Chapter 131: Keeping a Concubine
Du Qingtang returned to the government office from the market. He first spent more than an hour processing the mountain of official documents, and then called the clerk from the household department.
"I've acquired a new batch of potatoes and sweet potatoes, and I plan to plant them on a trial plot in the orchard. I'll leave this to you. I've had them placed in the annex of the lobby, so you can pick them up yourself."
The clerk was delighted, but still had concerns: "Sir, shouldn't this batch be sent to Xiajing and presented to His Majesty?"
Du Qingtang was grinding ink with an ink stick, anticipating that more official documents would be arriving soon, so he needed to make preparations in advance. "I've already discussed this with the foreigner, and they'll send more tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."
The clerk was completely relieved and bowed deeply to the person behind the desk. "Thank you, sir, for giving me this opportunity. I will take good care of these potatoes and sweet potatoes, even more attentively than I would my own children!"
He was not originally a minor official in the government office, but an ordinary farmer who could not be found in a crowd.
Last year, the government offered a large sum of money to recruit farmers who were good at farming.
His family was so poor that they could barely afford to eat and were on the verge of starvation. For the sake of money, he bravely went to the government office.
Later, the prefect entrusted them with important tasks and asked them to fertilize the soil.
They traveled to all the reclaimed wasteland in Shaoqing Prefecture, tried many methods, and finally made the barren soil fertile.
Later, the prefect made an exception and granted them official positions. Although they were just ordinary clerks in the government office, they were still officials.
Whenever the clerk thought of it, he felt extremely fortunate and was extremely grateful to the prefect.
Now that he has the opportunity to repay the prefect's appreciation, he will naturally do his best to do this well.
Du Qingtang smiled and said, "I believe you."
These four short words instilled full confidence in the minor official.
The clerk patted his chest, made a solemn promise, and left in a hurry.
Not long after he left, another clerk came.
The clerk held a pile of documents in his arms and said weakly, "Sir, there are still some documents that need to be processed..."
Du Qingtang didn't want to talk, so he just pointed at the table with his pen.
The clerk felt relieved and placed the document on the table, to the right of the prefect, and then he slipped away in the blink of an eye.
Du Qingtang: “…”
Du Qingtang rubbed his eyebrows lightly, picked up the pen, dipped it in ink, and began to write quickly at the desk.
"clang--"
The gong sounded for the end of the shift. Du Qingtang had just finished dealing with the last document, tidied up the messy desk, and then returned to the third hall.
The door to the inner house was open, and before Du Qingtang entered, he heard a burst of unrestrained laughter.
"Hahahahahahahaha, I'm dying of laughter!"
It was obvious that Du Qingzhu was the one who heard the noise. Du Qingju was gentle and reserved, and she wouldn't laugh like Du Qingzhu, whose laughter was loud enough to blow the roof off.
"Seventh sister, you're still laughing! I really wonder if I've touched your funny bone!"
Du Qingju's tone was a little annoyed, but not to the point of being angry.
This aroused Du Qingtang's curiosity even more. He stepped over the threshold and walked into the inner house: "What are you laughing at? Why are you so happy?"
Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju sat in front of the stone table, Youyou lay on the stone table, his furry ears shaking from time to time.
Du Qingzhu rubbed her stomach, cleared her throat twice, and barely suppressed a laugh. "Xianyu, do you still remember that Xiaoba posted a job posting in the first month of the year, recruiting doctors?"
Du Qingtang sat down opposite Du Qingju, lowered his eyes and adjusted his sleeves lightly: "I remember this, so what?"
Even though Du Qingju had superb medical skills, most doctors were still concerned that she was a woman and were unwilling to work with her.
Xinglintang has posted a recruitment notice, but so far only one doctor has applied to work in the clinic.
Du Qingtang thought for a moment and asked, "Could it be that someone else has applied for a job at the clinic?"
"Yes, someone went there to apply for a job this afternoon." Du Qingzhu chuckled at something she didn't know what she was thinking, causing Du Qingju to roll her eyes at her. "It just so happened that a cook at Shixiang Pavilion accidentally got burned by the fire and got a bunch of blisters on his arm. I went to Xinglin Hall to get him some burn medicine."
"The doctor who came to apply for the job was standing there before he arrived. He looked quite handsome. When I walked in, I heard him telling Xiao Ba that it wasn't good for a woman to open a clinic and be in the public eye all day."
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly and turned to look at Du Qingju.
Du Qingju's face was red, but it was just because she was angry. Sparks were flashing in her eyes as she glared at Du Qingzhu.
"Xiao Ba's face didn't look very good at the time, and then the man said that since Xiao Ba's medical skills were pretty good, he was reluctantly willing to sacrifice himself and marry Xiao Ba."
Du Qingtang frowned slightly.
"After they get married, Xiao Ba can rest assured and raise children at home. He will help Xiao Ba manage Xinglin Hall well."
Du Qingtang: “?”
"Xianyu, you didn't see it. At that time, that man had an expression on his face that said, 'I'm doing this for your own good, don't be ungrateful.' That little disciple of Xiao Ba was so angry that he picked up a broom and chased him out."
