PNB Chapter 185 I will return to the capital with the three princes
Chapter 185 I will return to the capital with the three princes
In the study,
In addition to Xiao Yan and Qi Zhu, Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Du were also present.
Zhou Lingling was the only "outsider".
But after so long, no one here treated her as an outsider.
Xiao Yan sat in the main seat and first thanked the two old men.
"Thank you both gentlemen for your hard work in mediating during this period."
While he was fighting in the front, Qi Zhu single-handedly supported the military supplies and dispatch of all parties in the rear.
Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Du used their respective connections and resources to resolve the various pressures from the court one by one, so that they could concentrate on their own work.
Mr. Zhuang twirled his beard and chuckled.
"It's all our duty, but now that the war is over, I'm afraid the matter of the imperial edict can't be delayed any longer."
Mr. Du also said: "In the final analysis, although we are now in the right, it is not as important as the legal principles of being a subject."
Previously they could use the urgent border war as an excuse to avoid the foreign invasion, but now they can no longer do so.
Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Du also wanted to know whether the general still had no interest in that position after so many years.
Xiao Yan knew exactly what the two gentlemen were thinking, but he did not say anything.
Qi Zhu also sat there leisurely, staring at the patterns on the new fan, seemingly enjoying it very much.
"Outsider" Zhou Lingling said that she didn't know why Xiao Yan kept her.
Is she now so highly regarded by the ruler of the northern border?
Always bring her along when discussing matters like this.
"I understand what the two gentlemen said."
Xiao Yan finally spoke, and everyone's eyes turned to him.
Unlike Zhou Lingling who was really casual, the other three were a little nervous.
They only heard their master say calmly: "You can accept this imperial edict. I will return to the capital with the Third Prince when the time comes."
Ugh.
Zhou Lingling saw the three people's shoulders slump at the same time, and could even faintly hear their inner sighs.
That’s all.
It has been more than ten years, and they did come with that idea in mind at the beginning.
But after so many years, they have come to understand what kind of person this Ninth Prince who was "exiled" to the northern border is.
He is powerful but cares for the people. He is willing to sacrifice his lower body but also has his own pride and principles.
Now everything is going well in the northern border. There are hundreds of thousands of troops outside and the people inside are united.
Once the new grain is popularized, the people will have enough food and clothing, the elderly will have someone to rely on, and the children will be taken care of. Who says that the northern border will not become a paradise on earth that is no less than the south of the Yangtze River?
The two old men came to terms with it, but Zhou Lingling and Qi Zhu didn't.
Imperial edict, can you accept it?
Doesn’t that mean Xiao Yan will be “escorted” back to the capital, like a sheep walking into a tiger’s mouth?
Zhou Lingling had a strange expression on her face. Could Xiao Yan be that kind of person?
Qi Zhu also glanced at his master with a calm expression, and he didn't believe that the other party was willing to be a lamb to be slaughtered.
However, at this moment, Xiao Yan did not intend to talk about this matter anymore.
"I heard the first batch of new grain has been harvested, totaling more than 70,000 kilograms."
He looked at Zhou Lingling and his eyes flickered.
It had been two months since they last saw each other in Hubei City, and he discovered that the little girl had grown quite a bit taller.
Her facial features are more delicate and brighter, and the baby fat on her face has disappeared, leaving only two shallow dimples that appear when she smiles.
Well... actually it looks better with a little meat.
Speaking of business, Zhou Lingling also straightened her expression.
"Yes, a total of more than 79,000 kilograms, 27,000 kilograms from Base No. 1 and 52,000 kilograms from Base No. 2."
"But this is only the weight of the unearthed remains. Once the moisture on the surface evaporates, there will still be about 75,000 kilograms left."
More than 70,000 kilograms of food!
Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Du's eyes lit up when they heard this.
They had personally visited the two plots of land and found nothing but sand.
"Such a barren land can actually produce so much food. God bless our northern border!"
Qizhu's eyes were also full of gratitude.
In the past six months, whether it was for building wells and canals or border defense, the Zhou family, or Miss Zhou, contributed more than 100,000 kilograms of grain.
It can be said that if it weren't for Miss Zhou, they might not have been able to win the war smoothly.
He was naturally curious.
One hundred thousand kilograms of grain, although it was purchased through a merchant in Wushuang City, it was obvious that the new grain was only in the hands of the Zhou family. Where did the merchant get tens of thousands of kilograms of potatoes?
Seeing through things but not saying them out loud, Qi Zhu remembered his master's instructions at the beginning and swallowed the doubts in his heart countless times.
