In just a few breaths, Big Fat Orange became increasingly thirsty and anxious.
After Su Peisheng brought the medicine and helped him take it, he immediately felt a sense of exhilaration, as if he had been blessed with a long-awaited rain.
Once the blissful feeling of ascending to heaven faded, the chubby orange opened its eyes, its gaze returning to clarity.
Seeing his expression, Zhen Huan knew without needing to know medicine that this so-called miracle drug was nothing good.
Wen Shichu had reminded her that no matter how eloquently they spoke of the Golden Elixir or Elephant Valley, she must not be tainted in the slightest.
Otherwise, one may gain temporary comfort but will suffer a lifetime of pain. Once the medication is stopped, one will be plunged into the eighteenth level of hell, from which there is no escape.
She lowered her eyes and continued her embroidery, trying not to let anyone around her notice anything amiss.
She was waiting to see what it would be like to be in the eighteenth level of hell...
Then, with a smile, he said to the chubby orange, "Since Si Lang took this medicine, his energy and spirit have improved a lot, and his body is healthier than before."
Big Fat Orange laughed, "It's nothing special, just a temporary fix."
"The things that are presented as tribute are said to prolong life, but who can really say for sure whether they have any effect?"
"It's just for peace of mind."
A hint of shyness appeared on Zhen Huan's face. "How could that be? Huan Huan often stays by Si Lang's side, and she knows Si Lang's health better than anyone else."
She was all show and no substance, far inferior to when she first entered the palace; she didn't even want to mention it.
*
The backyard of the Zhejiang Provincial Governor's Office
It's probably because I've been conducting surveys in the streets and alleys for the past few years, plus checking on the rice paddies in the villages.
Sun Zhuhe's physique was much thinner than when he worked as the Suzhou Textile Commissioner a few years ago. His skin was dark and shiny, and if he changed his clothes and stood by the field, he would look like an old farmer tending to his land.
When Zhao came in, she saw him sitting on a stool, humming a little tune, carefully tying red silk ribbons to the rice ears and putting them into a nanmu box that was more than a foot long.
She only knew the general outline of the improved seed issue, but the specific arrangements were handled entirely by Sun Zhuhe.
She was so happy to receive her sister-in-law's letter after such a great achievement that she couldn't sleep for nights on end.
But grains don't grow in a day or two. Year after year, she thought she would have to wait many more years, when suddenly the results came.
After the initial joy, other thoughts inevitably arose. Such auspicious omens—wouldn't it be a waste not to present them on an auspicious day?
We need to have a good talk with him. The Empress's life in the palace is difficult, and they need to be more considerate of her when she's out there.
When Sun Zhuhe saw his wife bringing over a bowl of food, he casually said, "What did you make today, my wife? I'm a little hungry, this will fill my stomach."
Zhao said, "Orange-stuffed kudzu root soup can relieve fever and irritability, promote body fluid production and quench thirst, and is most suitable for use after going to the fields."
Sun Zhuhe held the spoon and said as he used it, "The orange aroma lingers in the mouth, and the aftertaste is endless, but it's not sweet at all because there's no sugar."
Zhao rolled her eyes and said, "You're so old and you still want to eat candy. The doctor has told you so many times not to eat candy anymore. Otherwise you'll have a stroke and be paralyzed in bed, and I won't care about you then."
Sun Zhuhe wasn't angry. "If that day ever comes, I won't want you to suffer. We have several sons, so we can let them take turns doing it."
Zhao couldn't help but laugh out loud, suddenly finding something alluring about Sun Zhuhe's increasingly shabby appearance.
However, remembering the important matter at hand, Zhao suppressed her smile.
Seeing that she seemed preoccupied, Sun Zhuhe asked directly, "Madam, what's troubling you?"
When the moment came, Zhao felt inexplicably uneasy and couldn't bring herself to speak. But then she thought of her sister-in-law in the palace; if things went well, things would be much easier.
She glanced around and saw that everyone else had been sent away. Her trusted confidants were guarding the door, and at this distance, as long as they didn't shout, they wouldn't be able to hear what was going on inside.
"Master, wouldn't it be more appropriate to send such an auspicious omen up in two years?"
Sun Zhuhe glanced at the doorway first, then hurriedly ran over and closed it.
"How dare you say such a thing? Do you have a death wish?!"
Zhao said, "We've sent everyone away, and there are guards at the gate. It's just the two of us here, so what's there to be afraid of?"
Sun Zhuhe said, "Better safe than sorry. We're staying in the backyard of the governor's office, not the old Sun family residence. Who knows if there are spies inside, climbing over walls and rooftops to eavesdrop!"
Zhao said impatiently, "Didn't you cover the roof with a layer of nails? No matter how good you are at scaling walls, you can't fly over our roof."
“I really think we can send it up later. In the past, a mu of top-quality paddy field would yield at most 3 shi (about 438 jin) of rice.”
"You've been cultivating this for so many years, and one mu of paddy field can yield five shi of rice. If you cultivate it for another two years, wouldn't it yield six shi?"
"Isn't it better to have twice as much as before?"
Sun Zhuhe knew his wife's intentions; the talk of five or six shi of grain was just an excuse.
She noticed that the emperor was in poor health and didn't seem like he would live to be a hundred. Who knows, he might just take one last breath and kick the bucket.
The Fifth Prince is the youngest, but has the greatest chance of inheriting the throne. After he ascends the throne, the high-yield rice will be sent to him.
Not only could he help stabilize the court and the harem and control the situation, but he could also win over the hearts of the people and tell the world that the Fifth Prince was born to be emperor.
She had such a beautiful dream, so beautiful that she thought she was the only smart person in the world...
Sun Zhuhe said, "This is not good."
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