Du Qingtang: "...He wants to be a gigolo and yet he's so confident. Who gives him the courage?"
Du Qingzhu held up her chin and said, "I was curious too. It's still funny when I think about it now."
Du Qingju snorted softly, "You seemed to be enjoying the excitement, completely ignoring the fact that I was pissed off by that bastard."
Her wrist felt a little itchy, so Du Qingtang looked down and saw that Youyou had put the pad of flesh on her wrist.
Du Qingtang glanced at her and pushed her away mercilessly.
"Meow?"
Youyou was shocked and felt aggrieved.
Why is this Twolegged Beast different from the other two?
"Tsk, you cold-blooded woman, Youyou will never forgive you." Du Qingzhu said in a strange voice, then changed the subject, "It's really funny. I've lived for more than 20 years and have never seen such a confident man."
"He's just so-so in appearance, and his medical skills aren't even as good as Xiao Ba's. If we saw him on the street, we wouldn't even give him a second glance, okay?"
Du Qingju remained silent. She raised her hand to comfort the little kitten, whose heart was broken by the youngest. There was a hint of indifference in her smile: "Men are always like this. They think women can't live without them. They think women must get married and have children, otherwise their lives will be incomplete."
Du Qingzhu rolled her eyes and said unhappily, "What do you mean by incomplete? Serving the parents-in-law, carrying on the family line, and sharing a husband with other women is complete? If that's the case, then this completeness is for nothing!"
Speaking of sharing a husband, Du Qingju thought of Du Qingmei, who was far away in Baoding Prefecture, and sighed helplessly: "Now that I think about it, Fifth Sister has read so many books and has been influenced and taught by Xianyu for many years, but in fact, she is still conservative in her bones."
Du Qingzhu crossed her arms and wrinkled her nose. "Actually, everything has a traceable path. Back then, Xianyu asked us to learn to read and write, but the fifth and sixth sisters thought it was unnecessary and were lazy. They also kept saying that studying was for men."
"Later, Xianyu taught them a lesson during the Qixi Lantern Festival, and the fifth and sixth sisters finally understood the purpose of studying."
"Sixth Sister has come to her senses completely. For so many years, she has been diligently teaching and educating people, but she still remembers to read and enrich herself. When she went to Xiajing, she actively joined the Qiong English Society there and even became the husband of several wealthy young ladies."
"On the other hand, although Fifth Sister also became a teacher and took it as her mission to educate people, she became depressed and miserable because of a word from a relative of the Guo family, and she tortured herself to the point of being unrecognizable."
"I didn't think too much about it at the time. I was more worried that my fifth sister would become depressed. Now there's this terrible thing about adoption. Thinking back on what happened back then..." Du Qingzhu sighed meaningfully.
Du Qingtang pushed the kitten's paw away again with a calm expression.
At the beginning, Du Qingtang took great pains to guide Du Qingmei onto the right path, but he still failed to keep her and let her go on another not-so-good path.
"In the final analysis, it was my fault for misjudging Fifth Sister. I entrusted her to a jackal and ruined her life."
Du Qingju's heart moved. She held the youngest's hand and shook it gently twice: "Xianyu, there is no need to blame yourself. I just hate that Guo Qian is so good at disguising himself that he deceived all of us."
Du Qingzhu puffed out her cheeks and muttered unhappily, "Now Xianyu is a fourth-rank official. When he returns to Xiajing one day, he will definitely be promoted. By then, Xianyu will hold great power. No matter how powerful Guo Qian is, he is still my fifth sister's husband. If he uses Xianyu's influence to seek benefits for himself after entering the officialdom, and something goes wrong, Xianyu will be implicated..."
Du Qingju thought of this possibility, and her eyes suddenly turned cold: "Why not cut the Gordian knot and directly end his career!"
Du Qingzhu opened her mouth: "But what about Fifth Sister..."
Du Qingju sneered, a hint of self-mockery in her tone: "We've tried to persuade her, but Fifth Sister has ignored our efforts and persisted in her own way. There's no guarantee she won't turn around and ask Xianyu to promote Guo Qian in the future."
The human heart is unpredictable. Even the sister who grew up with me has become selfish and is drifting away from them for the so-called status. Who can predict what will happen in the future?
Du Qingzhu opened her mouth, and after a long while she found her voice, "Why not wait and see?"
Although she complained a lot and was angry at Du Qingmei for not fighting back, she couldn't bear to completely stop thinking about him.
Du Qingzhu pursed her lips and said in a negotiating tone, "Anyway, we won't be going to Beijing for the exam until next year. In the meantime, we should be more careful. If Guo Qian still refuses to change his ways, it won't be too late to take action later."
The palms and backs of the hands are all made of flesh. The fifth sister is important, and the youngest sister is equally important.
If the youngest brother had not pulled her back in time, perhaps her fate would have been like in the dream, becoming the concubine of the wealthy Wang. After being pregnant for ten months, she was falsely accused by the wife of having an affair with someone, and eventually died tragically on the kang in the Du family.
