"I know that."
Bai Shicheng chuckled and said, "My eldest brother told me that Zhao Lin prepared 600,000 kilograms of rice and a painting for the emperor."
"Rice? Paintings?" Jiang Yichen frowned, puzzled. "Paintings are fine, but they're definitely masterpieces that will be passed down through the ages. As for rice, what kind of rice could be a gift to the emperor, especially six hundred thousand kilograms? Is he planning to bury the palace?"
Bai Shicheng said, "You don't know this. That rice is the first crop grown on the wasteland that Zhao Lin personally reclaimed. He sent it here specially so that His Majesty can share in the joy of the harvest."
"That painting isn't some famous one handed down from ancient times. It's a harvest painting that Zhao Lin found an artist to create based on a rice field."
Jiang Yichen said in disbelief: "Is this what Zhao Lin gave me?"
"Yes, that's what he gave me." Bai Shicheng nodded.
"Is he crazy? This thing sounds good, but whoever gives this to me, I will smash his head." Jiang Yichen said.
Bai Shicheng smiled and said, "Perhaps the emperor likes it. Zhao Lin made the emperor so happy that he even gave him the governorship. Perhaps he knows something that we don't."
"Impossible." Jiang Yichen shook his head repeatedly. "Everyone knows what the emperor likes most: gold, silver, treasures, rare flowers and stones, and beautiful women. Apart from these three, he won't like anything you give him, no matter how happy you say it is."
Bai Shicheng spread his hands and said, "Zhao Lin is not a fool. He must have his own reasons for giving this to us. Let's wait and see how he tries to please the emperor this time."
As they were talking, several other young masters also arrived.
When they heard that Zhao Lin wanted to send rice as a gift to the emperor, they all shook their heads.
"Zhao Lin messed up this time."
"Yeah, how much is rice worth? No matter how nicely you talk, it's useless."
"Does he have any other gifts?"
"Who knows?"
They couldn't guess what Zhao Lin meant by sending the rice.
But that didn't stop them from mocking Zhao Lin for sending rice to the emperor as a birthday gift.
Soon, the news that Zhao Lin had prepared rice as a birthday gift spread.
"Mother, guess what gift Zhao Lin prepared for the emperor?"
Zhao Mingya ran over excitedly to tell Han Yuehua.
Han Yuehua said disapprovingly, "What else could it be? It's just some rare finds I looted."
"No, he, he brought sixty boatloads of rice for the emperor." Zhao Mingya shouted.
"Rice? Why did he bring rice to the emperor? Is it some rare kind of rice that the emperor has never eaten before?" Zhao Mingyu asked puzzledly.
"Not really. He grew that rice. It's said to be the first harvest from the wasteland he reclaimed. He brought sixty boatloads of it to celebrate the emperor's birthday."
"Sixty ships, enough for the emperor to eat for sixty years." Zhao Mingya said in an exaggerated tone.
"Oh, this rebellious son is quite creative, but he doesn't think about it. The emperor has seen everything. He gets some rice to fool him and is not afraid of losing the emperor's favor. Without the emperor's favor, he is nothing." Han Yuehua sneered.
The Zhao Mingyu sisters nodded.
No matter how capable Zhao Lin was, he was only eighteen years old. He was able to sit in the position of governor only because of the emperor's favor.
Once he loses his divine grace, he will be immediately knocked to the ground and trampled to death by millions of feet.
"Mom, what should we give as a gift?" Zhao Mingya asked.
Han Yuehua said, "These are little gadgets your father collected from the north."
"Where's Chenhan? He also wants to send a copy. Has mother prepared one for him?" Zhao Mingya continued to ask.
As a rule, Zhao Chenhan was not qualified to give a birthday gift to Emperor Chengping.
After all, the Hanlin Academy Hanlin are just copyists, and there are many of them.
But Han Yuehua still prepared: "I prepared a pair of jade ruyi for him. They are gifts given to your father by someone. They are of excellent quality. The emperor will definitely like them."
"That's good." Zhao Mingya said with relief.
Zhao Mingyu gave Zhao Mingya a strange look, but quickly put it away and said, "Mom, why did you call us here?"
Han Yuehua said, "You two are already so old, but your marriage has never been decided. This is a good opportunity to take advantage of the emperor's birthday and the return of many officials to the capital to finalize your marriage."
"I don't want it." Zhao Mingya said quickly: "I still have to stay at home with my mother."
Han Yuehua smiled and said, "Silly child, it is only natural for a girl to get married when she grows up. How can she stay at home forever?"
"No, I just want to stay at home with my mother." Zhao Mingya said coquettishly.
"Nonsense." Han Yuehua frowned and said, "Not just you two, your third sister can also take this opportunity to remarry."
"Third sister, are you willing?" Zhao Mingya was surprised.
Han Yuehua said, "She is so young, is she going to be a widow forever because of Changda?"
As he was speaking, Zhao Mingxiao arrived.
"Mom, I don't want to remarry." Zhao Mingxiao said directly.
"Are you stupid?" Han Yuehua shouted, "You're only in your twenties, you still have half your life ahead of you, and you don't even have a child. Why would you stay in the Ma family if you don't remarry?"
Zhao Mingxiao said, "Changda died just over a year ago."
"More than a year is enough. Do you still want to observe three years of mourning for him?" Han Yuehua said dissatisfiedly, "Everything needs to be done quickly. You are old now. You should remarry and have a child sooner, so that no one will take care of you when we are gone."
"Mother is so anxious for me to remarry, isn't it because of my own good?" Zhao Mingxiao sneered.
"Rebellious girl, I am your mother. If I don't think about you, how can I harm you?" Han Yuehua said angrily.
"Hasn't our marriage become a bargaining chip in the hands of Mom and Dad? They married off my elder sister, my second sister and me, and now they want me to remarry. By the way, Mingyu and Mingya are also going to get married, right?" Zhao Mingxiao retorted.
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