Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn - Chapter 153
He took a deep breath and sighed, "How many things are there that you haven't told me yet?"
"So much has happened in the past few years, big and small. I've told you almost everything you asked about, including what Brother Gan said." Zinuo looked at me, a hint of grievance in her expression. "Except for, Xiaowan..."
How can we blame them? It's just that we lost so much during that time.
After attending a rather unpleasant banquet at the palace, they had a seemingly lively New Year. When spring arrived and flowers bloomed, Zi Nuo finally said, "Sister, there's too much trouble in the palace. You should return to Qiuyang Valley."
He still wanted me by his side, didn't he? After the New Year's Eve banquet, how could he not know the hardships Zinuo faced alone in the palace? He only had the Golden Sparrow King, who did his best to exploit Zinuo, to support him. There were some things that even the Golden Sparrow King turned a blind eye to. But what could I do for him? I could only try my best to help him build a good image among the people.
"Zinuo, your sister is returning to Qiuyang Valley, but you don't need to travel back and forth anymore. Your sister will come back to see you often."
Zinuo then revealed a joyful smile.
Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 133
Chapter word count: 4004 Update time: 09-09-21 11:33
Flowers are in full bloom in Hanyue City, and the ice and snow are beginning to melt in Qiuyang Valley.
Lord Lu and I returned to Qiuyang Valley to begin preparations for spring planting. Starting this spring, Qiuyang Valley will slowly become a true paradise.
When new buds sprouted on the trees, each household was allocated land and, under the guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture, sowed seeds of hope. At my insistence, I was also allocated a small terraced field on the hillside.
"Are you going to farm too?" Gan Lin frowned, staring at me in my coarse cloth clothes, clothes I hadn't worn in a long time.
"Exactly, it's not just about farming, but also about growing flowers and vegetables and enjoying the pleasures of rural life." Otherwise, how would one pass the time with nothing to do all day?
"Nonsense." Gan Lin said this, but still accompanied me up the mountain. Ruo Sheng looked anxious: "His Highness will be unhappy if he finds out."
She gave Ruosheng a reassuring look: "Don't worry, tell him I have a gift for him."
When Gan Lin and I appeared at the edge of the field carrying hoes and shovels, Lord Lu ran over in a panic: "Holy Maiden, what are you doing?"
"Of course I must ask Lord Lu for advice on farming techniques." As he spoke, he proudly waved a shovel in front of Lord Lu.
Lord Lu shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, that won't do."
"My lord, you must have heard the saying, 'You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household.' What is the purpose of my coming to the fields today? Think about it carefully, my lord." With that, he ignored Lord Lu and pulled Gan Lin toward his three-tenths of land.
I took off my shoes and socks, rolled up my trousers, and stood in the still slightly cool water. A familiar feeling instantly filled my body. Forgive my impure thoughts, but in this small corner of the earth, I wanted to preserve those poignant yet innocent memories.
Picking up a shovel, he turned over the mud clods one by one. That's the inconvenience of terraced fields; the space is too small to plow with oxen. Just as he was getting into the swing of things, he saw Gan Lin standing helplessly on the edge of the field with a hoe in hand.
"Let's go see how others do it," he said, pointing to the farmer working diligently nearby.
Gan Lin didn't move, just stared at my hands: "You're very skilled."
Shaking his head and smiling wryly, he knew that with Gan Lin's keen senses, she must have guessed something.
"Though this small plot of land is only a few acres, I want you to taste the rice I grow." Rice grown by myself should be especially sweet, right? "When the autumn harvest comes, we will hold a grand feast so that everyone will know about Qiuyang Valley." At that time, Zinuo's name will be even more deeply ingrained in people's minds.
Gan Lin shook his head and smiled, then turned and went to ask questions in someone else's field.
When everyone saw that Gan Lin and I were really working, they all came over to watch. Dragging my muddy legs, I walked to the edge of the field and waved them away, saying, "Everyone, go back to your work. It wouldn't be good to miss this beautiful spring weather." Only then did everyone disperse, but their eyes still held a hint of suspicion.
When I got home at noon, Ruosheng and the others had already prepared the meal. Seeing me covered in mud, Ruosheng, both amused and exasperated, told me to take a shower first.
Lying in the pool that Zinuo had specially built, Ruosheng asked, "Is it finished in such a small area?"
"It's not that fast, there's still half left. I'm not going today, I'll continue tomorrow." He rubbed his red palms and said lazily.
Grabbing my hand, Ruosheng said irritably, "You asked for trouble."
Withdrawing his hand, he said seriously to Ruosheng, "Tomorrow we'll ask Lord Lu for some vegetable seeds. We want to learn from them and grow our own vegetables. When we want to eat any kind of vegetable or melon, we can just go around the front and back of the house and look for it. It'll definitely be fun."
Ruosheng had no interest in farming, but when she heard about planting vegetables, she perked up and nodded in agreement.
When the rice seedlings were planted in the fields and the vegetable seeds were sown in the open space around the house, we had basically completed the work of spring. So, keeping the promise we made when we left the palace, we led a group of people back to the palace to see Zi Nu.
I don't know how the news about Qiuyang Valley got out, but when I returned to Hanyue City, some sharp-eyed people saw me and a lot of people immediately flocked to me. Although it wasn't as grand as when Zinuo went out, I was still quite flattered. This wasn't because of Zinuo; they came entirely for me.
Back at Xiyang Palace, before I could even catch my breath, Chief Steward Xu led me to Taiji Hall. The Golden Sparrow King, as always, sat atop the high steps, smiling at me: "Qingqiu, you really are going to great lengths. Is it all for Zinuo?"
"Not entirely. In places like that, many things come from the heart."
King Jinque descended the steps: "Do you know how many people outside Jinque Kingdom want to become citizens of my Jinque Kingdom?"
"Qingqiu may not know, but isn't this exactly what Your Majesty desires? However, Qiuyang Valley has only just begun, and all the work has yet to show results. Why is there such a strong reaction?"
"Youjing is plagued by constant warfare, Xuanying's oppressive rule is cruel and fraught with disasters, and the land of Xixia is barren. Only my Golden Sparrow Kingdom has all the advantages, and naturally, the hearts of all people are with us. Peace and tranquility are just around the corner." The Golden Sparrow King had a sincere smile on his lips, as if the other three kingdoms were about to bow down to him.
"Then congratulations, Your Majesty." This is much better than them shedding blood on the battlefield for a single state or city.
"Qingqiu deserves much credit." King Jinque looked at me with a smile, but I sensed a hint of scheming in his eyes.
Never mind, wasn't he always plotting against me?
Zi Nuo came back earlier than usual and was quite dissatisfied when he saw my face, which had become somewhat dark and thin from working.
"This is the healthiest skin tone. Moderate exercise is much better than staying cooped up in your room all day."
Seeing my smiling face, Zinuo shook her head and said, "As long as you're happy, sister." Then she asked, "Was the journey tiring?"
"There's no need to rush like you. Take your time, just treat it as sightseeing." Along the way, she also did a lot of promotion for Zinuo. With some free time, she was preparing for something else—Zinuo would definitely become a star idol. But she wouldn't tell him for now…
Upon returning to the palace, King Jinque considerately reduced Zinuo's workload, giving Zinuo much more time to spend in Xiyang Palace each day. Regardless of what Zinuo thinks, I am willing to continue to get along well with him like this, whether as his younger brother or in any other capacity, because time is already limited, and only in this way can I feel at ease.
I didn't go to Zhiyang Palace to see Xiao Wan and Zi Ling, fearing it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings. I only sent gifts there. However, I did send Chu Chen to see Xiao Wan, since their relationship must be quite deep.