If Guo Qian still does not repent, and the fifth sister goes all the way to the end and completely ignores her sisters for the sake of men, she doesn't have to care about their past friendship anymore.
Du Qingju was about to retort when she heard the youngest child speak calmly, "Okay."
Du Qingju frowned, disapproving: "Offering jade..."
The kitten stretched out its claws for the third time, but Du Qingtang grabbed it, preventing it from moving. He said sternly, "I respect Fifth Sister's decision, but Fifth Sister is Fifth Sister, and Guo Qian is Guo Qian."
"Fifth Sister is no longer a child. She must take full responsibility for the decisions she makes. If she insists on not getting a divorce, she will have to bear the consequences herself."
"As for Guo Qian, he's a two-faced man who breaks his promises and enriches himself. I've exhausted my patience with him, but for my fifth sister, I can give him one last chance."
No way.
Guo Qian broke his promise and let Du Qingmei down. He and that damn cousin caused a death. She would never let Guo Qian go.
Doesn’t he want to take the imperial examination and become an official in the court?
Then she crippled his hands, making him unable to hold a pen anymore, unable to take the imperial examinations anymore, and thus completely ending his official career.
Du Qingtang admits that she is not a good person. She is profit-driven and will do anything to achieve her goals, but she never uses her cunning and tricks on her own people.
Guo Qian is an exception.
He shouldn't go back on his word.
We are all adults, and when adults do something, they must pay the price.
Du Qingtang calculated with his fingers and figured that Du Wu and Du Liu should have arrived in Qingyuan County by now.
I hope Guo Qian will like the surprise she prepared for him.
“Meow meow meow!”
The cat meowed, and at first it sounded a little exasperated.
Du Qingtang slowly came back to her senses. One of Youyou's paw pads was pinched in her hand, with the upper body hanging in the air, stretched into a long cat strip, revealing its soft belly.
“Meow meow meow!”
Du Qingtang: “…”
The curse is so dirty.
Du Qingtang put the kitten back. Youyou dragged his injured leg and dived into Du Qingju's arms, meowing for comfort: "Let's not talk about these spoilers. It's okay if Xinglintang can't recruit a doctor. It's better to be busy than to recruit all kinds of monsters and demons."
After all, when you work together every day, the most important thing is to be in sync.
Du Qingju remained noncommittal: "I understand. I was a little annoyed today. I plan to put up a job posting tomorrow. Two people plus Chu Xia will be enough."
Du Qingzhu deeply agrees: "Recruiting workers still depends on fate. If you meet someone who is not compatible with you, you will be very angry."
The three sisters talked and moved to the dining room.
The food has been placed on the table, two meat dishes, one vegetable dish and one soup, one of the meat dishes is spicy.
Du Qingju is not interested in spicy dishes, but Du Qingtang and Du Qingzhu can eat spicy food, so they make a spicy dish almost every three to five days.
Today's spicy dish is spicy pork slices. An old yellow cow in County Magistrate Guan's home accidentally fell and died, so half a cow was sent from far away yesterday. Du Qingzhu used the beef to make this spicy pork slices.
Du Qingzhu ate a piece of beef, squinted his eyes with a satisfied look, swung his legs, and felt so happy that he seemed to be flying to the sky.
"Delicious! Love it!"
Du Qingju poked Du Qingzhu and reminded him, "Don't just eat the vegetables, remember to eat the meal."
Du Qingzhu nodded and said in a long tone: "I know!"
As he said this, he lowered his head and took a mouthful of rice.
Du Qingzhu put the rice in his mouth and chewed it twice, and a happy expression gradually froze on his face.
Du Qingju: "Hahahahahahaha!"
Du Qingzhu's jaw was stiff, and she couldn't spit or swallow, sticking out her tongue and tears in her eyes: "It's... so bitter!"
Du Qingju held her stomach and laughed loudly: "Let you see my joke, it's a small revenge, not a respect."
"Ahhhhhh I'm going to fight you!"
Du Qingzhu swallowed the rice mixed with coptis water and pounced on Du Qingju with his teeth and claws bared.
Du Qingju jumped up, lifted her skirt, and spun around in the dining room.
One ran and the other chased, circling around Du Qingtang again and again.
Du Qingtang: “…”
They are so noisy, and the combined age of these two is less than three years old.
.......
After dinner, Du Qingtang went to the study to write a plan.
The fruits and vegetables from the orchard will soon be on the market, and she plans to design a targeted publicity plan for the orchard.
If the gimmick is good, the business will be prosperous after opening.
After writing a few pages of paper in a very eloquent manner, it was almost midnight. Du Qingtang went back to his room to wash up, leaned against the head of the bed in his underwear, and picked up the book beside his pillow to read.
Somehow, Du Qingtang inexplicably recalled what General Feng had said during the day.
If I'm not mistaken, Pei Yuchun was attacked on his way back to Loushan Pass.
Even if someone wanted to kill him, if he had not come to Shaoqing Mansion on the night of the first day of the first lunar month, he would not have been shot by a poisoned arrow and remained in a coma for four whole months.
