The Impact of the Farming Tools
Thinking of wine, Kang Shilin recalled the wine Zhao Ruxi had brewed in Nanyang and asked, "Has your wine been finished? You said you'd send some to me, but I haven't seen it yet."
Zhao Ruxi had touted the amazing effects of her wine, promising to send some to Kang Shilin and Gan Lun to try once it was brewed. Now, half a year has passed, and there's still no sign of the wine.
"The winemaking process is complicated. The capital was in turmoil recently, and I was busy, so I didn't ask them. I'll send someone to Nanyang to check on it later," Zhao Ruxi said.
After seeing Kang Shilin off, Zhao Ruxi sent someone to Nanyang. The wine had been brewed, but the aging time was still short, so Zhao Ruxi didn't have anyone deliver the wine.
After that, her life was very peaceful.
Besides taking care of Xiao Lingyan every day, she spends her free time practicing calligraphy and painting to earn points.
She not only needs to save enough to buy three Recovery Pill for emergencies, but also needs to spend a lot of points to buy modern science and technology.
Fortunately, the political situation has now stabilized. Apart from having the system keep an eye on Xiao Ge and Xiao Lingyan to prevent them from being secretly harmed, she no longer needs to spend points. She can accumulate points every day.
Her calligraphy and painting skills improved daily, and each piece she wrote or painted earned her more points than before, making it easier for her to accumulate points.
When Zhao Ruxi got married, it was already time for spring plowing.
When the land was cleared in winter, the imperial court had already sent the blueprints and dimensions of Zhao Ruxi's two farming tools to every province, and then the provincial government offices distributed them to the prefectures and counties. These offices only made more than two hundred farming tools according to the imperial court's regulations and distributed them to the farmers who were performing corvée labor for land clearing. After they were used up, they were taken back to the government.
Therefore, not many people tried out the new farm tools; it was mostly those who were performing corvée labor. After returning home, these people found it difficult to use the old farm tools for plowing and planting.
However, most of the families that were forced to perform corvée labor were poor, and iron tools were expensive in ancient times. Making a farm tool was not a small expense, so many families could only use old farm tools, and new farm tools only existed in their boastful words.
Although word of mouth spread because of them, no one was willing to spend money to have the new farm tools made since they hadn't used them.
But the world is never short of quick-witted people.
Some county magistrates, who were quick-witted and daring, would have their family members secretly take the blueprints to a blacksmith to make new farm tools to sell and earn some money.
County and prefectural officials were unwilling to earn this money, as were clerks and runners in the government offices, and even some farmers performing corvée labor. After returning home, they would immediately run to the blacksmith to reveal how to make the new farm tools. Even if the blacksmith didn't pay them, giving them two new farm tools was still a profit.
There's little entertainment in the countryside, so those who bought new farm tools naturally wanted to show them off. After others used them, they found they were incredibly easy to use. They didn't have the money to buy oxen, but if they gritted their teeth and scraped together some money to buy one or two farm tools, it wouldn't be a problem.
So during the spring plowing season, new farm tools have gained a reputation in various forms and have gradually replaced the old ones in the fields.
Because of two consecutive coups, as well as the need to purge powerful families and eliminate dissidents, Xiao Ge was extremely busy recently. Apart from the most important matters, he had no time or energy to pay attention to other minor things.
Now that everything has settled down, and even the Cen Family's influence has been eliminated, he can finally relax and have time to focus on politics.
He summoned the Ministry of Revenue and asked, "How is the spring plowing progressing in various regions?"
"Your Majesty, the spring planting is progressing very well," Qi Xugu replied. "Besides the favorable weather this year, we also benefit from the two farming tools improved by Princess Consort of the Prince of Qi. These two tools are remarkably effective in plowing the fields, greatly alleviating the shortage of oxen."
"Oh?" Xiao Ge was Gao Xing upon hearing this, only then recalling a memorial submitted by the Ministry of Revenue before the coup, stating that the two farming tools invented by Zhao Ruxi had played a significant role in land reclamation.
He turned to Duan Chen and said, "Find the report on the land reclamation statistics submitted by the Ministry of Revenue."
The officials who had served under Xiao Ge were more or less connected to several factions. They were all dismissed from the palace by Xiao Ge and transferred to lower-level positions.
The newly selected second-place scholar, Duan Chen, and third-place scholar, Ding Lianjin, both had impeccable connections and had spent half a year training at the Hanlin Academy, becoming familiar with their duties and capable of handling matters independently. As a result, they were highly valued by Xiao Ge.
Xiao Ge had these two sort through the memorials he received during this period, picking out the urgent and important ones, and categorizing the rest aside to deal with later when he had the time and energy.
Court officials privately marveled at Duan Chen and Ding Lianjin's good fortune.
Otherwise, newly appointed second and third place scholars would have to do the hardest and most tiring menial tasks by the emperor's side for at least three years before they would have the opportunity to do these important jobs when a new batch of scholars arrives.
Duan Chen had always had very high standards and was unwilling to get engaged or married in Jiangnan. After experiencing many things and falling in love with an outstanding woman like Zhao Ruxi, he looked down on ordinary young ladies. Therefore, even though Zhao Ruxi was engaged and many aristocratic families sent people to propose to him, he remained unmoved and never got engaged.
This is also one of the reasons why court officials marveled at his good fortune.
Because those who came to win over Duan Chen and wanted to marry their daughters to him were all from various factions. If he had been tempted and gotten engaged to those families' daughters, then Duan Chen would no longer be qualified to stay by the Emperor's side and become his right-hand man.
After the coup, watching people step down one after another, Duan Chen's uncle broke out in a cold sweat. At that time, he secretly resented his nephew's pickiness in choosing a wife.
Of course, that's beside the point.
Upon hearing Xiao Ge's instructions, Duan Chen quickly found the memorial and presented it.
Xiao Ge was surprised to see that the area reclaimed in winter was 2.5 times that of previous years, and looked up at Qi Xugu in astonishment, asking, "So much?"
Qi Xugu nodded and smiled, "Indeed. When I first saw this number, I was quite surprised. I really didn't expect that the Consort of the Prince of Qi were so amazing."
He knelt down, bowed to Xiao Ge, and said loudly, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! With these two farming tools, the cultivated land area of our Great Jin will not only expand year by year, but the farmers will also find farming much easier. This is a sign of the prosperity of Great Jin, and a golden age will soon be before Your Majesty's eyes."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ge burst into laughter. "Rise, my dear minister."
"Your words are very reasonable. Although we are fortunate to have found high-yield crops thanks to Empress Shengyao, which has prevented the people from starving so easily, what I truly desire is for everyone to have access to white flour and rice. These two farming tools, Zhiwei, have given me hope for realizing this grand plan. I am greatly gratified."