Your Highness, This is the Seed Selection Department's Heaven

At the farm in the eastern suburbs.

It belonged to the Seed Selection Department, and all the crops they were testing were grown here.

Today, the farm was bustling with people, a lively scene indeed.

The Seed Selection Department officials, usually so high and mighty, were now planting rice seedlings in the fields like ordinary farmers.

Not only did they not complain, but each of them worked diligently, even competing with one another.

All to leave a good impression on Fang Heng.

Fang Heng sat on a soft couch, attended by two maidservants.

One massaged his legs, the other peeled an orange—a truly pleasant life.

As the saying goes, the lowest labor with their strength, the middle labor with their intellect, and the highest labor with their people.

Artificial pollination, a task that was not difficult but extremely tedious, was naturally delegated by Fang Heng to his subordinates.

He had just taken a bite of an orange peeled by a maidservant when he saw Xu Xingzhi walking towards him.

Xu Xingzhi was moving quickly, with a hurried expression.

"Minister Xu, what's the rush?"

"Why don't you try some oranges first?"

Fang Heng called out, but it only made Xu Xingzhi's frown deepen.

A deep furrow, like the character "chuan," seemed etched between his brows.

"Your Highness, I won't be having any oranges."

"I'm here because I wanted to see what crops Your Highness ordered the Lower Six Sections to plant."

Although he had already received intelligence, Xu Xingzhi, to be cautious, wanted Fang Heng to admit that they were planting rice that couldn't bear grains.

To avoid any blunders.

"Minister Tian, tell Minister Xu about it," Fang Heng instructed.

Tian Sheng put down a rice seedling, shook the mud from his sleeves, and stepped forward to report.

"Minister Xu, we are planting the rice variety from the warehouse, as per His Highness's instructions."

"Is it Wu 127, the rice that can't bear grains?"

Xu Xingzhi demanded sharply, his expression stern.

Tian Sheng's face showed hesitation. He glanced at Fang Heng, and seeing no indication from him, he braced himself and said, "It is indeed Wu 127!"

"However…"

"Nonsense!"

Before Tian Sheng could explain, a furious roar burst from Xu Xingzhi's mouth.

It was like a tongue blooming into a lotus, or the resonant sound of a great bell.

It caused Tian Sheng's mind to tremble involuntarily.

"Tian Sheng, look at what you're doing!"

"Are you worthy of the Emperor's grace? Are you worthy of the court's salary?"

Xu Xingzhi's barrage of scolding instantly ignited anger in Tian Sheng's heart.

You, a mere Director, have been unremarkable all these years, so why are you scolding me?

I've gotten in with the Ninth Prince; do I still need to care about your opinion?

Hmph!

"Minister Xu, you're mistaken."

"How am I unworthy of the Emperor's grace? How am I unworthy of my salary?"

"I am simply acting according to His Highness's orders. Are you implying that His Highness's orders are problematic?"

Tian Sheng said menacingly.

With his words, he drew Fang Heng into the argument, directly checkmating Xu Xingzhi.

"Hmph—"

"His Highness is young and ignorant, and knows nothing of farming. But you, Tian Sheng, have worked in the Seed Selection Department for five years; do you still not understand farming?"

"Look at the rice you're planting—can it bear grains?"

After a scolding directed at Tian Sheng, Xu Xingzhi turned and bowed respectfully to Fang Heng.

"Your Highness, I must offer a blunt remonstrance."

"His Majesty works tirelessly day and night, toiling for the affairs of the nation. As a son, even if Your Highness cannot ease His Majesty's burdens, how can you act so recklessly and treat farming as a game?"

Xu Xingzhi's expression was one of stubbornness mixed with sincerity, truly unyielding.

Fang Heng recalled the evaluation of Xu Xingzhi in the dossier.

How apt!

Upright and incorruptible!

Possessing the demeanor of an admonishing minister!

However, Fang Heng didn't take Xu Xingzhi's advice to heart; he merely chuckled it off.

Officials like Xu Xingzhi and Tian Sheng from Great Qian had their limitations.

This wasn't their fault.

In fact, officials of the Seed Selection Department throughout history had only ever focused on "seed selection" and never had the concept of "seed breeding."

All they did was search mountains and seas for high-yield crops.

Fang Heng's use of the Three-Line Method to cultivate Hybrid Rice was completely beyond the comprehension of Xu Xingzhi and others.