Du Qingtang lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed on the book, but his thoughts drifted away.
Realizing that he was a little restless and couldn't concentrate on reading, Du Qingtang simply stopped reading, turned off the lights and lay down to sleep.
After entering the court as an official, Du Qingtang had a very good sleep quality because of the busy official duties and exhaustion, and he almost slept until dawn.
I only dream if I drink tea before going to bed. Otherwise, I don’t even dream.
Tonight is an exception.
Du Qingtang drank a glass of water an hour before going to bed, but had a dream after falling asleep.
In her dream, she returned to her previous life.
Yuan Sheng, who failed the imperial examination, teamed up with Yuan Shi to force her into marriage. After failing, he revealed her identity, causing her to be executed by slow slicing.
Qi Heming accidentally discovered her secret and coveted her beauty, so he trapped her in a small courtyard. In the end, she was poisoned to death by Xue Yishu.
Xia Qixuan, with the help of the Prime Minister Cao Yuan's power, forced her into the prince's palace, burned her books, broke her fingers, and sent her to the people of Qi. She suffered all kinds of humiliation and was finally dragged by a warhorse and fell to death.
"I want to hold power in my hands, second only to one man and above all others."
"Everyone says women are inferior to men, so let me be the pioneer and blaze a trail that has never been seen before and will never be repeated."
"Even if there are thousands of people against me, I will go forward and I will not regret it even if I die nine times!"
The oath made in the past is deafening, like a thunderbolt striking down on the head.
Du Qingtang suddenly opened his eyes and sat up.
It was early summer and the nights were still cool, but Du Qingtang broke out in a cold sweat.
She sat on the bed, in the dark, her breathing disordered and her eyelashes trembling.
Du Qingtang sat there for a long time until she heard the chirping of birds outside the window, and she suddenly came to her senses.
Du Qingtang clenched his fingers and then loosened them.
He repeated this several times until the numbness in his fingertips disappeared and the fear in his heart receded like a tide. Then Du Qingtang lifted the quilt, walked to the table in his slippers, took off the lampshade and lit the candle.
Light dispels darkness. Du Qingtang blinked slowly, and when his eyes adjusted to the light, he walked towards the low cabinet.
Du Qingtang opened the cabinet door, took out the lantern, and then took out the charcoal basin from under the bed.
As winter passed and spring came, the charcoal basin had been idle for a long time and was covered with a thick layer of ash.
Du Qingtang didn't care. He grabbed a few pieces of waste paper from the trash can, crumpled them into a ball, lit them, and threw them into the charcoal brazier.
The flames licked the edge of the waste paper, and the orange-red flames jumped and rose higher inch by inch.
Du Qingtang threw the lantern into the charcoal brazier, and the flames instantly engulfed the lantern.
Du Qingtang stood in front of the charcoal brazier, watching the lantern turn into ashes. Wisps of green smoke rose up, blurring his face, making it look even colder in the dim candlelight.
-
The next day, foreigners brought potatoes and sweet potatoes, as well as local specialties.
Du Qingtang was not interested in the local specialties, so he threw them all to Du Qingzhu and asked her to research new dishes on her own.
Du Qingtang asked the clerk in the household department to clean the potatoes and sweet potatoes briefly, transfer them to other carts, and transport them to Xiajing under the escort of five hundred palace soldiers.
Officials such as Zhou Tongzhi watched the government soldiers go away, and then returned to the government office in groups of three or four.
"The potatoes and sweet potatoes that were sent to Xiajing earlier should be almost ripe, right?"
"The prefect said that potatoes will be mature in as little as two months. Perhaps Xia Jing has already harvested a high-yield batch of potatoes."
“I don’t know when the court plans to promote it.”
"Anyway, we in Shaoqing Prefecture grow potatoes and sweet potatoes ourselves, batch after batch. I estimate that we can promote them next year."
"It's delicious. I can't wait to taste it."
"But now I want to taste the fruits in the orchard. According to the prefect, the fruits grown in Shaoqing Prefecture are sweeter than those grown in other places."
"Do you know when those fruits will be ripe?"
"It will be mature in about half a month."
"Do you think the prefect will give us some to try?"
"You're really greedy. These fruits are not worth much."
"snort!"
......
Xia Jing, in the Golden Palace.
An imperial censor stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Emperor Qingyuan sat on the high seat and raised his hand slightly: "Approved."
The Imperial Censor, holding a tablet, declared in a thunderous voice, "Your Majesty, I wish to impeach Princess Zhaoyang for keeping a lover, for her absurd and dissolute behavior, and for her gross adultery!"
Emperor Qingyuan narrowed his eyes imperceptibly. "Oh? What do you wish, Lord Zhang?"
Censor Zhang said in a resounding voice, "Of course, Princess Zhaoyang should be severely punished to serve as a warning to others!"
Daxia has already had two daring women who disguised themselves as men to take the imperial examinations and become officials in the court. We absolutely cannot have another princess who keeps a lover!
The former causes women to go astray and develop inappropriate thoughts.
