The city gates of Heaven Dou City are magnificent, adding even more majesty compared to Fasinuo City.
Lin Yan paid the city entrance tax and followed the flow of people into the city.
After entering the city, Lin Yan made a few inquiries and found out the location of the Crown Prince's residence. Without lingering, he headed straight for the residence.
The Crown Prince's residence was not hard to find. High walls and vermilion gates stood in front of the gates, with two majestic stone beasts. Eight guards in fine armor, with calm demeanor, stood on both sides, their sharp eyes scanning the passersby. A solemn atmosphere was palpable.
Lin Yan straightened his clothes, which were slightly dusty from the long journey, and calmly walked forward.
"Halt! This is the Crown Prince's residence, and no unauthorized personnel are allowed to approach!" A man who appeared to be the captain of the guards stepped forward, his right hand resting on the sword at his waist, and shouted in a deep voice. Although Lin Yan was young, he had a calm demeanor and clear eyes, so the guards did not immediately drive him away.
Lin Yan stopped, cupped his hands slightly, and said in a respectful but not arrogant manner, "Brother guard, please inform His Highness the Crown Prince that Lin Yan, the founder of the Hundred Herbs Hall in Nuoding City, has come to request an audience."
"The founder of the Hundred Herbs Hall?" A hint of surprise flashed in the captain of the guards' eyes.
Hundred Herbs Hall's reputation is now quite well-known in Heaven Dou City. Its various medicines are effective and affordable, and even royalty and nobles purchase them. He never expected that its founder would be such a young boy.
But being on duty, he dared not be negligent, and softened his tone slightly. "Does Your Excellency have a visiting card or token of respect?"
Lin Yan shook his head. "I came in a hurry and was unprepared. But please convey my message truthfully, elder brother. If His Highness the Crown Prince knows it is me, he may wish to see me."
The captain of the guards hesitated for a moment, then, seeing that Lin Yan possessed an extraordinary demeanor and seemed genuine, nodded. "Alright, wait here for a moment, I'll send someone in to inform him."
After saying this, he whispered a few words to a guard beside him, who immediately turned around and quickly entered the mansion.
The wait was short; soon, the guard returned with a composed middle-aged man dressed as a butler.
The butler's gaze fell on Lin Yan, and after a careful look, a professional smile appeared on his face, "Mr. Lin Yan? His Highness the Crown Prince requests your presence. Please follow me."
"Thank you for your trouble." Lin Yan nodded and followed the steward into the Crown Prince's residence.
The mansion features deep courtyards, winding corridors, artificial hills and flowing water, and exotic flowers and plants. Its layout is exquisite yet grand, showcasing the majesty and heritage of the imperial family.
The butler led Lin Yan silently through several courtyards to a spacious and bright study.
"Your Highness, Mr. Lin Yan has arrived," the steward respectfully announced from outside the door.
"Come in." A gentle and clear voice came from inside the room.
The butler pushed open the door, gestured for Lin Yan to enter, then gently closed the door and stood guard outside.
The study was elegantly furnished, with the scent of books mingling with the faint aroma of ink. " Xue Qinghe," dressed casually, sat behind his desk, holding a book. Upon seeing Lin Yan enter, he put down the book, looked up, and wore a perfectly timed, warm smile.
He appeared to be in his early twenties, with a handsome face, a gentle demeanor, and clear, wise eyes. If one did not know his background, anyone would assume that he was a benevolent, kind, and respectful crown prince.
"This humble commoner, Lin Yan, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince." Lin Yan bowed in greeting, following the etiquette for a commoner meeting a noble.
He did not perform the full kneeling ceremony, which was both a matter of his inner conviction and consistent with his identity as a "talented person".
"Mr. Lin, there's no need for such formalities." Xue Qinghe ( Qian Renxue ) offered a slight gesture of support, her smile warm.
"I've long heard of the Hundred Herbs Hall; its medicines have benefited countless Soul Master and commoners alike, a truly meritorious deed. I never imagined Mr. Lin would be so young; indeed, heroes emerge from among the young. Please, have a seat."
"Your Highness flatters me. It was nothing more than a minor trick, and I only managed to succeed by chance." Lin Yan sat down on the chair next to him, his posture composed.
After the servants served the fragrant tea, they quietly withdrew. Xue Qinghe picked up the teacup, gently blew on the floating leaves, and asked seemingly casually, "Mr. Lin, what brings you here today? If you encounter any difficulties in your business, please feel free to speak. I may offer some assistance if it is within my power." His words carried a hint of solicitation, yet were not overly eager; he struck the perfect balance.
Lin Yan knew the other party was testing him, so he didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Hundred Herbs Hall is doing well and there are no difficulties. I'm taking the liberty of requesting an audience today because I have a favor to ask."
