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After a whole day of picking cotton, Chang Le complained of sore arms in the evening.
Wang Jinhe went to Wan Gu to get medicine for them and applied it after they took a bath.
At bedtime, Chang Le said to Wang Jinhe, “Auntie, this is the first time I’ve done this. I feel that the people are especially hardworking. But when they hear you talk about how much money they can earn, they seem very happy despite being so tired. Why is that?”
“Although they are tired, everyone can earn money. With the money, the children in their families can go to school and live a good life. Chang Le, you have been in the palace and don’t know how the people live. In the past few years, there was a drought, and many people had no harvest. They had to go to the mountains to dig wild vegetables. When there were no more wild vegetables, they had to eat grass roots and tree bark.”
“That’s inedible.”
“Yes, everyone knows it’s inedible, but if they don’t eat, they will starve to death, in order to survive, they have to eat. That’s why earning money is so important to them, because with money, they can buy food.”
“Auntie, the grain you planted is very good.”
“This grain is for the people. With such high yields, everyone will be able to store some grain for the future.”
“After returning, I will never be picky and waste food again. It’s so hard to grow grain,” Chang Le said. Before coming to the Xie family’s village, Chang Le was an ignorant little princess.
After arriving at the Xie family’s village, she saw many different things and learned that the people need to earn money by growing grain in order to live. She learned about the entire process from seed germination to harvest. Now she understands the hardships of the common people.
“I want to tell Father when we return.”
“Good. Do you want to come with me when I go to harvest the cotton next time?”
“I want to.”
“Good, I’ll take you then.”
After Chang Le fell asleep, Wang Jinhe returned to her room. Su Yu, seeing her return so late, was a little upset. “Why are you back so late?”
“Chang Le was touched after picking cotton all day. The carefree little princess now understands the hardships of the common people. She told me that she will never be picky again,” Wang Jinhe said with a smile.
Su Yu looked at Wang Jinhe in surprise, but then felt it was only natural.
“It’s right for Chang Le to have such thoughts.”
“You’re right.”
From the next day, Wang Jinhe noticed that Chang Le would eat some vegetables she didn’t like, not just the ones she preferred. This made Wang Jinhe very pleased.
On the day of cotton harvesting, Wang Jinhe took the three children with her again, and this time Hong Yi insisted on joining in the fun.
The first place Wang Jinhe went to was the Lin family’s village. Upon learning that they were there to harvest the cotton, the people from the Lin family hurried to call the village chief.
Once the village chief received the news, he quickly informed the villagers to get ready.
The Lin family harvested 7,500 catties of cotton, earning a total of 75 taels of silver. The entire family was overjoyed.
“Thank you, County Princess, for giving us this opportunity to earn money.”
“You’re welcome. Let’s go to the next family.”
“Okay.”
Throughout the day, they only harvested cotton from a few families, with each family selling several tens of taels of silver. This brought great joy to the sellers.
It took a total of fifteen days to complete the cotton harvesting in several villages, and every family had a bountiful harvest this year.
As a result, when Wang Jinhe left, the villagers saw her off for a long way.
Chang Le had been silent, observing everything beside Wang Jinhe.
On the way back, Wang Jinhe couldn’t help but smile as she looked at Chang Le’s serious expression. “Chang Le, after watching for so many days, do you have any thoughts?”
“I understand why they are so hardworking yet so happy.”
“Oh? Really? Why is that?”
“Because every penny they earned today was the result of their own labor. Seeing the results of their work naturally makes them happy, just like when I study and receive praise from Uncle, I feel happy too,” Chang Le said thoughtfully.
“I also heard them say that Father and Auntie are good.”
“They said that Father is a good Emperor.”
“What do you think, Chang Le?”
“I think Father is the best Emperor,” Chang Le said loudly.
Everyone who heard couldn’t help but smile. This little princess was so adorable.
“Yes, Chang Le’s father is the best.”
After the cotton harvest, Su Yu had already begun preparing to return to the capital.
Ming Wanning twisted her wrist, her eyes filled with gloom. “Finally going back.”
She had been happy in the Xie family’s village, but it was time for her to return and seek revenge.
Five days later, Su Yu and her family returned to the capital. It was unclear whether Hong Yi knew they were going back, but he was very excited throughout the journey.
Upon arriving in the capital, Su Yu first rested at home with the four children. That evening, he received a visit from Lou Manqing, who had received news.
“Su Yu, the woman you asked me to investigate is really clueless,” Lou Manqing began to complain as soon as she sat down.
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t you know that after Gu Xiruo found out about my identity, she disregarded her fiancé and even Lu Lingfeng to meet with me privately? And what’s more…” Lou Manqing felt embarrassed to continue.
With a smile in his eyes, Su Yu looked at Lou Manqing. “It seems like you’ve been doing well here.”
“Why was the wedding date between Gu Xiruo and Qing Yukong delayed?”
“It was Qing Yukong who proposed the delay. I don’t know what Gu Xiruo said to him.” This woman really had some skills, to make both Qing Yukong and Lu Lingfeng fall for her.
Resting his chin on his hand, Su Yu said with interest, “Lu Lingfeng likes Gu Xiruo because he mistakenly recognized her as his savior, but what about Qing Yukong?”
It’s surprising that so many women are hanging themselves on the same crooked tree.
“I also think that Qing Yukong might be out of his mind. How could he be taken with Gu Xiruo, a woman of such duplicity?”
“How are things progressing on your end?”
“She thinks I’m just like Qing Yukong, that I won’t marry anyone else but her,” Lou Manqing said, feeling repulsed by the thought.
“What did you do to make her misunderstand like this?” Su Yu asked in surprise.
Lou Manqing felt innocent. “I didn’t do anything. I just bought her a few things and helped her a couple of times, that’s all.”
“How much money did you spend on buying things?” Su Yu rubbed his forehead. Given this guy’s character, it’s likely that he spent quite a bit of unjust money.
“Not much, just a little over ten thousand taels. Don’t worry, do I look like someone who would be taken advantage of?”
However much money he spent on Gu Xiruo, he would eventually pay back double. It was only a matter of time.
“Previously, your people said they wanted to sow discord between Gu Xiruo and Lu Lingfeng. It seems to be working to some extent now. I estimate we’ll see concrete results by the end of the year,” Lou Manqing said lazily, leaning back in his chair.
Su Yu didn’t ask what he had done, deciding to wait and see the results.
“But Gu Xiruo is quite skilled at moving between these two men. The key is that these two men are foolish enough to believe that she has nothing to do with me.”