The Qiongying English Society, which was joined by countless women from Xiajing, was a typical example. The members openly recited poems and wrote couplets and taught women to read and write.
As the old saying goes, a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent.
Those girls in the Qiongying English Society are literate. Could it be that they also want to follow the example of Du Qingtang and Fu Ci, disguise themselves as men to take the imperial examinations, and become officials in the court?
It is against the principles of yin and yang for women to participate in politics, and they will definitely shake the foundation of the country one day!
Princess Zhaoyang is a daughter of a noble family and should set an example and become a role model for women all over the world.
But what did Princess Zhaoyang do?
She actually dared to openly keep a lover!
Princess Zhaoyang's absurd behavior is indeed against the rules and regulations for women. She is extremely dissolute and shameless, and has no moral code for women.
If all women in the world follow suit, act recklessly, and mingle with men, how can they still maintain their chastity?
Whenever he thought that one day in the future, all the good men of Daxia would marry such dissolute women, Censor Zhang would be furious and wish he could eat the shameless Princess Zhaoyang alive!
Thinking of this, Censor Zhang knelt upright, pounding his head on the ground, as if he would not get up unless Emperor Qingyuan agreed. "I also ask Your Majesty to strip her of her princess status and drown her in a pig cage, as a warning to all women in the world to always follow the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, strictly observe the rules for women, and not bring shame to the family!"
Censor Zhang's words echoed again and again in the Golden Palace. All the officials stood respectfully with their hands lowered, holding their breath and concentrating, but in fact their minds were racing.
Is this Zhang guy crazy?
Everyone in the court knew that His Majesty felt guilty about Princess Zhaoyang's marriage to the emperor for the sake of the country, so he sent all the best things in the world to the princess's mansion and showered her with honor and favor.
At this time, Censor Zhang was plucking the hair from the tiger's head. Could it be that the God of Longevity was hanging himself because he felt his life was too long?
Even though Princess Zhaoyang's behavior violates women's virtues, we have to wait until Your Majesty's guilt fades. It will not be too late to impeach her then.
Everyone shook their heads and worried about Censor Zhang.
The one sitting on the dragon throne is not the Emperor Qingyuan who was constrained in the past. Now the fourth prince is far away in the imperial mausoleum, and his return date is uncertain. The fifth prince is useless. Officials of Cao's party are either dead or demoted. Prime Minister Cao can be said to be losing ground and can no longer control anyone as easily as before.
The imperial power is growing day by day. Your Majesty holds the power of life and death and controls the life and death of the common people. Could it be that this Censor Zhang has forgotten that he is also among the common people?
As expected, as soon as Zhang Yushi finished speaking, the officials heard an ambiguous chuckle: "Zhaoyang has sacrificed a lot for Daxia, so what's wrong with having a few lovers? If she wants, she can pick any man in the world!"
Censor Zhang originally thought that Emperor Qingyuan would severely punish Princess Zhaoyang, and then praise him for not fearing the powerful and vigorously promote him.
Who would have thought that these words would be what awaited him.
All the men in the world are at her disposal?
Your Majesty, is he speaking human language?
Your Majesty, have you forgotten that you are also a man? How can you speak for Princess Zhaoyang, a shameless woman?
"Just now, Lord Zhang said that I should strip Zhaoyang of her princess status and drown her in a pig cage?"
Censor Zhang nodded subconsciously.
At this moment, Emperor Qingyuan's usually gentle face was already cold. "Zhaoyang is a meritorious official of Daxia, yet Minister Zhang wants me to execute her. Will this put me in an unjust position and expose me to the accusations of righteous men across the world?"
This is a bit too harsh.
Censor Zhang was dumbfounded, and all the officials knelt on the ground, shouting in unison, "Your Majesty, please calm down."
Emperor Qingyuan turned his face away, not wanting to even glance at Zhang Yushi: "I won't tell you anything. Go back and reflect on yourself. When you have reflected well, come back."
Censor Zhang was shocked. Does His Majesty not intend to continue using him?
Until this moment, Censor Zhang finally felt afraid.
If he had known that His Majesty would protect Princess Zhaoyang so much, he would never have been the first to speak out.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I know I was wrong. Please forgive me just this once... mmmmmm!"
Censor Zhang was covered with his mouth and dragged away, returning peace to the Golden Palace.
Among the civil officials, Minister Qi shook his head secretly.
Zhang Mao, this idiot, thought he could get ahead by stepping on Princess Zhaoyang and win the favor of His Majesty, but he ended up killing himself.
Serves you right!
Minister Qi snorted, stepped out with his tablet in hand, and said in a loud voice, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Emperor Qingyuan was still angry and just raised his hand.
Minister Qi caught a glimpse of this and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I was ordered to try growing potatoes and sweet potatoes. I planted the potatoes in February, and now, over three months have passed. Yesterday, news came from the imperial farm that they are ripe."
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of all the officials varied.
"What are potatoes and sweet potatoes?"
"The Ministry of Revenue already has Ningxiang Tower and Liulifang, so why would they need to farm? How could the treasury be so empty?"