People cannot imagine things outside their scope of understanding.

Fang Heng cleared his throat, not blaming Xu Xingzhi, but speaking calmly.

"Ahem!"

"Minister Xu, I am making a contribution that benefits the nation and its people, alleviating my father's worries."

"I am worthy of my imperial father above and the common people below."

"And even more so, I am worthy of the officials of the Lower Six Sections."

"The day these rice crops are harvested will be the day they are promoted."

Hearing Fang Heng's sophistry, Xu Xingzhi's face flushed red with anger, like a pig's liver.

"Your Highness's eloquence, I admire."

"But what Your Highness calls a great undertaking that benefits the nation and its people, I cannot agree with."

"Tian Sheng, why aren't you taking His Highness back to the Seed Selection Department?"

"Do what you're supposed to do, don't mess around."

Xu Xingzhi gave orders to the officials of the Lower Six Sections.

The officials of the Lower Six Sections, working in the fields, looked at Xu Xingzhi, then at Fang Heng.

They silently bent down and continued farming.

As for Xu Xingzhi's orders, they simply ignored them.

Could the Director of the Seed Selection Department's arm twist the Ninth Prince's thigh?

Seeing that no one was obeying his orders, Xu Xingzhi felt a sudden blackness before his eyes, his head swam, and he couldn't help but stumble back half a step.

In just half a day, he could no longer command the Lower Six Sections?

Tian Sheng looked at Xu Xingzhi with a gaze of pity, as if to say:

Minister Xu, stop struggling.

The Ninth Prince is the true master of the Seed Selection Department!

Fang Heng spoke to Xu Xingzhi's house slave.

"Can't you see your master isn't feeling well? Why aren't you taking Minister Xu back to rest?"

"Your Highness, I'll do it right away."

Xu Xingzhi's house slave, hearing Fang Heng's words, felt a sense of relief and quickly pulled Xu Xingzhi away from the farm.

Xu Xingzhi was filled with indignation, never expecting that even his own house slave would obey the Ninth Prince's orders.

After Xu Xingzhi left the farm, Tian Sheng began to fan the flames.

"Your Highness, Xu Xingzhi is an old fossil who has been in the Seed Selection Department for over ten years, accomplishing nothing. He should have been demoted long ago."

"Today, with Your Highness taking charge of the Seed Selection Department, everyone here finally has hope."

Fang Heng saw through Tian Sheng's little scheme at a glance.

He simply wanted to sideline Xu Xingzhi.

If he was promoted to Director of the Seed Selection Department, then as Fang Heng's top henchman, he would also have a chance for promotion.

Fang Heng understood the infighting among his subordinates but chose not to expose it.

"Minister Tian, watch your words."

"Minister Xu has served in the Seed Selection Department for twenty years, diligently, and he also possesses a loyal and patriotic heart."

"Your Highness's generosity is vast, encompassing mountains and rivers. Your vision is grand; I am truly ashamed of my own inferiority."

Tian Sheng seized the opportunity to flatter him, trying his utmost to please Fang Heng.

Witnessing this, Fang Heng gained a deeper understanding of the saying, "The Yellow River is muddy, the Yangtze River is clear."

An upright official like Xu Xingzhi wouldn't understand his actions, nor would he naturally obey his commands.

On the other hand, a fair-weather friend like Tian Sheng, eager to curry favor, wouldn't care whether his actions were reasonable or not.

In his heart, making Fang Heng happy was the top priority.

"Director Xu is simply short-sighted; he doesn't realize that what we're doing is truly beneficial to the nation and its people."

"Once he sees the rice we cultivate, he'll naturally bow his head and admit his mistake."

"Your Highness speaks true."

"It won't be long before Xu Xingzhi understands Your Highness's painstaking efforts and bows before Your Highness's wise and mighty leadership."

Tian Sheng spouted words of agreement.

But in his heart, he scoffed, secretly muttering to himself.

Beneficial to the nation and its people?

Spending so much time and effort just to grow rice that can't bear grain.

How is that beneficial to the nation and its people?

Fang Heng saw right through Tian Sheng's insincerity, but he didn't care.

He had never intended to take Tian Sheng on as a follower anyway.

As long as Tian Sheng followed his orders and cultivated the Hybrid Rice, it would be a significant achievement.

"Those who know me, those who condemn me, only time will tell!"

"Once the rice is cultivated, everyone under heaven will understand my arduous efforts."