PFC Chapter 346 The Emperor Planting Rice Seedlings, Official Demeanor
Chapter 346 The Emperor Planting Rice Seedlings, Official Demeanor
At this moment, a young Hanlin scholar named Zhao Song was overjoyed, his eyes shining, and he couldn't help but exclaim: "This scene of rice planting is truly full of vitality!"
Look at that farmer planting rice seedlings! His movements are so fluid and graceful, truly exquisite!
His exclamation drew everyone's attention to the direction he was pointing.
Everyone's gaze followed the direction Zhao Song pointed, and they saw Gu Chenglin standing nimbly in the paddy field, skillfully planting rice seedlings.
At this moment, an elderly censor surnamed Si stroked his beard and frowned slightly, because he did not recognize Gu Chenglin.
Those who could be assigned to the Huangzhuang experimental fields were all people with the title of Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).
He said in a low voice with doubt, "This person looks unfamiliar. Although he is an agricultural teacher, he is also a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations)."
It was quite unexpected that he was so knowledgeable about farming.
However, it is somewhat improper for a scholar who has passed the imperial examination to display his farming skills in the fields.
If this kind of thinking were applied to the imperial court…
He had barely finished speaking when a younger official interrupted him, retorting, "Lord Si, you are mistaken. A true all-rounder is one who is skilled in both literature and martial arts."
This agricultural teacher was able to pass the imperial examination and work in the fields, which shows that he truly cared about the people and understood their hardships.
Such ability and magnanimity are beyond the reach of ordinary people.
He thought to himself that most of the agricultural instructors here came from farming families and had no family background.
Going to court?
Pull it down.
Rather than being squeezed out by those old foxes.
It would be better to stay in the imperial estate.
At least they won't be used as scapegoats by those old foxes.
An imperial censor standing nearby knew Gu Chenglin, but few knew that he was the one who had successfully cultivated seedlings.
With a broad smile, he nodded repeatedly: "Yes, this agricultural expert has always been diligent, and he has devoted himself wholeheartedly since he came to the Imperial Estate."
Today's scene of rice planting is the best proof of his down-to-earth approach.
He will certainly be able to offer unique insights should any future policies involve agriculture and people's livelihoods.
Another official from the Ministry of Revenue snorted and said sourly, "Maybe he's just trying to gain a good reputation and showing off in front of everyone."
Can good rice planting lead to good governance of the local people?
To put it bluntly, he comes from a farming family; doing farm work is a piece of cake for him. There's nothing to praise about him.
His words were full of disdain and jealousy.
Hearing the crowd's discussion, Zhao Song felt somewhat indignant and said loudly, "You are all officials appointed by the court, and you should take the facts as a guide."
This agricultural expert's abilities are undeniable; how can he convince the public with mere baseless speculation and malicious slander?
"you……"
"What? Am I wrong?"
An older official sighed, "Ah, this young man is still too young."
The official next to him chimed in, "After saying that, a lot of people will definitely make things difficult for him."
"That's right, everyone in the Hanlin Academy is so single-minded."
"It seems that this young man from the Zhao family will be unable to leave the Hanlin Academy." This person said with a hint of schadenfreude.
"In the imperial court, it's really hard to get by without some cunning."
The crowd began to whisper amongst themselves, discussing the matter and offering their own opinions.
Gu Chenglin, however, remained oblivious, focused solely on planting rice seedlings.
Leaving neat rows of rice seedlings in the paddy fields, it's as if they are writing their own way of being an official.
He needs to finish the job quickly so he can go home. He doesn't want to stay here; it's just too tiring.
Among the crowd, some people whispered sneers: "It's just the work of peasants, what's so interesting about it, that Your Majesty would have to come in person."
Just as everyone was discussing this, an old farmer stepped forward and respectfully bowed to the emperor.
The emperor asked kindly, "Old man, are there any special considerations for transplanting rice seedlings?"
The old farmer smiled kindly and said, "Your Majesty, the key to transplanting rice seedlings is to ensure even spacing and proper depth so that the seedlings can grow strong and healthy..."
The person who came out to report was Dongfang Jin's idea, and she also had Gu Chenglin teach him these words.
