Spreading Agricultural Knowledge

Emperor Chu Ming was speechless too, but he still agreed to send an Imperial Commissioner to investigate.

Secretly, however, he credited all of this to his niece.

After court was dismissed, Chu Siqing tugged on Tu Qingchen's sleeve.

Tu Qingchen understood. After explaining to Prince Yu, he took her to the Heavenly Derivation Pavilion.

Chu Siqing had just remembered that the System Shop had plenty of useful things for dealing with famine.

Only after they arrived at the Heavenly Derivation Pavilion and were alone together did she ask.

"Tu Qingchen, are there any high-yield crops here, like sweet potatoes or potatoes?"

Tu Qingchen said, "No. Weren't those all introduced from foreign countries later? Why, do you have them?"

Chu Siqing nodded.

Tu Qingchen's eyes lit up. "Hurry and bring them out! I haven't seen those things in ages!"

Chu Siqing closed her eyes, opened the System Shop interface, and redeemed everything.

Soon, three sacks dropped onto the floor out of thin air.

Tu Qingchen opened them and found potatoes, sweet potatoes, and hybrid rice seeds, respectively.

Chu Siqing said, "Tu Qingchen, give all of these to Imperial Uncle and have him find people to cultivate them."

Tu Qingchen said, "All right."

Suddenly remembering something, Chu Siqing also redeemed a copy of the Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration from the System Shop and gave it to him.

"I've had loads of points lately. Here, take this agricultural encyclopedia too."

Tu Qingchen asked, "I remember you saying before that you earned points by doing good deeds?"

At the mention of this, Chu Siqing could hardly wait to share her good fortune with Tu Qingchen.

She answered gleefully, "I've been lucky lately. I didn't even do anything special, but the system credited me with all the efforts to spread awareness against human trafficking and common scams. I'm a rich lady now, more or less! Haha!"

Tu Qingchen grumbled inwardly, You call that doing nothing? Your inner voice keeps chattering away, spilling out nonstop.

But he could not say anything about other people being able to hear Chu Siqing's thoughts, so he could only chuckle along.

After Chu Siqing was picked up and taken home, Tu Qingchen brought the things she had redeemed to see the emperor.

Eunuch Feng presented the items, and Emperor Chu Ming first skimmed through the Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration.

What he saw left Emperor Chu Ming utterly astonished!

It contained not only techniques for cultivating various crops, but also information on land reclamation, water management, and famine relief.

Combining agricultural administration with farming techniques, this book was undoubtedly a masterwork that brought together the best of agricultural writings.

If its contents could be disseminated until every commoner knew them, Great Chu's national strength would surely rise to even greater heights.

At that thought, Emperor Chu Ming was practically wild with joy.

Setting down the Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration, he examined the other items.

One sack contained rice seeds, which he recognized, but he had never seen the things in the other two.

Emperor Chu Ming asked, "Imperial Preceptor, what is in these two sacks?"

Tu Qingchen answered, "Your Majesty, these two crops are potatoes and sweet potatoes. Their yields are extremely high, at least several thousand jin per mu."

Both astonished and delighted, Emperor Chu Ming could not resist picking them up to examine them curiously.

He asked the chief eunuch, "Have you ever seen these before?"

Eunuch Feng hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, this servant has never even heard of crops with such high yields, much less seen them."

Tu Qingchen said, "Your Majesty, these crops come from overseas. Specialists will need to cultivate them before their planting can be promoted more widely."

Emperor Chu Ming said joyfully, "I will keep this matter in mind. If they can be grown successfully, Great Chu will never again need to fear famine. Having the Imperial Preceptor and the Holy Maiden here is truly my good fortune!"

Tu Qingchen repeatedly protested that he did not deserve such praise.

Prince Yu's Residence.

Chu Siqing was lying on a rocking chair, basking in the sun, while Princess Yu sat beside her reading a book. Both were thoroughly at ease.

System: [Host, you have spread agricultural knowledge in Chu and introduced high-yield crops. Points +1000]

Chu Siqing asked in confusion, "Why only 1,000 points this time? I feel like this was a pretty big contribution!"

Her points had previously increased by tens of thousands at a time, leaving Chu Siqing unable to help feeling that a mere thousand was too little.

System: [Host, spreading agricultural knowledge and promoting the cultivation of high-yield crops both take a long time. I am giving you a portion in advance. More and more points will come later.]

Only then was Chu Siqing satisfied.

Just then, the system added, "Host, there's some juicy gossip coming up. Want a taste?"

Chu Siqing said excitedly, "Tell me!"

The system said, "The Crown Prince's wedding is only a month away. Ning Qingyan has grown anxious these past few days and is preparing to stir up trouble."

Chu Siqing said, "I was wondering why Duke Cheng'en suddenly started criticizing Xiao Wenying at court today. So it's because Cousin Crown Prince is getting married soon."

She asked the system, "What is Ning Qingyan planning?"

The system said, "She wants to drug the Crown Prince and turn the raw rice into cooked rice."

Chu Siqing rocked so violently in her chair that she accidentally fell onto her bottom.

Startled, Princess Yu quickly put down her book and picked Chu Siqing up, asking tenderly, "Siqing, did you hurt yourself?"

Chu Siqing shook her head.

Princess Yu pinched her little cheek. "You little rascal. Sit properly when you're sitting down. What were you thinking about?"

Embarrassed, Chu Siqing burrowed into her mother's arms.

How could she possibly talk about something like that in front of her mother?

The system really had no sense of timing. It should have waited until she was alone to tell her.

Chu Siqing was in a bind. How was she supposed to warn Cousin Crown Prince about something like this?

After turning it over in her mind, she decided to go to Tu Qingchen.

After all, Tu Qingchen was the Imperial Preceptor. Seeing the Crown Prince would be easy for him.

The day for another visit to the Heavenly Derivation Pavilion arrived.

Chu Siqing was just about to share the juicy gossip with Tu Qingchen when an announcement came from outside: "His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

What a coincidence-the man himself had come!

Thinking that he would marry his crown princess in a month, Chu Yuheng felt a little excited.

After witnessing his younger cousin Chu Yuxi's miserable struggle to win over his wife, he had decided to visit the Imperial Preceptor, mainly to listen to his little cousin's thoughts and see whether there was anything he needed to watch out for.

After exchanging greetings, everyone sat down.

Chu Yuheng said to Tu Qingchen, "Imperial Preceptor, my wedding is approaching. I would like you to perform a divination for me."

Despite saying this, Chu Yuheng could not help sneaking glances at his little cousin.

Knowing full well that he was merely a means to an end, Tu Qingchen thought, Heh.

Still, he had to obey the Crown Prince's request. Tu Qingchen agreed and began going through the motions of divination.

In truth, he too was secretly pricking up his ears, hoping to hear Chu Siqing's thoughts.

Sure enough, Chu Siqing did not disappoint. She had already begun chattering away in her mind.

Cousin Crown Prince, you'd better be careful! Ning Qingyan still hasn't given up on you! She's planning to find a chance within this next month to turn the raw rice into cooked rice with you!

Chu Yuheng had just lifted his cup to drink some tea. At those words, his hand trembled, splashing tea out of the cup and onto the hem of his robes.