"I heard that Shaoqing Prefecture sent them as a tribute to Your Majesty. My friend who works at the Ministry of Revenue said that these two crops can yield 2,000 kilograms per mu..."
"What? Two thousand kilograms?!"
"I think Du Qingtang is crazy about making a contribution. She even dared to speak so arrogantly to Your Majesty. As a woman, does she know what 2,000 kilograms means?"
In Daxia, the rice yield per mu is 300 kilograms, and the wheat yield per mu is 200 kilograms.
This is based on high yields. If there is a famine, it is possible that there will be no harvest at all.
Du Qingtang actually dared to exaggerate and say that the potato yield per mu was 2,000 kilograms. Did she really think that His Majesty would not sentence her for deceiving the emperor?
Some people ridiculed it, while others believed it firmly.
"Du Qingtang, this woman, does have some real skills. Since she entered the court as an official, when has she ever spoken empty words?"
"If the potato yield per mu really reaches 2,000 kilograms, there will be no more starving people in Daxia!"
Even Emperor Qingyuan, furious, felt his anger subside slightly upon learning the potatoes were ripe. "Food is the foundation of people's livelihood, and potatoes and sweet potatoes are especially important. A good day is worse than a good one. Why don't you all come with me to the imperial farm to witness the potato harvest together?"
"If the yield per mu is less than 2,000 kilograms, wouldn't it be a laughing stock?"
"We're not the ones being laughed at, and we're not the ones being held accountable, so we're just going to join in the fun."
Thus, the morning court ended hastily, and Emperor Qingyuan and all the officials left the palace and headed straight for the imperial estate on the outskirts of the city.
The imperial farm covered a vast area. The emperor entered the farm and headed west. It took another half an hour to reach the place where potatoes were planted.
When the steward of the imperial farm heard that His Majesty was coming, he was so frightened that he slipped off the stool to the ground, grimacing in pain, and crawled forward to greet the emperor.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. Long live your Majesty!"
Emperor Qingyuan stepped down from his horse stool and said without further ado, "Didn't they say the potatoes are ripe? Send someone to collect them now so I can see for myself the yield per acre."
The manager of the imperial farm did not dare to hesitate and immediately called together the tenant farmers on the farm, asking them to take their hoes and dig potatoes.
When the officials saw this, some from humble backgrounds were puzzled: "Why do we need a hoe to harvest potatoes?"
Minister Qi twirled his beard and smiled, "Your Excellency Wang, you may not know that these potatoes grow underground."
"Growing underground?" Lord Wang was about to ask when he heard a cry of surprise from the front. He looked closely and was shocked. "A single potato plant can actually produce so many potatoes? One, two, three... six!"
"No! There are more. Look over there, there are more than ten!"
"It's not small, basically as big as my fist."
Amid the exclamations of the officials who had never seen the world, the tenant farmer quickly gathered all the potatoes from half an acre of land and piled them in the open space beside the ridge of the field.
The yellow-brown potatoes covered in dirt are piled up like mountains, and there are people specifically responsible for weighing and recording them.
The middle-aged man with a mustache was clacking his abacus, and everyone - including Emperor Qingyuan - couldn't help but hold their breath, waiting for his final result.
Du Aiqing said that potatoes can yield more than 2,000 kilograms per mu.
The potatoes she donated were only enough to plant half an acre of land. Could she harvest a thousand kilograms?
Emperor Qingyuan slowly stroked the dragon pattern on the jade ring, thinking casually.
After about an incense stick of time, the tenant farmers finished weighing.
“Bang!”
There was only the crisp sound of beads clashing, and the accountant's nostrils flared, and he took a deep breath. The next moment, he fell to his knees and shouted, "Your Majesty, the harvest from half an acre of land is 1,200 kilograms!"
It was like a drop of cold water falling into a pan of hot oil, causing an uproar at the scene.
"One thousand two hundred kilograms?!"
"Doesn't that mean the yield per mu can be 2,400 kilograms?"
"This is unbelievable! Master Zhu, please pinch me! Ouch! This is real! I'm not dreaming!"
"The yield of potatoes per acre is eight times that of rice. If we add in the yield of sweet potatoes, then wouldn't it be enough to ensure food and clothing for the people of Daxia just by growing potatoes and sweet potatoes?"
Upon hearing this, Minister Qi's face changed, and he said sternly, "Absolutely not!"
"Why not? With high-yield crops like potatoes and sweet potatoes, why should people bother growing rice?"
Minister Qi shook his head and said solemnly, "Lord Du has repeatedly stated that potatoes and sweet potatoes cannot be planted continuously. Otherwise, pests and diseases will intensify, making the soil infertile and affecting the subsequent production of potatoes and sweet potatoes."
"The consequences are so serious?"
"Du Qingtang has never farmed before, so her words may not be trustworthy."
Emperor Qingyuan looked at the indignant official and said in a deep voice, "It's better to believe it than not. If that day comes, it will be too late to regret. It is said that foreign tribes are rich in potatoes and sweet potatoes. I think Du Aiqing learned this from foreign people."
