When Yongzheng returned to the Forbidden City and entered the Qianqing Palace, dusk had already enveloped the palace.
He dismissed his servants and sat alone at his desk, reviewing memorials. His vermilion pen hovered for a moment, but the image of the nascent hydroponic greenhouse in Lin Yun's backyard floated into his mind.
“Hydroculture…” he murmured, his fingertips lightly tapping the sandalwood table.
He had seen a sketch of this method in a Western agricultural book, but it was scorned by court officials because it "violated the fundamental principles of agriculture."
Now Lin Yun has actually made it a reality. If this method could be extended to rice, wheat, and millet...
Thinking of this, he suddenly stood up and walked to the bookshelf, pulled out a copy of "Western Water Management" and turned to the yellowed corners of the pages, a sharp glint appearing between his brows.
This method really exists!
The book states: Western agricultural masters would fill glass containers with clear water and place the roots of plants inside; without soil, the plants would flourish. The method required filtering the water with fine charcoal to remove impurities, and then adding saltpeter, sulfur, and other substances dissolved in the water to replace soil fertility.
The law states:
1. Select healthy seedlings and remove any rotten roots;
2. Wrap the stem with silk or hemp and suspend it on the water surface, so that 30% of the roots are submerged in the water;
3. Change the water every seven days and add a small amount of powdered medicine (Note: i.e., nutritional supplement) about the size of a bean.
4. Place in a well-ventilated and well-lit area to prevent mosquitoes and flies from breeding.
This method is particularly suitable for cultivating flowers and medicinal herbs, achieving growth more than twice as fast as soil cultivation. However, it has not yet been tested on grains such as rice and wheat. This is because the hydroponic effect is weaker than that of soil cultivation, requiring artificial supplementation…
Since ascending the throne, he has worked diligently to govern and strive for reform, but he has faced numerous obstacles from the court.
The Eighth Prince's faction opposed him at every turn, and conservative ministers scoffed at the new policies.
However, Lin Yun's appearance opened a new door for him.
Her ingenious ideas and pragmatic spirit showed him another possibility.
A possibility that can truly benefit the world without relying on existing powers.
"If there were more people like her in the world, how could the Qing Dynasty not prosper?" Yongzheng murmured to himself.
Su Peisheng bowed and entered to serve tea. Seeing the emperor lost in thought while looking at the ancient book, he tentatively asked, "Does Your Majesty wish to summon the descendants of Ferdinand Verbiest of the Imperial Observatory for questioning?"
Yongzheng shook his head, then suddenly asked, "The Suzhou textile commissioner submitted a memorial this year saying that the mulberry harvest was poor?"
"Your Majesty, the yield has been reduced by 30% due to pests."
The emperor's eyes darkened. If hydroponics could solve the land's problems, why rely on the weather year after year?
He looked out at the moonlight, but Lin Yun's image appeared before his eyes.
The girl was only sixteen years old when she left her hometown to make her way in the capital. Without family support or connections in the imperial court, she relied entirely on her skillful hands and ingenious ideas to carve out a path to survival amidst fierce competition.
Thinking back to the attacks by the court officials during the morning court session, a fire suddenly ignited in his chest. He was both annoyed by their pedantry and pitied her for being alone and weak.
"Issue the imperial decree," Yongzheng suddenly said. "Tomorrow, dispatch ten craftsmen from the Imperial Household Department to take glazed tiles and copper water pipes to Yunxiang Villa."
Seeing Su Peisheng's wide eyes, he softened his expression and said, "If you're going to do hydroponics, you should have a proper greenhouse."
After Su Peisheng accepted the order and withdrew, Yongzheng stroked the jade pendant at his waist and suddenly realized that he was acting like a young boy who couldn't keep his composure.
Having lived two lifetimes, Emperor Yongzheng never truly understood what "liking" meant.
In his previous life, all the concubines in his harem were either bestowed upon him by his father, the Emperor, or the result of political marriages.
He was used to treating them with a calm and composed attitude, and never let any woman affect his emotions.
However, after meeting Lin Yun, he experienced the feeling of his heart racing for the first time.
Whenever he saw her, his gaze would involuntarily follow her.
Her eloquent talk about business, the slight furrowing of her brow when she focused on planting flowers, the gleam in her eyes when she talked about hydroponics, and even the sly smile she inadvertently revealed, all stirred strange ripples in his heart.
Every time I see her, I feel a tingling, electric sensation all over my body.
In Shangyang County, the moment their eyes met, he caught his breath and almost forgot to breathe.
What puzzled him even more was that he began to care about her reactions. When ministers questioned her status as a royal merchant, he did not hesitate to speak up in her defense;
Seeing her ears turn slightly red, he inexplicably complimented her clothes;
Even when leaving, they deliberately left a promise to "come back in half a month".
These actions were completely unlike his usual calm and composed demeanor.
Back in the palace, he tried to numb himself with political affairs, but the handwriting on the memorials always seemed to reflect her smiling face.
He never imagined that he would be so distracted by a woman.
"Is this what it means to be moved?" he asked himself softly, but no one could answer him.
Having lived for so long, this was the first time he had experienced such a strange and novel feeling, which both confused him and filled him with a faint sense of anticipation.
Perhaps Lin Yun's appearance was meant to make him realize that even an emperor can have moments when his heart is out of control.
He chuckled self-deprecatingly, then recalled Lin Yun serving tea.
That cup of tea, laced with some unknown substance, still radiated warmth throughout my body, more invigorating than ambergris.
She must have some secrets he doesn't know about, otherwise how could she have come up with such a brilliant idea?
Fortunately, Lin was sensible and kind, and devoted herself entirely to him, her eyes blinking as she looked at him as if she wanted to melt his heart.
As the water clock struck three, the emperor finally put down his pen. A night breeze swept through the hall, dispelling the heat in his heart.
Once the textile factory is built, the economic landscape of the world may change as a result.
He could almost see the smiling faces of the people wearing new clothes and the bustling scene in the market.
At that time, he would see who would dare to say that the young woman was not worthy of the title of Imperial Merchant.
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