Chapter 412 - You Are My Angel (1/2)
“Beloved Official Liu! Royal Prince Yang has brought back at least five hundred thousand catties of wheat. Giving each official in court one hundred catties would only use up less than ten thousand catties. Although the improved wheat kernels are important, giving away a little bit is fine!” The officials all nodded in assent and threw daggers with their eyes at Minister Liu, as if he was a sinner who had committed a crime that caused public wrath.
Seeing that Minister Liu wanted to say something, Zhu Junfan quickly said, “Chief Steward Su, pass on our order to summon the father and daughter of the Yu Family to the capital! Beloved Official Liu, we will assign the father and daughter to work under you, specializing in farming. Do you still be worried about not having high-yield seeds in the future? Perhaps, in the future, there will also be improved varieties of rice and millet…”
As soon as he heard that the father and daughter of the Yu Family, who were farming experts, were assigned to the Ministry of Revenue, Minister Liu was so happy that it seemed like he had picked up eight hundred taels. He no longer worried about the eight thousand catties of wheat kernels. As the emperor had said, with the two treasures, there would definitely be a lot of improved variety of wheat seeds in the future!
After the court session ended, Minister Liu stopped and asked all sorts of questions to Royal Prince Yang, who was the most familiar with the father and daughter of the Yu Family. Zhu Junyang was so annoyed with him that he almost exploded in anger. In the end, Minister Liu went back to official business, “Royal Prince Yang, did Miss Yu say whether these wheat kernels could continue to produce high yield?”
Zhu Junyang had asked the same thing to Xiaocao before, and Xiaocao’s reply was, “If it’s the first generation of seeds, then I can guarantee that an output of at least five to six hundred catties. However, I can’t guarantee the same for the second generation of seeds.”
She was also clueless. The spiritual energy of the mystic-stone water could help germination and heading of the seeds. Hence, the yield wouldn’t be too bad. But, if the kernels were used as seeds, she didn’t know whether they could continue to produce a high yield.
Zhu Junyang also answered Minister Liu in the same way. Minister Liu felt somewhat disappointed in the answer, but if the first generation could be high yielding, then the second generation shouldn’t be too bad either. It would at least be better than normal seeds. Besides, even if the kernels couldn’t be used as seeds again, they definitely didn’t have to worry about not being able to sell them. At least the grinded flour of the wheat could make delicious food!
The next day, Zhu Junyang used the excuse that he needed to supervise the corn cultivation at Tanggu Town’s plantation to leave the capital. At that time, Zhu Junfan had jokingly scolded, “A man’s heart leans towards outsiders. It’s hard to keep a grown son at home!”
This younger cousin of his always ran to the Tanggu area whenever he had time. Although he always successfully completed all his assigned tasks, he always finished them within the shortest amount of time possible. In addition, he would ask for a vacation right after he finished his tasks. He would run off to Tanggu Town, refusing to work. In the past, he had thought that this kid was very filial and freed up time to accompany his lady mother. However, it now seemed that the fellow began to understand how to please girls.
The stinky brat had quite keen eyes. His little transmigrator friend was still just a budding flower, but he had already started guarding her all the time, for fear that she would be taken away by someone with the same keen eyes!
Zhu Junfan thought of the five thousand taels that he had been cheated of and couldn’t help but feel angry. That stinky brat had actually let the little girl from the Yu Family manage the eight hundred mu of fields at Tanggu. It seemed that in order to please the young girl, his younger cousin had gone all in. He had given away the eight hundred mu of farmlands without hesitation and reluctance.
Ay! Now, he, the Emperor, should be the one whose heart ached. The brat didn’t lower the price even a bit for the nearly fifty thousand catties of wheat kernels and sold them to the imperial court at market price. Moreover, he even had an expression as if he got taken advantage of. It was wheat kernels produced by the Yu Family’s farmstead, but fifty copper coins per catty was expensive ah! It almost seemed like the brat was unwilling to sell them for just fifty copper coins per catty!
He was resigned to his fate and took out five thousand taels from the Imperial Treasury to give to the brat. No matter how difficult it was for his country, he couldn’t let his people suffer ah! Zhu Junfan strongly suspected that the brat had an ulterior motive. If the plantation at Tanggu belonged to him, would he really be that shameless to take his imperial older cousin’s money? That stinky brat was very cunning!
The five thousand taels of banknotes, which caused the emperor’s heart to ache for a few seconds, was currently in Yu Xiaocao’s hands. Her pair of big eyes were full of confusion as she looked at the young royal prince, ‘My lord, what do you mean?’
“What are you looking at? Are you trying to compete with this prince to see whose eyes are bigger?” Zhu Junyang poked her forehead with his index finger. He thought that her cute expression was very adorable, and he really wanted to pinch her tender cheeks.
“This money… You’re giving it to me?” Seeing Zhu Junyang nod, Xiaocao continued to ask, “Why?”
Those who liked money would have a proper way to get it! She didn’t want this money that came from an unknown source! It wasn’t like she lacked money!
“At such a young age, your memory is quite worrying ah!” Zhu Junyang teased her with a gorgeous smile on his face, and then he continued, “This prince has already given you the deed for the eight hundred mu of farmlands as a betrothal gift, did you forget?”