cousin has, including your future, belongs to my son!"
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