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“Land. That’s what the County Princess would most desire, after all, she doesn’t lack money,” Mo Zhen spoke up.
“In that case, reward Changning with 1,000 mu of good land and 1,000 taels of gold……..”
“Your Majesty, is this reward too generous?” In the past, the Emperor’s rewards for others were at most a hundred taels of gold, along with some porcelain, silk, and other items.
But for Wang Jinhe, not only was there a reward of 1,000 taels of gold, but also 1,000 mu of good land. The value of this land was close to 10,000 taels of silver. Additionally, there were the items mentioned by the Emperor, such as the jade ruyi, coral, and silk fabric. It seemed like too much.
“Lord Lu is right. Even if the Emperor wants to reward, it may not necessarily need to be so much…”
“The title of County Princess is already the greatest reward for her, and besides, as a County Princess, she should be doing such things. It’s her duty.”
With Su Yu already being so difficult to handle, having another highly favored County Princess would only make their future days even more difficult.
They absolutely could not let such a thing happen.
Mo Zhen glanced at them and spoke calmly, “If you say that planting high-yield grain is the County Princess’s duty, have you all fulfilled your own duties?”
“To receive the ruler’s salary is to bear the ruler’s worries. You have not done these things, but the County Princess has. In that case, you should quietly stay in your corners, instead of coming here to say that the rewards are too much.”
“Do you know how much benefit the distribution of the high-yield grain seeds planted by the County Princess will bring to the people? The tax set by the Emperor has always been 20%. When the County Princess had not yet planted high-yield grain, there was little grain left after paying the tax per acre. For those with more land, it was manageable, but for families with less land and more people, even though the tax was low, the remaining grain was still meager for them.”
“No grain, no money. The people dare not get sick, and if they do, they can only bear it on their own.”
“But now it’s different. With a high yield of 1,200 catties per acre, nearly 1,000 catties of grain can still be left after paying the tax. If it’s a yield of 1,800 catties per acre, after paying the tax, there will be over 1,400 catties left. Do you know what this means for the people?”
“Don’t forget, the County Princess is also the Prince’s consort, and Prince Yu is known for his business acumen. The fruits and vegetables grown by the County Princess are of high value. They don’t lack money at all. So why does the County Princess want to plant high-yield grain? Is it because she doesn’t want to grow more fruits and vegetables to make money?”
Mo Zhen’s words pierced the hearts of Lord Lu and the others like sharp knives.
“Planting high-yield grain of over 1,800 catties per acre—do you think the County Princess can achieve this just by talking? The County Princess needs to endure the scorching sun, constantly inspecting and walking in the fields. We can’t even imagine what she goes through. If not for the Emperor and the people, why would a princess of a nation need to endure such hardship? If she does nothing, can’t the prince support her at home?”
“You have done nothing, yet you say the rewards are too much, and that it’s her duty. Why don’t we see you doing your duties well?”
Mo Zhen had been in court for four or five years, and this was the first time he had spoken so much in court.
The Marquis immediately exclaimed, “Lord Mo’s words are right. The County Princess is also a princess, and even if she does nothing, she can live a better life than you. Yet, she tirelessly researches high-yield rice in the fields every day to solve the food problem of the people of Xuan. What right do you have to overshadow the Princess’s achievements with just a few words about her duty?”
Even the Empress Dowager’s family members spoke up.
“The rewards for the Princess’s achievements are more than sufficient, and the land in the hands of the Princess can play the greatest role, as she shoulders the responsibility of providing grain seeds for all the people in the country. The more land she has, the better it is for everyone.”
“That’s right.”
Xuan Feiran looked at Lord Lu and the others meaningfully and said, “You… are all very good.”
“This is the reward for Wang Jinhe. The court is dismissed.”
After the Emperor left, Mo Zhen walked up to Lord Lu and said, “You are quick to find fault, but not so good at doing your job.”
“You…”
“Lord Lu, pray that you haven’t given the prince any reason to know about it.”
With that, he left. Everyone happily returned, planning to buy some high-yield grain seeds to plant. This year, their estate had only improved its planting methods in the hands of their lady, and they had not acquired high-yield grain seeds. Because the Emperor had said that the high-yield grain seeds should be distributed to the people first, even the imperial estate had only planted 50 mu of high-yield grain to verify the quality of the grain seeds from the Princess.
With more grain seeds available this year, they should be able to buy some.
After the morning court, imperial proclamations were soon posted at the palace gates and city gates.
“What does it say?”
“Wait, let me see. It says here that the County Princess has produced higher-yield grain this year, with the highest yield reaching 1,800 catties per acre. This year, the court can distribute 700,000 catties of grain seeds.”
Upon hearing this news, the nearby citizens were astonished. “Is it true?”
“In my family, we bought 30 catties of high-yield grain seeds this year and planted five mu of land. We just harvested a few days ago, and when we weighed it, it was over 1,100 catties before drying.”
“The same for my family. This year, with the higher-yield grain seeds, the Emperor should still prioritize distribution to the people. Our Emperor is truly benevolent. Not only does he only collect 20% in taxes, but he also leaves the majority of the high-yield grain for the people.”
“Speaking of this, I remember that none of the lords bought the high-yield grain seeds this year. They only improved their planting methods, and after the improvements, the yield increased by over 100 catties.”
“From this year onwards, the people’s lives will be better. We will never go hungry again.”
“Who can argue with that? Our Emperor is truly good. He has never considered increasing our taxes, no matter how difficult the situation.”
The news of Wang Jinhe’s higher-yield grain production spread through the capital like wildfire, reaching all the citizens. There were praises for the Emperor and the County Princess, and some even went to the temples to bring back the longevity tablets of the two to enshrine at home.
Xuan Feiran was also delighted when he learned of this news. The Empress Dowager, seeing his joyful expression, found it somewhat amusing. “Look at you, not a bit steady.”
“Mother, I am just happy.”
“I know you are happy. The Xie family has been dominant for years, and even your in-laws could only help you suppress them reluctantly. Fortunately, Xiao Yu took care of them last year, and Xiao He has helped you alleviate the burdens of the people, leaving you with no worries. Xiao Yu has also helped fill the treasury. In the future, you can do whatever you want. Those powerful figures in the court, after the imperial examination next year, should be replaced.”
“Indeed. Ah-Jiu told me that Xiao He’s brother and his friends are all very capable. They will be taking the imperial examination next year, and they can fill the vacancies when the time comes.”
“As long as you are aware. When will Xiao Yu and the others return this year?”