Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 799: Imperial Manor (Part 1)
Bao’er was dressed warmly, so falling on her little bottom didn’t actually hurt. However, when her father asked, Bao’er felt wronged, and her big eyes welled up with tears: "It hurts!"
Cui Du was heartbroken, holding his daughter and comforting her.
Jiang Shaohua chuckled: "She only fell lightly, how could it hurt that much? Don’t spoil her, let her come down and walk over by herself."
Normally, Cui Du was very obedient to Jiang Shaohua, but when it came to the child, he wasn’t willing to listen: "Bao’er is only one year old, she can practice walking slowly, no need to rush."
Jiang Shaohua glanced at him with a smile: "I started practicing horseback riding at four years old, never stopping in severe cold or heat, practicing for one or two hours at a time. By six, I began training in martial arts and weapons, often getting battered and bruised."
"With you spoiling the child like this, what will you do when Bao’er starts learning martial arts in the future?"
This was indeed a problem.
When Bao’er grows up to be the Da Liang Crown Prince, she can’t neglect either her studies or martial arts. She’ll undoubtedly have to endure hardship.
Cui Du thought seriously and then sighed: "We’ll talk about it then. Anyway, my daughter is still small now, I can still carry her."
Jiang Shaohua rolled her eyes at him with a laugh: "An indulgent mother makes a disobedient child. If you can’t harden your heart, I’ll take charge of Bao’er’s discipline in the future." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
Cui Du was busy all day at the Imperial Manor, returning to the palace only once every five or six days. Whenever he returned, he wished he could hold his child in the palm of his hand. As for disciplining the child, he was completely unreliable.
It’s laughable how he once boasted that she wouldn’t need to worry about the child after it was born.
Seeing Jiang Shaohua’s gaze, Cui Du felt somewhat guilty and said after thinking: "When the weather warms up, I’ll take Bao’er to the Imperial Manor to stay for a while."
Jiang Shaohua laughed: "That’s good, I’ll stay a few days too."
Cui Du’s eyes lit up: "With all the national affairs daily, can you really spare the time?"
Jiang Shaohua raised her eyebrows and smiled: "With Chancellor Chen, what do I have to fear from being away for a few days?"
The Grand Empress Dowager and Prime Minister Wang, those obstructive stones, were moved aside. The ministers were also much more settled. With Chancellor Chen’s abilities, handling court affairs was surely no problem.
Even if an urgent matter arose, sending a message from the palace to the Imperial Manor would take only an hour by Eagle.
Cui Du beamed with joy.
Jiang Shaohua had been traveling widely before, but for over a year now, she’d been staying in the palace, feeling stifled. Now, with the thought of staying outside the palace for a few days, she immediately ordered her people to prepare.
Yin Zhu had married out of the palace the year before and was now handling the Emperor’s close affairs. With a word from Jiang Shaohua, Tu Bai immediately became busy.
Song Yuan allocated five hundred trusted aides to accompany them.
Qin Hu’s external injuries had mostly healed, though his left-handed sword skills were not yet up to par. Watching as Meng Sanbao accompanied the entourage, he felt both envious and a little dejected.
Sun Zelan customarily changed his dressings every day, teasing him with a smile at his downcast appearance: "In another month or two, when you’re completely healed, you can go wherever you want."
Qin Hu’s physical foundation was indeed excellent. Having been poisoned and seriously injured, after recuperating for a few months, he could walk around, and his left-handed sword skills were returning. His right arm had healed better than expected, so riding wasn’t an issue.
Qin Hu grinned at Sun Zelan: "I’ll listen to Doctor Sun."
Fortunately, Meng Sanbao wasn’t nearby, or he would have rubbed his arms in mock disgust, feeling a chill.
...
Bao’er was still small and couldn’t be exposed to wind or cold, so the nursemaids carried her onto the carriage.
Jiang Shaohua changed into spring riding attire, clad in red, galloping with heroic grace.
Cui Du followed on horseback, his gaze fixed on Jiang Shaohua’s back, reluctant to look away even for a moment.
Song Yuan led five hundred of the Emperor’s personal guard, with half opening the way in front and the other half close behind.
Even without the grand formation of an imperial tour, such a mighty display was enough to draw attention.
They set off in the morning and arrived at the Imperial Manor by noon.
Familiar faces appeared orderly in front of them. Lin Zhuangtou and others were old hands from Nanyang County, including Cui Du’s cousin, Cui Wang, and his graceful new wife, Mrs. Shen.
Mrs. Shen was Shen Gongzheng’s daughter and had frequented the Prince Mansion since childhood. Seeing an old friend, Jiang Shaohua felt very close: "Sister Shen, are you accustomed to living at the Imperial Manor?"
Mrs. Shen was slightly embarrassed and shy: "This humble one is unworthy of the Emperor addressing her as sister. It’s truly overwhelming."
Jiang Shaohua laughed: "This isn’t the court, there aren’t so many rules. We’ve known each other since childhood, and you are indeed worthy of being called Sister Shen."
She then smiled at Cui Wang: "Sister Shen has married far and followed you to Capital City; you must treat her well. If Sister Shen suffers any grievance, I will support her and seek justice."
Jiang Shaohua, naturally forceful by nature, had gained even more authority and dominance after sitting on the Dragon Throne.
Cui Wang was slightly admonished, feeling both fearful and anxious, quickly replying: "Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will treat her well and never fail her."
Jiang Shaohua smiled and then went to chat casually with Lin Zhuangtou.
When Lin Zhuangtou came, he brought his wife and children along. There were also a dozen or so capable farmsteads who had also come to Capital City.
As Elder Changning and Minister of Agriculture, Cui Du truly relied on these people. Additionally, many students came to study and cultivate good seeds. They were mostly farmers sent from different states.
The Imperial Manor had thousands of acres of fertile land, continuously yielding high-quality grain seeds. Corn and sweet potatoes from Nanyang County had already been promoted in the North a few years before, and now they were gradually being implemented in the southern states. High-yield wheat and rice varieties were also being promoted step by step.
With ample food, people’s lives naturally improved. Much social stability resulted from this.
Cui Du, though usually low-key, was, in fact, a true meritorious official of Da Liang.
Cui Du stood at the edge of the field, pointing to an experimental plot, at that moment, akin to a victorious Great General on the battlefield, majestic and imposing: "Shao Hua, look. This is the wheat variety I’ve just cultivated. The yield is forty percent higher than Da Liang’s ordinary wheat. It just needs careful tending. It can be piloted for spring plowing this year."
Jiang Shaohua relaxed her brows, feeling pleased: "How much fertile land can the wheat seeds cultivated here supply for farming?"
Cui Du unhesitatingly replied: "It’s long been calculated; it’s enough for about three hundred thousand acres of fertile land."
Although the Imperial Manor was large, the cultivated wheat seeds were limited. Da Liang covered a vast territory, and promoting high-yield grain seeds needed a sequence of priorities.
Cui Du focused on cultivating quality seeds, while the promotion throughout Da Liang had to be left to the Empress and Chancellor Chen, along with the court officials.
Jiang Shaohua thought for a moment and said: "Allocate twenty percent of the wheat seeds to be sent to Nanyang County. The rest can be distributed to states suitable for wheat cultivation."
Nanyang County alone taking twenty percent of the wheat seeds indeed seemed notably biased.
However, as the birthplace of the Empress, such favoritism was understandable.