When the emperor speaks, who dares to disobey?
No matter how dissatisfied you are, you can only swallow your anger.
"Du Qingtang is truly lucky. Shaoqing Prefecture is a place where even dogs don't go, but when she went there, not only was she not killed by bandits, but she took control of Shaoqing Prefecture in just a few months. Now she has offered high-yield crops. I can't imagine what kind of chaos she will cause in the court when she returns to Xiajing after her three-year term is over."
Cao Yuan stood at the head of all officials, his expression sparkling.
Over the past year, Cao Yuan has been unable to protect himself. Dealing with Xia Ming's tactics alone has made him overwhelmed and he has long forgotten Du Qingtang, who had rejected his recruitment.
Now Du Qingtang has returned to his mind with a strong attitude. Looking at the amazing yield of potatoes per mu, Cao Yuan has the idea of winning him over again.
He is no longer the Cao Yuan who dominated the court yesterday. Xia Ming seems to be able to predict the future. In every confrontation, he can always dismantle his moves completely. Sometimes he even gives him a heavy blow in return, breaking his wings again and again, making him restricted and unable to move in the court.
Cao Yuan hated Xia Ming so much that he sent assassins to kill him. The result was obvious: those assassins never returned, and Xia Ming was still alive.
Cao Yuan had a hunch that this was just the beginning.
Xia Ming would avenge all the humiliations he had suffered over the years, including him and Queen Cao, from the suppression in the court to the revenge for the murder of his son.
Cao Yuan took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and discussed the bright prospects of potatoes with others in a normal expression.
However, although he intended to win over Du Qingtang again, the most urgent task at the moment was to get the Fourth Prince back from the imperial mausoleum as soon as possible.
Last year, Cao Xingxuan colluded with the prefect of Linjiang Prefecture and embezzled disaster relief silver and grain, and was sentenced to death by beheading.
But everyone in the court knew that Cao Xingxuan was the Fourth Prince's right-hand man.
It has been more than eight months since Emperor Qingyuan expelled the Fourth Prince from Xiajing, the center of power, on the grounds that he served the previous emperor.
During this period, Emperor Qingyuan entrusted important tasks to the eldest prince and the sixth prince, allowed the eldest prince to win over officials, but turned a blind eye to the fourth prince's younger brother, the fifth prince.
I finally got a job, but it was insignificant.
Thinking of the fourth prince who was far away in the imperial mausoleum, and the fifth prince who was sent to Xiajing on business, Cao Yuan closed his eyes.
No matter what, the Fourth Prince must return as soon as possible.
Emperor Qingyuan had no idea what Cao Yuan was thinking, and even if he knew, he wouldn't take it to heart.
He looked at the potatoes piled up like a small mountain, pondered for a moment, and then gave the order: "Leave half for further planting, and promote the remaining half in Beijing."
Emperor Qingyuan turned his head and said, "Lord Qi, I leave this matter to you."
Minister Qi bowed and said, "I will follow your Majesty's wishes!"
All the officials watched this scene and sighed.
"Qi Jiang is really lucky. He has only worked with Du Qingtang for a few months, but he has already taken so many advantages from him."
"First it was Ningxiang Tower, then Liuli Square, and now it's Tudou. Although it's not my first achievement, it's still a contribution."
"Damn it, I really want to take all the credit!"
"And then I'll take yours."
Everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter when they heard this.
Minister Qi was a man of action. He quickly led the clerks of the Ministry of Revenue to vigorously promote potatoes in Xiajing.
Within a few days, the people in the city knew that this crop called potato could produce 2,000 kilograms per mu.
Emperor Qingyuan was a wise ruler, and the people believed in the court's propaganda without a doubt.
When the news spread, people flocked to the government office to collect potatoes.
"Give it a try. It doesn't take up much space anyway."
"With potatoes, we no longer have to suffer from hunger."
"Your Majesty is wise! Long live His Majesty!"
The publicity and promotion of potatoes was so huge that even Princess Zhaoyang, who had not left her home for several days due to the bitter summer heat, heard about it.
In the magnificent room, Princess Zhaoyang leaned on the chaise longue. A handsome man knelt in front of the couch and brought the peeled grapes to Princess Zhaoyang's lips.
Princess Zhaoyang opened her lips and bit the grape, chewing it carefully. Her lips were stained with water, and her brows were filled with elegance and laziness.
The man took a quick glance, bowed his head respectfully, and a look of fascination flashed across his eyes.
"It's been quite lively outside these days. Did something happen?"
Nanny Fang, sitting nearby, sewing clothes for her own prince, smiled and said, "It's said that during the first month of the year, Lord Du presented a crop that could yield 2,000 kilograms per mu. It was harvested a few days ago, and His Majesty has ordered a promotion throughout Xiajing City. Many people have heard the news and are rushing to plant the high-yield crop called potatoes."
Princess Zhaoyang raised her eyebrows slightly: "It's Master Du again."
Nanny Fang smiled and said, "Yes, this Lord Du seems to have three heads and six arms, he is very powerful."
