Chapter 143: Chapter 129: Not Asking for Much_1
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Seeing that her adoptive father remained silent, Daohua thought he hadn’t understood clearly and immediately took the account book from his hand. She flipped to the most important pages and explained them one by one to him.
“Father, let me tell you, if you’re not at ease, you can start with a small-scale trial cultivation. If the yield really turns out to be higher than that of ordinary grains by the time of the autumn harvest, then you can promote it on a large scale.”
“Increasing the grain yield, you know, food is crucial for the livelihood of the people. Father, think of how many people in Xingzhou City, or even those further afield, would thank you if they stopped going hungry.”
“Oh, and there’s more…” Daohua quickly flipped to a comparative chart she had made in the account book: “Father, look at this. I believe that if you can promote the improved grain variety, I can continue to improve it.”
The grain varieties currently stored by the Yan Family were cultivated from the least fertile yellow soil in her space. If red or black soil were used, the yield would certainly increase further.
However, to avoid drawing too much attention, this matter had to be approached slowly.
Even the current grain varieties were something she had spent three years time playfully testing out openly at the various households in the Yan Family village before daring to introduce them.
Otherwise, what would people think if they learned that a girl of less than ten years old had improved a grain variety? She didn’t want to earn some reputation as a blessed prodigy and then become the target of those with ulterior motives.
There’s a saying, what’s it called again, “Once the deed is done, leave without attachment, keeping one’s achievements and fame hidden!”
Oh dear, she couldn’t continue to think about this. If she dwelled on it further, she would end up moving herself to tears.
Yan Zhigao watched his eldest daughter, who was showing such enthusiasm to him for the first time, and felt slightly uncomfortable.
How come his eldest daughter seemed to care more about the people’s welfare than he did?
“Ahem!”
Yan Zhigao cleared his throat and took the account book from Daohua’s hand, placing it on the table and pressing down on it with his knuckles. Only then did he speak, “I see this account book is two years old. Such a significant matter as grain varieties, why didn’t you write to inform me?”
Daohua: “Isn’t it because I was afraid you wouldn’t believe it? Besides, without having sown it yourself, how can one casually bring up such a matter!”
Yan Zhigao looked at his eldest daughter and gained a whole new understanding of her.
He now believed that what his mother and lady had said about his eldest daughter being level-headed was true.
“I will take the account book with me. I will see to the grain matter,” he said, then turned to Yan Zhiqiang, “Third brother, do you have any winter wheat seeds?”
Winter wheat was cultivated in Xingzhou City. If possible, he wanted to see the results this year.
Yan Zhiqiang nodded, “Yes, but we don’t have a very large supply of seeds stored in our family. Big brother, if you want to promote it greatly, you can purchase some from the clan. Nowadays, every household in the clan uses the grain variety cultivated by Daohua.”
“Third brother!”
Madam Li suddenly spoke up, “Don’t go telling others that the grain varieties were cultivated by Daohua.”
“Ah?” Yan Zhiqiang was startled.
Madam Li explained, “Daohua is a maiden confined to domestic quarters. It’s enough for our own family to know, not something to be spread externally.” In these times, a woman being too capable was not necessarily a good thing.
“Oh!”
Yan Zhiqiang nodded in agreement.
After that, Yan Zhigao took Yan Zhiqiang to discuss the matter of grains without even stopping for a meal.
After dinner, when Daohua was preparing to return to her own courtyard, Madam Li called her back.
“Mother, do you need me for something?”
Madam Li touched her daughter’s head and took her hand, walking slowly: “Growing flowers, opening a florist shop, these are elegant pursuits suitable for a young lady, and I won’t object if you wish to do them.”
“But the matter of grains is a significant concern for the people’s livelihood and is not something for a young lady to handle. If your improved grain variety truly increases the productivity of the fields, it would be a great matter and might even attract the Emperor’s attention.”
Daohua opened her mouth in surprise, “That’s unlikely, isn’t it? It hasn’t improved that much, just by a bushel or two.”
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“A single stone?” Madam Li shook her head, “You must not underestimate this one stone of grain. If we were to encounter a year of famine, this food could save countless lives.”
Daohua smiled, “Mother, I understand your concern. Rest assured, your daughter will only make a fuss at home. As for everything else, leave it to father to handle.”
After all, it’s fine as long as the family knows, especially her step-father. Having profited, he surely can’t slap her like before every time he becomes upset.
What she wanted wasn’t much, just to live more freely in this family, to do what she wished, to have her own thoughts, and when it came to decisions about her, not to have her opinions ignored, doing away with the dictum that one must blindly obey a parent’s command.
In fact, since his promotion to Prefectural Governor of Xingzhou, she felt a change in her step-father’s attitude towards her and Madam Li, and that was very good.
She was well aware that no matter how capable she was, in this ancient patriarchal society, as a young lady hidden away in her boudoir, to live well, she could not do without the support of her father and brothers.
Helping them was also helping herself.
Madam Li smiled contentedly, “You are smart. You must know, it’s not easy for us women to be stronger than men, or else, you won’t be able to marry off!”
Daohua blurted out, “Then I just won’t marry.”
“Slap!”
Madam Li struck Daohua on the forehead, and this time she didn’t hold back much.
“Mother~”
Daohua, rubbing her forehead, looked at Madam Li with an accusatory gaze for suddenly hitting her.
Madam Li sternly said, “You must not speak such nonsense about not marrying in the future.”
Daohua nodded gloomily.
When it came to the matter of marriage, both Madam Li and Old Madam Yan held surprisingly similar stances.
“Then I want to find someone I like, and you can’t just marry me off carelessly!”
Madam Li glared at Daohua, “You just said you wouldn’t marry, and now you want to choose on your own. You certainly change your mind quickly.”
Daohua: “….”
…
Yan Zhigao took the matter of the seed grains very seriously. It was now the end of September, prime time for planting winter wheat. After obtaining the seed grains from Yan Zhiyuan, he gathered a group of experienced farmers and personally led them to plow and sow on the official fields.
Generally, the fields owned by the Governor’s Office weren’t so easily gathered for use.
However, now that his sons and nephews were classmates of the Little Prince, the officials in the Prefectural Governor’s Office were very obedient to his orders. With a single word from him, his subordinates would get things done.
It was also for this reason that he dared to boldly plant his own family’s seed grains.
If it had been before, he would have had to give it serious thought, considering whether someone else might steal the credit.
Time flew, and by mid-October…
Wangyue Academy.
Brothers Yan Wenkai and Yan Wentao supported each other back to their residence.
Yan Wenkai grimaced, “Ah, I definitely won’t be able to move tomorrow!” Today’s training was too harsh; there wasn’t a single spot on my body that didn’t ache.”
Yan Wentao curiously asked, “I see the Little Prince and the others have almost the same intensity in their training, so why do they seem much more at ease than us?”
“That’s because they take a medicinal bath after every martial arts session to relieve body aches,” Yan Wenkai explained and then paused suddenly.
It seemed they could also take a medicinal bath!