This old man was an elder of the imperial estate and also a man of the emperor.
To make the performance convincing, the emperor was already aware that his officials had voices of dissent.
He just wants them to see for themselves, and then he'll have something to say to shut them up.
Just as the officials were standing at the edge of the field discussing the matter, one of them saw that His Majesty the Emperor had taken off his outer robe, rolled up his sleeves and trousers, and walked into the paddy field.
Imitating the old farmer's movements, I planted rice seedlings quite skillfully.
Upon seeing this, the Duke of Zhenguo angrily rebuked him, then pulled his two guards and strode to the emperor's plot of land to plant rice seedlings.
General Li, his face filled with excitement, exclaimed, "His Majesty cares deeply for the people and works personally; this is truly a blessing for our dynasty!"
As he spoke, he stepped down onto the ground.
What a joke! Although he's a military general and a bit stubborn, he does have a keen eye.
The previously disdainful Lord Wang could only stand there awkwardly, his body stiff as he watched everything unfold.
Someone said, "Even His Majesty is on the ground, so they want to experience it too."
After that, whether they were willing or not, they all took off their coats, rolled up their sleeves and trouser legs, and went to the field to plant rice seedlings.
Everyone went down to the fields, and in no time the ridges of the fields were piled high with official robes, creating a lively and bustling scene.
Qian, the Vice Minister of Revenue, was a pampered man who always acted with great urgency.
As soon as I stepped into the paddy field, my foot slipped, and I fell forward with a splash.
His hands instinctively tried to brace himself against the ground, but instead he fell straight into the mud, getting his face covered in mud. He looked like a fat duck that had fallen into a mud pit.
Zhao, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, who was naturally lively, laughed so hard at the sight that he was doubled over, clutching his stomach and unable to straighten up.
This laugh caused him to lose his balance and land with a thud in the paddy field, splashing water everywhere.
It startled everyone around him; he looked exactly like a mischievous child.
Lord Sun of the Ministry of Works was usually very easygoing and loved to boast.
When he went to the fields, he seemed confident, but when he actually started transplanting rice seedlings, all sorts of problems arose.
The rice seedlings he planted were crooked and haphazard, like a group of drunkards. After planting only a few, he pulled them up by the roots because he used too much force, which made the people around him laugh continuously.
He tried to remain calm and stubbornly said, "These seedlings are probably just shy today, but they will definitely grow strong and healthy tomorrow."
His feigned confidence was so endearing that it was hard not to laugh.
Then look at Lord Li of the Ministry of Justice. He is meticulous in handling cases and has a rigid personality.
They were very careful when transplanting rice seedlings, examining each one for a long time as if they were interrogating a criminal.
After finally managing to plant a row, they found it crooked and twisted, a stark contrast to the straight seedlings planted by Gu Chenglin.
He tried to adjust things anxiously, but the more he tried, the more chaotic it became. The mud under his feet made it difficult for him to move, and he was sweating profusely with anxiety.
He kept muttering, "What am I going to do? What am I going to do..."
His anxious and helpless expression was both funny and heartbreaking.
At this moment, Emperor Cang Lingyuan looked at everyone's appearance, holding a rice seedling in one hand and pointing at the various expressions of his officials with the other, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
The originally serious atmosphere instantly became relaxed and pleasant.
Amidst the laughter and joy, the paddy fields became a unique playground of happiness.
Through this seemingly chaotic rice planting experience, everyone gained a deeper understanding of farming and a greater appreciation for people's livelihoods.
……
After Emperor Cang Lingyuan and his officials finished their rice planting experience at the imperial estate, they moved to the temporary meeting shed.
At this moment, Li Mulin stepped forward quickly and reported to the emperor with a joyful expression: "Your Majesty, great news! Our multi-season rice experiment has been a success!"
This is the outlined schedule. Following this schedule, the six southern provinces of our country can easily cultivate three seasons. Please review it, Your Majesty.
These words immediately caused an uproar in the shed.
Duke Su stood on the ridge by the shed, gazing at the lush green rice seedlings, as if they were telling the story of the hardship and glory of this great experiment.