Governing the country, enriching the people, an unparalleled imperial tutor

The emperor and princess thoroughly enjoyed some modern junk food and were extremely happy. Seeing that they had had enough fun, they decided it was time to get down to business.

Lin Yanzhou walked to the rattan boxes in the center of the hall and squatted down, opening the lid of the first box. Inside were several bags of seeds—one bag each of wheat, corn, and sorghum—wrapped in coarse cloth. Next to them were several small paper packets with hemp rope labels that read "Tomato," "Watermelon," and "Green Bean." The second box contained several bags of white granular fertilizer, sealed with oil paper and weighed down with several thin booklets. The third box held the improved set of farm tools: plowshare, harrow teeth, and seed-planting cart, each item neatly arranged.

Zhao Yan walked to the first wicker box, squatted down, picked up a grain of wheat, examined it for a while, then looked up at Lin Yanzhou: "What's the difference between these seeds and our normal ones?"

"According to my calculations, if we use those fertilizers and farming tools, the yield will be at least twice as high as the current local varieties, and if we're lucky, it could be even higher."

Zhao Yan put the wheat seed in his palm back into the bag: "These things—were they all grown in the Immortal Realm?"

"Well, to be precise, it's been planted in my hometown for decades, so there's definitely no problem."

Zhao Yan stood up, looked down at the bags of seeds, and asked, "Where would you like these seeds to be planted, sir?"

"We'll find a few farmers outside the city to try it out first. The experimental fields will be rent-free. After the autumn harvest, they'll keep enough food and seeds for the farmers, and any surplus will be turned over to the national treasury for unified allocation for planting throughout the country," Lin Yanzhou said. "But there's one rule—after these farming tools are used up, they must all be returned to the Imperial Preceptor's residence and sealed away. They must not be kept privately."

Zhao Yan's gaze swept back and forth between the bags of seeds and the set of farm tools: "Are you worried that these things might get out of here?"

"It's not that we're afraid. It's that they shouldn't stay here for too long," Lin Yanzhou said. "Let them cultivate the fields well, fertilize the land, and then we'll bring them back. This way, the people can have food to eat, and we won't let things that shouldn't be circulating spread to even more distant places."

Zhao Yan was silent for a moment, then nodded: "I'll have Zhou Chongyuan arrange things for those few households outside the city. Your men will plant the crops, and my men will guard the fields. After the autumn harvest, all the farming tools will be brought back to the Imperial Preceptor's residence." He then looked at the bags of fertilizer, "After these things are used up, how long will my immortal power last?"

"The soil fertility can be maintained for at least three seasons."

Zhao Yan didn't ask any more questions. He stood beside the wicker boxes, while Zhao Lingxi stood behind them, having already placed the perfume bottle back on her lap and clutching the round mirror in her palm, as if afraid it would break if she let go.

After he finished speaking about the "three seasons," the hall was quiet for a while. The sunlight moved slowly a short distance across the blue brick floor. Then he heard Zhao Yan say, "Can we start planting those seeds that you mentioned today?"

Lin Yanzhou said, "It can be done today."

Zhao Yan stood up, took two steps back, and looked again at the bags of seeds and the set of farming tools. He was silent for a moment, then spoke in a voice half an octave higher than before: "Sir, do you know how many prefectures in Xuan Shuo have reported famines in recent years?"

Lin Yanzhou did not respond.

"Nine places," Zhao Yan said. "Nine prefectures and counties, totaling 1.7 million mu of damaged farmland and over 30,000 displaced people. The imperial court has dispatched grain five times, but each time it hasn't been enough. Since I ascended the throne, my biggest headache hasn't been Zhang Lin's cronies, nor the Northern Di cavalry—it's grain. Every year before winter, I review the grain inventory records of each province, and afterwards I can't sleep for several days."

He turned to face Lin Yanzhou: "What you have brought today, sir, is more important than any memorial I have received since my ascension to the throne."

He took a step forward, stopping two steps away from Lin Yanzhou, then clasped his hands together and bowed slightly to express the respect that an emperor should not show to his subject.

"Your achievement, sir, is not a feat accomplished in a single battle, but a feat for all time." Zhao Yan straightened up. "These seeds must be sown today. I order Zhou Chongyuan to immediately allocate one hundred acres of official land outside the city and select ten reliable old farmers to cultivate it. After the autumn harvest, the harvest records must be archived and sent to the Imperial Preceptor's residence without error. Starting next year, this will be implemented nationwide."

He turned to face the outside of the hall and raised his voice: "Someone come here."

The chief eunuch strode in from outside the hall and stood bowing. Zhao Yan's voice was firm and resolute: "Issue my imperial decree—one hundred mu of official land outside the city shall be allocated as trial farming land for the Imperial Preceptor's Office, effective immediately. Ten elderly farmers shall be selected, and the Imperial Preceptor's Office shall uniformly allocate seeds, farming tools, and fertilizer. All output shall be recorded and reported after the autumn harvest. No human interference is permitted, and there shall be no delays."

The chief eunuch acknowledged the order and withdrew. Zhao Yan turned back, his tone slightly slower, like a young man tentatively exploring the boundaries of adult conversation: "These things you brought back from outside—do you intend to use them continuously in Xuan Shuo, or will you take them back once the work is done?"

Lin Yanzhou said, "I won't take it away after the work is done."

Zhao Yan nodded, his answer landing exactly where he had expected. He spoke again, this time slower than before, as if he had changed his words before speaking: "Since you came to Xuan Shuo, you have been working for me. Grain prices, powerful ministers, border defenses, court affairs, agriculture—one thing after another. Sometimes I think—you should leave something behind in Xuan Shuo for all that you have done."

He paused for a moment: "Sir, you are not yet married."

A moment of silence fell over the hall. Zhao Lingxi stood to the side, clutching the silver round mirror tightly in her hand. She didn't dare turn to look at Lin Yanzhou; she simply stood there, like a small tree standing upright in the corner.

Zhao Yan continued, his tone calm: "I know you are not a native of Xuan Shuo, but what you have done in Xuan Shuo far surpasses that of ordinary officials. If you are willing, I would like to establish your presence in Xuan Shuo. I have no one more suitable by my side. My sister—she is strong-willed and has high standards, and has never looked down on the scions of noble families in the court. But after you came, she was willing to stay in the capital and no longer travel to the border, and was willing to sit in the palace and listen to me and you speak. I did not speak for her, but merely paved the way for her."

Zhao Lingxi's eyelashes drooped. She neither denied nor argued. Her silence was like a lamp placed on the edge of a table, its light unwavering, waiting to see whether someone would take it away or let it continue to burn.

After Zhao Yan finished speaking, the hall remained silent for a long time. Zhao Lingxi finally spoke, her voice lower than usual, as if the words in her throat weren't quite ready to come out: "Lin Yanzhou, I've accepted your perfume, mirror, and lipstick; I won't return them." Her gaze didn't meet his; instead, she secretly glanced at the bag of wheat seeds at his feet, adding, "You can tell me your thoughts when you're ready."

Lin Yanzhou stood in the center of the hall: "Well, the princess is absolutely beautiful and kind, of course I like her. How about this, let's plant those seeds first. We can talk about other things after we've settled down."