She turned and left decisively.
Grandma Zhong watched Yang Ming's retreating figure, her eyes showing a determined light. She pursed her lips and nodded slightly.
Hmph, this kid. He must have a woman he likes, but he’s too stubborn to admit it. She, old Zhong, had lived for most of her life and had never seen a young man who didn't desire women! Unless he was into men, and even then, he'd desire men!
Let her investigate carefully!
Grandma Zhong found another secret and great mission for herself, and she was filled with energy.
Ever since she learned the secret that Prince Yu liked the eldest young lady, she had continued to live well, and her tolerance for secrets had no upper limit.
The matter of heaven favoring Hongshu Village by only letting it rain there spread to the capital in just over ten days.
So, you have to believe in the words of the common people forever.
The Imperial Palace, Xuanzheng Hall.
The old emperor quickly learned of this strange occurrence.
Logically speaking, it was normal for different places to have different rainfall patterns, but for the rainfall area to shrink to the size of a village was too incredible.
The emperor was about to send people to investigate the truth, to prevent rumors from spreading and causing civil unrest.
However, before he could issue the order, he received a secret letter from his fourth son in Tashajun.
The secret letter reported in detail how Hongshu Village planted trees to combat desertification, cultivated crops, and the strange rain that fell on Hongshu Village.
Upon reading the first half, the old emperor was overjoyed. Half of his Great Xia Kingdom was desert. If desertification could be successfully combated, would he still need to wage wars everywhere? His own country could become incredibly wealthy.
But when he read the latter half, the old emperor's expression fell, because his fourth scoundrel actually asked him for five hundred thousand taels of silver!
What a scoundrel!
Five hundred thousand? He couldn't even afford five thousand. The national treasury had been depleted for years, like the most tattered fishing net, full of holes. He, as emperor, lived so frugally that his socks were almost darned, where could he find money to combat desertification?
To govern Bianzhou, the fourth son could only rely on his own efforts and perhaps squeeze some revenue from the governor there, what was his name again?
Alas, he couldn't remember.
Bianzhou Governor He: Your Majesty, I knew you wouldn't remember me. I am truly insignificant!
The emperor held his breath for his fourth scoundrel.
However, after seeing a memorial impeaching Guo, the magistrate of Tashajun, for corruption, dereliction of duty, and factionalism, the emperor casually wrote a few words: "Fourth son's Bianzhou, Fourth son can handle it himself." Anyway, that place was so poor that even birds were too lazy to defecate there, so let the scoundrel mess around.
As long as he didn't come to the capital and annoy him, his fourth son could do as he pleased.
However, the old emperor always felt that his fourth son was, after all, his own flesh and blood. Like father, like son, perhaps he could truly make Bianzhou something of itself.
If Bianzhou truly became something, he would promote it nationwide, which would be more convincing and silence those old fogies with their sharp tongues.
Therefore, support was still necessary. Spending money was too vulgar; it was more prudent to write a letter and offer spiritual encouragement to his fourth son.
"My fourth son, upon receiving this letter and your report, I am exceptionally pleased.
Due to the inherent infertility of our Great Xia's land, sparse population, coupled with years of warfare and continuous disasters, the national treasury is severely depleted. I truly cannot afford funds for desertification control. My socks are even darned with several patches. Therefore, I can only offer my son spiritual encouragement, hoping he will strive hard, be self-reliant, and work diligently.
However, I grant my fourth son any special privileges within Bianzhou. If he can transform Bianzhou into vast fertile land with towering green trees, I will reward him handsomely!"
Prince Yu received the letter from his imperial father without even frowning.
The outcome of the reply was exactly as he had predicted. What he wanted was the sentence, "I grant you any special privileges within Bianzhou."
In the future, if any foul-mouthed ministers impeached him regarding Bianzhou, he would defiantly throw this letter from his imperial father in the scoundrel minister's face and then arrogantly spit a mouthful of fresh old phlegm at him.
"Qiu, carefully frame this letter and preserve it perfectly, without the slightest damage," Prince Yu handed the letter to A'Qiu.
A'Qiu acknowledged with a "yes" and walked away, holding the letter as if it were a precious treasure.
The places in Hongshu Village where flower and grass seeds had been sown had all sprouted tender young shoots. Although many had withered from the sun, many still survived tenaciously.
The sand dunes in the area where the villagers of Qianfei Village had bathed in the rain grew particularly robust seedlings.
After inspecting them, Lu Yun put his hands behind his back, nodded with an air of maturity, and smiled, very pleased.
As far as the eye could see, the entire Hongshu Village was already a stretch of green.
Bai Sheng sat under the bamboo pavilion, teasing the giggling Si Zai, while Ji Chenghe sat beside her, racking his brain to extract information from Bai Sheng.
He lowered his voice and said, "Sheng, this artificial rain you speak of is a great undertaking that benefits the country and the people, destined to be recorded in history. Such great merit, you should claim it for yourself. Isn't it too wasteful to give it to me?"
Bai Sheng also whispered, "In this life, I only wish to live a low-key, luxurious life with my family. I don't care about any merit or recognition.
Brother Ji happens to have ambitions of serving the country and the people, so it's most fitting to give it to Brother Ji. Moreover, Brother Ji treats me like his own sister, so I'm not at a disadvantage by giving it to Brother Ji."
Ji Chenghe pondered for a moment, then nodded and whispered, "Then I thank you, sister. Rest assured, from now on, I, Ji, will do my utmost to look after your family. In the future, you and Lu Ye should not call me Brother Ji; it sounds distant. Just call me Big Brother. I am your biological elder brother!"
Bai Sheng sweetly called out, "Big Brother!"
Aiya! Good sister! Ji Chenghe chuckled happily and turned to Si Zai, saying, "Come, my dear nephews and nieces, call me your biological uncle! Your dear uncle!"
"Ah oh oh," Si Zai giggled, revealing her pink, toothless gums.
"Big Brother, this artificial rain isn't that easy; it still depends on the cloud layers in the sky reaching certain conditions before it can be implemented. If we have the opportunity in the future, we can try it together," Bai Sheng whispered.
"Alright," Ji Chenghe felt invigorated and full of heroic spirit, like a great roc about to spread its wings.
He was determined to transform Tashajun into an oasis, where the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and where agriculture, handicrafts, industry, and commerce prospered!
He would also assist Prince Yu in completely revamping the entire Bianzhou! He would turn Bianzhou, which was once avoided by court officials like a plague, into a prosperous land where everyone yearned to come!
Bai Sheng saw Ji Chenghe stand up straight, hands on his hips, gazing into the void with a firm look, his nostrils flared to their widest. She knew her dear Big Brother was fantasizing about his grand undertaking.
She and Si Zai exchanged a smile.