There was also a smile in Xiao Yan's eyes.
"It is God who blesses the Northern Frontier and gives us a little lucky star."
So, the three of them looked at Zhou Lingling at the same time.
Mr. Zhuang: "Yes, yes, our Northern Frontier is so lucky to have such a lucky little boy!"
Mr. Du: "The general is right. Little Lucky Star deserves all the credit!"
Qi Zhu looked at someone who seemed to want to dig a hole in the ground and crawl into it, but he didn't say anything in the end.
"Let's talk about this privately and don't spread it outside."
Although everyone present was someone he trusted, Xiao Yan still gave some instructions about the little girl.
The two gentlemen and Qizhu should naturally be the ones.
Until now, no one except themselves knew that the new food, crossbows, and even gunpowder were all made by this little girl in her teens.
These "insiders" have also been screened through layers of prayers and confirmed to be reliable.
Zhou Lingling's uniqueness was clearly known to everyone in the General's Mansion and the Zhou family, but they tacitly agreed to never publicize it.
Next, Zhou Lingling talked about the next plan she had mentioned to Xiao Yan before.
"I've already found a shop in the city. We'll be able to start selling grain seeds in three days. I'll spread the word in the city over the next few days, and I'll also have the General's Office cooperate in notifying the more remote villages."
"Also, I won't be returning those one hundred or so people to Thirteen Cities for now. Lend them to me for another half month. The shops in other cities need to be arranged here first before they can be opened there. I'll hand this matter over to my uncle and his men. The General's Mansion can also send more people to assist."
Xiao Yan nodded and said, "You can take charge of the arrangements. If you need help, just ask Qi Zhu for it."
In addition to the new grain, Xiao Yan was also quite interested in the school mentioned in her letter.
"Also, the academy you mentioned in your previous letter is completely different from the academy of Da Yuan."
Speaking of this, Zhou Lingling started chattering again.
"The imperial examination is good, but not everyone who studies can become an official. The imperial examination is not the only purpose of studying."
"… In the Northern Frontier, reading is for wisdom and enlightenment. As for whether men or women are included, it is because of a common saying:
Marrying a virtuous wife will bring prosperity to three generations, while marrying an unvirtuous wife will ruin three generations.
Nowadays, it is normal for men to work outside to earn money to support the family, while women stay at home to raise children and serve the elders. If women are well-educated and sensible, they can provide their children with a better education. If the family tradition is upright and harmonious, the family will naturally prosper.
"So the school set up two years of basic education, mainly to teach people to read and understand. If you want to really understand something, you have to continue studying."
But will those who don’t study just go home and live a carefree life, farming?
of course not.
"The school offers classes in agriculture, industry, commerce, and counting and embroidery for girls. Even if they don't study, they can still learn a skill."
"As for tuition, the school doesn't make a profit. We only charge enough to maintain its daily operations and the teachers' writing fees. I've already thought about the money. It's best if the General's Mansion covers the two years of basic education. After that, whether it's studying or learning a trade, the General's Mansion and parents will pay for the tuition separately."
That is two years of compulsory education.
Her words made everyone present fall into deep thought.
It has to be said that the significance of this school is no less than that of new grain in the northern border.
They are short of food, clothing and food now, but after this year they will no longer be short of food.
Although Miss Zhou is just a little girl, she thinks more clearly, deeply and far-sightedly than these old guys.
The imperial examination is not the only purpose of studying.
What a great achievement! The imperial examination is not the only purpose of studying!
As the saying goes, there is no distinction between men and women in education, and reading is wise.
The tuition for two years of basic education is paid by the General's Mansion, which means that the people of Northern Xinjiang have a stronger sense of belonging to the General's Mansion.
Mr. Zhuang put away all the thoughts in his mind and said:
"Miss Zhou is very thoughtful. We are far behind. I think this is feasible."
Mr. Du also nodded and said: "When the school is completed, I can write a letter to a few of my classmates."
Sitting here is the person who actually holds power in the General's Mansion, as well as his right-hand men.
But no one had any objection to Zhou Lingling, a teenage girl, being responsible for such an important matter.
Such an important matter was handled by the Zhou family. It is conceivable that in the future, apart from the General's Mansion, the people in the Northern Frontier will think of the Zhou family.
This is Zhou Lingling's selfish desire.
Beijiang owed her a lot, so Xiao Yan was naturally happy to fulfill her selfish wishes.
As for praying, the Northern Frontier is not actually the most important thing to him.
Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Du are both single and would not fight for such a small benefit.
The obsession in their hearts dissipated, and they just hoped that this scarred land would become better.