A dozen days later, Li Lanzhen returned to Peach Blossom Spring, accompanied by Xuan Shen.
The Crown Prince did not come, but Su Peisheng still carried his schoolbag, which contained two thick, bound volumes.
He carried out the task given to him by the Crown Prince and followed Li Lanzhen to Peach Blossom Spring once again.
Li Lanzhen didn't care at all that Su Beisheng continued to come to Taohuayuan to record daily life and agricultural development.
She quite liked the young eunuch, who was eleven or twelve years old and had been sold by his family to make a living.
He became a lowly eunuch, suffering far more hardship and humiliation than the lowest-ranking servants.
Fortunately, it seems that the Crown Prince is a good person and treats Su Peisheng very well.
According to Xuan Shen, Su Beisheng had been by the Crown Prince's side since the time the Crown Prince was still in Youzhou City.
At that time, they were both eight or nine years old.
Su Beisheng was very happy to learn that he would be coming to Peach Blossom Spring with Li Lanzhen.
But he was also afraid that the crown prince would resent him or think that he was unwilling to serve the crown prince.
Having always suppressed his excitement, Su Beisheng only released his joyful mood after leaving the capital.
Li Lanzhen and her group did not enter Youzhou City, but went directly to Moon Bay Wharf and took a boat back to Peach Blossom Spring.
"Auntie, you get off the boat first. Don't worry about what happens next. I'll unload all these boxes and take them to your yard."
Xuan Shen helped Li Lanzhen off the boat first.
"Okay, then I'll go home first."
"Grandma, Grandma, you're finally back! Yibo missed you so much!"
Li Lanzhen's feet had just stepped onto the land of the Eleven Trees Wharf.
A soft little body bumped into my arms.
He kept saying he missed her.
Looking down, I saw Han Yibo!
Li Lanzhen picked him up and touched his little face.
Her face was covered in red bumps, one after another.
When I picked up his chubby little hand, it was covered in bumps.
Li Lanzhen felt extremely distressed and patted his back, "Grandma's good grandson, what's wrong with you? Has your mother come back too?"
Han Yibo pouted, tears welling up in his eyes, and hugged Li Lanzhen's neck, shaking his head.
"No, Mother isn't coming back. She and my brother are staying with Father."
I came back alone. It wasn't a good place; lots of bugs bit me.
Grandma, I'm going to the toilet. My bottom is covered in bite marks, and it's itchy and painful.
Later, my dad let me relieve myself at home.
I can't stand it anymore! Besides, there are no schools there. I don't want to stay there. I want to come back and study with Master Xu. I want to pass the imperial examination and earn a title for my grandmother. Humph!
Li Lanzhen was completely confused. It was impossible for him to have come back alone from so far away; Han Shunde must have brought him back with him.
Looking up, I saw Han Shunde and Xue Laohu standing under the big tree.
Li Lanzhen carried Han Yibo and quickly went over.
She was anxious about what the situation was like on the southwestern border.
Did only the two of them come back, or did the others return as well? Or was it just Xue Ni and her mother left there?
Seeing her tense and anxious expression.
Han Shunde and Xue Laohu stepped forward with smiles.
"Lanzhen, things are fine over there. We only came back after we settled them in, so don't worry."
"That's right. Yi-bo couldn't stand the climate there, and he insisted on going to school. There weren't any suitable schools there, so he came back."
Li Lanzhen felt relieved after hearing their explanation.
"Okay, let's go. We'll talk about it in more detail when we get back." Li Lanzhen carried Han Yibo as they walked.
After dinner, Li Lanzhen listened to their detailed account and finally understood the situation in the southwest.
Their journey to the southwestern border was safe and smooth.
Once I got there, I found that the climate was quite humid and hot, and there were many mosquitoes.
Of course, all kinds of plants and fruits are everywhere.
For a while after we arrived, both adults and children were very happy.
They also learned that winters are short here, and rice is the main crop, though wheat is also grown, but not in large quantities.
Han Mingjiang took the people from Peach Blossom Spring and they stayed in his own large courtyard in the border city.
Han Shunde said that Han Mingjiang's general's mansion had a large courtyard, but not many rooms, so there was enough room for those who visited.
Seeing so much empty land in the yard, their hands started itching to get some.
After resting for a day, the next day, all the empty spaces in the general's courtyard were turned over and planted with vegetables, mostly sweet potatoes and potatoes.
When Han Mingjiang and his men left, Li Lanzhen saw that there were more than 1,000 soldiers accompanying them.
They brought each of them 10,000 catties of sweet potatoes and potatoes.
There are also improved rice, wheat, and corn seeds.
Of course, we also brought various vegetable seeds.
Upon arriving at the border, Han Mingjiang immediately presented the general with Li Lanzhen's plan for establishing a grain and vegetable base for the border garrison.
After reviewing the plan, the general summoned Han Mingjiang to hear his detailed explanation.
He slammed his hand on the table, feeling that this was truly a good thing—a way to ensure that the soldiers stationed at the border could have enough to eat and be self-sufficient.
A meeting was convened overnight, and Han Mingjiang explained the plan to everyone in detail.
The generals were all very happy to hear this.
In this way, they would have their own grain and vegetable planting bases, and would no longer be afraid of some corrupt officials in the imperial court withholding military rations from them.
More importantly, once this base is established, the comrades who fought alongside them and had to leave the military due to injuries can also find a job here and have enough to eat.
Having reached a consensus, the general immediately contacted the local government and allocated more than 1,000 mu of land.
These lands are located near the military camps on the border.
The land is not as fertile as the land in Peach Blossom Spring, but 80% of it is of medium to high quality.
There is a large river right next to the land, making irrigation very convenient.
Han Shunde and his team surveyed the entire 1,000 mu of land.
Beyond these 1,000 mu of land to the west lies wasteland.
However, there are many low hills in the middle of these wastelands.
If all of these can be reclaimed, at least 6,000 mu of land could be added.
Before their return, the management and organization of the grain production base of the Southwest Garrison had been fully in place.
The quartermaster in charge of this task was their quartermaster at the southwestern border.
The responsibility for grain planting was handed over to Han Shunkui.
The breeding work was handed over to Da Niu, and the iron plowshare brought from here was also handed over to the military's weapons manufacturing department.
They had iron, so they forged it very quickly. Han Shunde and Xue Laohu also brought back ten iron plowshares.
It was a gift from the border general to the Peach Blossom Spring.
The southwestern border region has a warm climate and abundant fruits and vegetables, but there are too many mosquitoes.
They weren't used to it there and their faces were covered in bites all day long.
After Han Yisong went there, he followed Han Mingjiang around the military camp all day long.
Despite having bumps all over his head, he didn't make a sound.
The general was so pleased that he rewarded him with a set of military uniform.
Han Yibo was different. He was incredibly happy for the first few days because it was all new and exciting, but after a couple of days, his face and buttocks were covered in bumps that were incredibly itchy.
Moreover, he needed to go to school, but there were no decent schools nearby.
Later, they started clamoring to come back and find Li Lanzhen, to study with Xu Fuzi, and to become a scholar in the imperial examinations.
In the end, Han Mingjiang and Xue Nizi discussed it and decided to let them bring it back.
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