"Oh? Please speak freely."
"I wish to study at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and hope to receive Your Highness's recommendation." Lin Yan looked calmly at Xue Qinghe.
Upon hearing this, Xue Qinghe's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible surprise, but his smile remained unchanged as he gently set down his teacup, " Heaven Dou Royal Academy? Mr. Lin, with your status and abilities as the founder of the Hundred Herbs Hall, it seems you don't need to attend the academy for further studies, do you? Besides, the academy has a rule that it only admits children of noble families, so you..."
He paused, not finishing his sentence, but the meaning was clear—you are not a nobleman.
Lin Yan had anticipated this question and replied frankly, " Hundred Herbs Hall is already on the right track, and I don't need to interfere much. I am still young and deeply feel that my knowledge is still insufficient. I hope to enter the Empire's highest academy for further study so that I can achieve greater things in the future. As for my noble status... that is precisely why I need to rely on Your Highness's help."
Xue Qinghe leaned back slightly, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest. His face still held a gentle smile, but his eyes sharpened slightly. "Mr. Lin," he said, "Places at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy are scarce. Even I cannot arbitrarily admit non-nobles. Why should I help you with this?"
The game began. Lin Yan knew that it was impossible to get help from the other party without offering enough incentives; he had to come up with sufficient bargaining chips.
He took a deep breath and said in a calm tone, "I would naturally not dare to ask Your Highness for help without giving it to me. I would like to offer something that, if widely adopted, will surely increase the Empire's agricultural output and strengthen the nation. At that time, Your Highness can present it to His Majesty, which will surely make His Majesty value Your Highness even more and solidify Your Highness's reputation for virtue."
"Oh?" Xue Qinghe ( Qian Renxue ) raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. For her, who aspired to usurp the throne and needed to accumulate prestige and merit, anything that could strengthen the nation and please Xue Ye was indeed very attractive. "What is it? How can it have such an effect?"
Lin Yan took out a scroll of detailed blueprints that he had prepared beforehand from his storage bracelet and presented it with both hands. "This item is called the 'Curved Plow,' a new type of plow that I obtained by chance and improved upon."
Xue Qinghe took the blueprints and unfolded them to examine them carefully. The blueprints clearly showed the structure, dimensions, names of each component, assembly method, and even usage diagrams of the curved-shaft plow. Although he did not farm, as the crown prince of the empire (in disguise), he had a basic understanding of agriculture. Upon closer inspection, he quickly discovered the difference between this curved-shaft plow and the traditional straight-shaft plow—the shaft was curved, making the structure lighter and more reasonable.
"What's so special about this plow?" Xue Qinghe raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on Lin Yan. He had a vague feeling that the things on this blueprint might really be something special.
Lin Yan explained, "Your Highness, traditional straight-shaft plows are difficult to turn, laborious to plow, and require two oxen and three people to operate, resulting in low efficiency. This curved-shaft plow, however, with its bent shaft, not only makes the plow frame smaller and lighter but also facilitates turning and maneuvering, greatly saving manpower and animal power. Calculations show that this plow only requires one ox and one person, and its plowing efficiency far exceeds that of the old-style plow, and may even be faster. If it can be promoted nationwide, it means that the same amount of land and manpower can be used to reclaim more wasteland and cultivate more arable land, significantly increasing grain production."
As Xue Qinghe ( Qian Renxue ) listened to Lin Yan's narration, his eyes grew brighter and brighter. He knew that agriculture was the foundation of the empire, and grain production was directly related to the national economy, people's livelihood, social stability, and even the strength of the military. If this "curved plow" really had such miraculous effects as Lin Yan said, then its value was simply immeasurable!
Offering this item would not only greatly enhance her image before Xue Ye, but also win the support of the common people. This would undoubtedly be a significant step in consolidating her position as "Crown Prince" and accumulating political capital.
He suppressed his excitement, maintaining a calm facade, and pondered, "Mr. Lin, is what you say true? Is the efficiency of this curved plow really that astonishing?"
"I'm willing to stake my life on it," Lin Yan said firmly. "If Your Highness doesn't believe me, you can immediately find an old farmer or craftsman to build one according to the design, and test it in the farmland outside the city to see for yourself."
Xue Qinghe gave Lin Yan a deep look, slowly rolled up the blueprint, and held it in her hand. "Good! If this thing is truly as you say, capable of greatly improving farming efficiency, it will be a great achievement for the country and its people. I will use this as a pretext to ask my father for a place at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy for you, and I'm sure my father won't refuse."
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Lin Yan felt relieved, knowing that the matter was mostly settled.