Chapter 250: Chapter 250

People in the court, their bodies are not their own.

Jiang Shaohua, as the Nanyang County Princess, has always stayed in Nanyang County, actually far from the court. However, the Capital City has become a muddy pool, and the storm has inevitably reached her.

Cui Du looked at Jiang Shaohua’s contemplative eyebrows and eyes, feeling uneasy, and said in a low voice: "What does the Commandery Princess plan to do next?"

"Continue to promote the new grain." Jiang Shaohua evidently had already considered, and said slowly: "Wait for another half month, wait for Empress Dowager and Duke An’s subsequent response. If they can’t beat Prime Minister Wang, and the court doesn’t accept my suggestion, then I won’t offer the new grain to the court, I’ll sell the new grain seeds instead."

Sell new grain seeds?

Cui Du was taken aback, looking at Jiang Shaohua: "The common people who suffered from the drought are enduring hunger, some have directly abandoned their homes to flee for their lives. Where would they have silver to buy new grain seeds?"

Jiang Shaohua raised an eyebrow: "Without silver, they can write IOUs. Once the new grain is harvested, they can pay it back. In any case, it shouldn’t be given away for free. Otherwise, it would seem like winning over people’s hearts with ulterior motives."

It sounds laughable and absurd, yet extremely real. As a Vassal King in a place, doing less means making fewer mistakes; doing more can become wrong instead.

Cui Du sighed deeply: "That’s why I’ve always disliked official politics. Clearly beneficial to the country and the people, capable of saving countless commoners, but cannot be done freely. There are too many concerns and obstacles; it’s truly distressing. I really can’t handle these."

Jiang Shaohua was amused: "You focus on cultivating excellent grain crops. Everything else is my responsibility; you need not worry."

Cui Du didn’t stand on ceremony either, nodding and saying: "Each has their expertise. I’ll just focus on farming, and all other matters are for the Commandery Princess to handle."

Jiang Shaohua nodded slightly, stepping forward at a leisurely pace.

Cui Du initially remembered the difference in status, taking two steps back to maintain respect for the Commandery Princess, but forgot as the conversation became lively and gradually walked side by side with the Commandery Princess.

A pair of young teenagers, walking together under the brilliant sunset, occasionally exchanging smiles.

This scene of harmony and beauty.

The trusted aides already understood and dispersed on their own.

Jiang Shaohua settled down in the field manor. During the day, she listened to lectures with the farmers and, when interested, joined them in the fields to learn farming.

Among nearly two hundred farmers who came to learn, seeing the Commandery Princess being so approachable, they gradually became more confident. Occasionally, someone voluntarily approached the Commandery Princess to talk.

"Commandery Princess, I am a person from Li County, and last year, when I went up the mountain to pick herbs, I saw the Commandery Princess."

Jiang Shaohua had an excellent memory and, after a brief thought, vaguely recalled the spotted face before her: "I have indeed seen you."

The farmer was overjoyed: "I am surnamed Wang, born with a face full of spots, and everyone calls me Wang Mazi. The Commandery Princess can call me that too."

Jiang Shaohua smiled and casually asked: "This year, Li County had a bountiful harvest of corn and sweet potatoes; is there enough food at home?"

Speaking of these, Wang Mazi was particularly excited and repeatedly said: "Yes, all thanks to the Commandery Princess’s protection, every household in Li County harvested a lot of grains this year. I have kept enough seeds and exchanged the rest for wheat, millet, and beans. There’s enough food for the year, and come spring next year, we’ll plant another batch of corn and sweet potatoes, and by then, the house will be piled with grains, and we won’t go hungry."

As he said that, Wang Mazi suddenly knelt down and kowtowed three times: "Thank you, Commandery Princess! Thank you, Commandery Princess!" Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn novel-fire.ɴet

Other farmers had been watching, and when Wang Mazi knelt, they all followed suit and kowtowed.

Jiang Shaohua’s heart warmed, and she said gently: "No need to kneel, rise quickly. I also hope you all have another great harvest next year and never go hungry."

The gloomy anger brought by the court documents dissipated entirely at this moment.

After waiting for several days, instead of receiving news from Empress Dowager Zheng and Duke An, a letter from Governor Xue arrived first.

Jiang Shaohua read the letter from Governor Xue and suddenly laughed: "Governor Xue does have sharp eyes and a perceptive mind, and his information is quite attuned."

Along with the letter, three housekeepers arrived at the field manor. Ma Yaosong and Lu Cong had yet to react when Chen Jinyu responded first: "Is Governor Xue here to request the new grain seeds?"

"Indeed!" Jiang Shaohua raised an eyebrow with a smile: "Apart from Nanyang County, Jingzhou has six counties, namely Nanxiang County, Xiangyang County, Jiangxia County, Weixing County, Shangyong County, and Xin Cheng County. One-third of these counties suffered from drought."

"Governor Xue is worried about disaster relief and even more about next spring’s planting."

"He knows Nanyang County has drought-resistant and high-yield new grains, and plans to offer silver in exchange for seeds."

Chen Jinyu laughed: "Governor Xue is quite intelligent."

Spending silver to buy seeds, it’s justified, allowing one to avoid court’s accountability while promoting new grains.

Lu Cong timely inquired: "How much grain seed does the Commandery Princess plan to sell to Governor Xue?"

Throughout the year, Lu Cong spent most of his time working busily in the field manor. Training farmers and promoting new grains went smoothly, and Lu Cong also played a part.

Busily running around, facing sun and wind every day, the civil servant who was once fair, handsome, and dashing now darkened considerably, no longer wearing long robes and fancy clothes, looking much more pleasing.

Jiang Shaohua, always generous to capable subordinates willing to bow their heads and work diligently, responded with a smile: "Governor Xue mentioned two thousand ounces of silver in his letter. The amount of seed this silver purchases depends on me."

Lu Cong quickly calculated in his mind: "Currently, grain prices are soaring, one stone of grain costs four ounces of silver. Seeds should be more expensive. Corn and sweet potatoes are new grains, being sold for the first time. If priced at half the rate of wheat, two thousand ounces of silver could buy ten thousand stones of seeds."

Of course, accounts aren’t calculated that way.

In such a drought year, one stone of grain could save a family. Governor Xue, even with two thousand ounces of silver in hand now, wouldn’t be able to buy so many seeds.

Jiang Shaohua willing to provide seeds is already a huge favor.

"Let’s give ten thousand stones of seeds," Jiang Shaohua said with a smile: "Additionally, send over twenty sets of manuals. If Governor Xue wants to send people to learn how to plant new grains, agree to it."

Just as Lu Cong was about to accept the order, he heard the Commandery Princess instructing: "Let Chen Sheren handle this task."

Chen Jinyu’s eyes brightened, happily accepting the task: "Yes."

Jiang Shaohua said with a smile: "There are tens of thousands of stones of new grain stored in the field manor. Go find Lin Zhuangtou, ask him to allocate ten thousand stones from the granary. The manuals are with Cui Du, you can collect twenty sets."

"I’ll write a letter to Governor Xue, for you to take along."

"Also, when you go to Jingzhou, you might as well visit your elder brother."

Chen Jinyu happily agreed.

Lu Cong then realized. Chen Jinyu’s elder brother, Chen Haoran, was studying at Jingzhou Prefecture School; the siblings hadn’t seen each other for nearly a year. The Commandery Princess sending Chen Jinyu with the seeds is also an opportunity for the siblings to reunite.