Princess Zhaoyang recalled the day she met Lord Du at Sanliting. His eyes were as cold as the moon and as frosty as ice, and she couldn't help laughing.
At this time, Yuan Shuang walked in, first bowed, and then walked to Princess Zhaoyang and whispered in her ear.
After saying this, he stepped back respectfully, waiting for the master's next instruction.
"If he's dead, he's dead. Just clean up his mess." Princess Zhaoyang propped up her chin and said nonchalantly.
Even if she didn't sweep the floor clean, someone would do it for her.
Just as her father said, she is a great contributor to Daxia.
Daxia owes her.
Her father owed her.
All civil and military officials owe her.
No one has the right to blame her.
If you impeach her with Cao's authorization, you must be prepared to be killed.
-
In early June, the government, following instructions from the prefect, began to build momentum for the fresh fruit orchard and dried fruit factory.
The fresh fruit garden was tentatively planned to be opened in Shaoqing Prefecture and several surrounding prefectures. The clerks from the household department went to various places to distribute flyers door to door.
"Fresh Fruit Garden will open on June 16th, and everyone can enjoy a 40% discount on opening day."
"Every customer who consumes at Fresh Fruit Garden on the opening day will receive a membership card. With this card, they can enjoy a 10% discount on all purchases at Fresh Fruit Garden."
"The fruits in the fresh orchard are watered with spring water that farmers bring from the mountains every day at dawn. They gather the essence of the sun and the moon and are grown with meticulous care. They are sweet, delicious, and fragrant. Eating them regularly can strengthen your body."
"The fresh fruit garden also has a delivery guy, so you can enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables at home."
It is hard for people not to be tempted after receiving the flyers and hearing the tempting recommendations.
“Can it really improve your health?”
"This so-called flyer is colorful and looks pretty good."
"Never mind. Since there's nothing important going on that day, it's okay to go and join in the fun."
......
"Sir, this is the profit of the garment factory last month. Please take a look."
Zhou Tongzhi presented the account book, and while the prefect was looking through it, he reported in a serious manner: "Fumin Clothing made a profit of 5,600 taels last month, and the profit from selling it to clothing stores in various places totaled 67,000 taels."
Du Qingtang hummed softly, "It's nearly one-third less than in April."
Zhou Tongzhi said helplessly: "The weather is getting warmer, and fewer people are buying woolen clothes, so naturally I earn less."
Du Qingtang turned the page of the account book: "Forget it, from the middle of the month, there is no need to produce woolen sweaters anymore, and we will make ordinary clothes instead."
"Heyang County is cooperating as usual. The wool yarn they sent is temporarily stored in the warehouse and will be used when the weather turns cooler."
"Tell the warehouse keeper to keep an eye on it and make sure rats don't gnaw on the wool."
Zhou Tongzhi responded respectfully. After the prefect finished reading the account book, he hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Sir, a few days ago, my guards brought back a wolf from the mountains. It was a kind, though slightly mischievous wolf."
"I am old and can no longer handle it. I thought about it all night and thought that maybe I could send it to the government office and help guard the gate with the servants."
Du Qingtang clasped his fingers together and pondered for a moment: "Okay, when the time comes, have someone make a muzzle for it. This will deter anyone with bad intentions and also prevent it from accidentally biting anyone."
Although the public security in the city is a hundred times better than before, there are always some troublemakers who are keen to challenge the government and sing a different tune.
It would have been fine if they had just caused trouble in the city, but they even came to the government office and made a big scene.
Keep a wolf in the government office. Next time someone causes trouble, just open the door and let the wolf out.
Zhou Tongzhi was overjoyed and said impatiently, "I have to go to the garment factory later. I can just go home and bring the wolf here."
Du Qingtang nodded and bent over his desk to deal with official documents.
After an unknown amount of time, Captain Zhang came to report, "Sir, Lord Zhou has brought the wolf to the government office."
Du Qingtang put down the wolf-hair brush and strode out.
Zhou Tongzhi said that the wolf had a kind nature, and she wanted to see how kind it was.
“Ahhhh!”
As soon as I walked out of the duty room, I heard a burst of barking.
Du Qingtang paused slightly, feeling that the voice sounded familiar.
Thinking of this, Du Qingtang quickened his pace and walked from the government office to the lobby.
As he walked out of the government office, he heard the powerful voice of Zhou Tongzhi from afar: "Sir, I have brought you the mighty general!"
Du Qingtang: “?”
A mighty general?
who?
That wolf?
When he was confused, Zhou Tongzhi had already walked into the lobby with the leash. Du Qingtang looked closely -
Look at those big blue eyes, which are three parts domineering, three parts sharp and four parts clear stupidity.
Look at that agile figure, and the steps he takes as if he doesn't recognize anyone.
“Ahhhh!”
Hearing the pig-slaughtering howl again, Du Qingtang fell silent for a moment as he looked at the Husky, who suddenly sat down on the ground and was dragged forward by Zhou Tongzhi, his cross-eyed and silly look.
That’s it?
Wolf?
A mighty general?
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