Chapter 630 - Disguise Oneself (1/2)

Zhu Junfan nodded and said, “The person who had set the poison has already been caught. The perpetrator was one of the first set of people who had been recruited to take care of the horses. It’s said that he’s normally very obedient and looked like an honest and loyal man. Usually, he didn’t do anything out of the ordinary either. Who would have thought that he had hidden for so long and only came out now?”

Zhu Junfan had already made sure to deeply investigate all of the people who worked at the stud farm and they had actually managed to pull out a few people who had suspicious backgrounds. However, these people didn’t have the chance to do anything before they had all gotten caught.

“Steward Yan from the stud farm stated that he had once lost one of the detoxifying pills. After interrogating the culprit, he admitted that he had secretly sent out the farm’s fodder and pills to his master. If the enemy has an expert medicinal chemist who is good at making poisons, it’s possible that he has figured out the secrets to these pills and fodder. Thus, that is why they made this deeply hidden spy reveal himself and cause this calamity.”

Zhu Junfan wasn’t completely sure whether or not his deduction this time was correct. After all, Yu Xiaocao was his younger cousin’s sweetheart. If anything ever happened to her, it was more than likely that his cousin would slaughter his way up to the throne to beat his a.s.s...however, the stud farm at the border was not only Zhu Junyang’s special project, but it was also something that he himself had looked forward to. Didn’t every leader of a country long for a rich empire with a strong army?

“Imperial Majesty, from what you’re saying, it looks like the reason why they caused this problem was to bring me out to take the bait? However, the detoxifying pills and horse fodder had all gone through Ruizhi’s hands to Steward Yan’s. How could a small horse groom find out just who made these things?” While she was at the horse farm, Zhu Junyang was afraid of making her too conspicuous and acted as a smokescreen for her the entire time. Did she still end up raising the suspicions of these foreign enemies?

Zhu Junfan placed his long, slender fingers onto the desk and solemnly said, “That spy stated that Junyang, you, and Chief Steward Su had been marked as the most likely targets. Your appearances, personalities and clothing preferences have all been transmitted out to them. This time, whoever goes out, will be marked as the person who made the medicines. The other side had already sent down orders: Do your best to catch the person alive. If it’s too hard to keep them alive, then kill them!”

Yu Xiaocao thought for a bit and said, “So from what you’re saying, this particular mission is quite dangerous! This official strongly requests that if I’m to take this mission, the money given should be increased by a few fold…”

“In actuality, you could also make the detoxification pills at your residence and then we will send guards to transport it over!” Zhu Junfan paused for a moment before he continued, “You are a trusted aide and official. The people of this empire need you ah!”

“Imperial Majesty, please don’t say it like that! This official’s gooseb.u.mps have risen! This official is only a small, insignificant farming girl, so please don’t put the pressure of all of the people on my head. I’m a weak and tender maiden and cannot handle such lofty responsibilities!”

Yu Xiaocao was now used to acting silly around this old transmigrator friend of hers. Su Ran had already gotten used to her antics but the little eunuch, Su Chi, was so shocked that his eyeb.a.l.l.s almost fell out of his head——there was actually someone who dared to speak this way to the emperor. Did she feel like she had lived for too long?

Zhu Junfan glared at Su Chi and then continued to converse with Xiaocao, “I heard that you’re planning on starting to hybridize rice plants at the Imperial Plantations, right? We don’t have high expectations. As long as these new rice paddies are able to come up to a thousand catties per mu, then we will be satisfied!”

Su Chi’s eyes widened even further, ‘A thousand catties per mu, wasn’t this expectation a bit too high? Did you want to force Official Yu into a death sentence ah?’ As the young eunuch thought about this, he looked sympathetically towards that slender and delicate looking girl.

However, he would have never expected that the young maiden, who he was sympathizing with, would actually boldly state, “Super high-yielding hybrid rice strains can already produce three thousand catties per mu. Thus, there’s no reason why I can’t end up producing a hybrid rice that can get up to a thousand catties per mu!”

‘Three thousand catties per mu? Miss Yu, are you sure you’re not dreaming? Right now, rice paddies that produce three hundred catties per mu only happen during a prosperous year, alright? The emperor is letting his imagination run wild, so you should be bringing him down back to reality. Instead, you’re dreaming the same dream as he is. When the time comes and you're unable to make good on your promise, wouldn’t that be a crime of ‘deceiving the monarch’ ah?’

Before his master had left, he had repeatedly reminded him that he needed to pay more attention to the Yu Residence and Miss Yu. If they encountered any difficulties, he should help them if he could. However, what was he supposed to do now? Was he supposed to stop Miss Yu in front of the emperor and have her take back her words? ‘Master, ah, master. This task you set upon me is too hard. This disciple can’t do it ah!’

“When you say it like that, we truly don’t want you to take any risks anymore…” Jiangnan had a lot of land suitable for rice cultivation. If the rice paddy yields could go up, then all of the people in the Great Ming Empire would be fortunate! Zhu Junfan now regretted his previous decision.

Yu Xiaocao's eyes s.h.i.+fted a bit as she replied, “Not a problem. This official can pretend to go. I don’t know whether, within the hidden guards, if there are any suitable soldiers who have a similar appearance and build as me.”

Zhu Junfan threw a look towards Su Chi. Before Chief Steward Su left, he had stated that all of the matters regarding the hidden guards would be temporarily given to his future successor. This fellow should know the hidden guards like the back of his own hand.

Su Chi immediately stepped forward to state, “There are a few soldiers who have a similar build to Official Yu. However...Official Yu’s skin is as pale and luminous as snow. There are probably very few people in this world who can compare to her skin quality…”

What a flattering statement! Yu Xiaocao thought carefully for a bit. She didn’t think she had any previous interactions with this new a.s.sistant chief steward before, so why did it seem like he was trying to curry favor with her? Eh, it didn’t matter. Having someone treat her well was much more pleasing than having someone regard her with an arrogant expression.