Chapter 215
Feng Tang immediately responded, "What Your Majesty said is correct. It is normal that Lord Zhang and the others do not understand. After all, Lord Zhang comes from a prominent aristocratic family in Jiangnan and has naturally never worried about food or clothing.
It is excusable that he cannot empathize with the suffering of the common people."
Yue Fuguang summarized his words in her mind: [It just means he's eaten too much to see that others are still starving and freezing. Empty talk ruins the country!]
Empty talk ruins the country! These words struck the hearts of the ruler and ministers of the Great Yan Dynasty like a heavy hammer, and everyone who heard them changed their expressions.
Especially those who usually liked to boast and talk big but had done little practical work; they gasped slightly. These words weighed on their hearts like a giant boulder—it was too heavy!
Emperor Mingxi, seated on the dragon throne, looked down from his high vantage point at the officials below whose expressions shifted several times. His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, and the rhythmic thumping sound seemed to strike right at everyone's heart.
He only hoped that these people would take the Junior Preceptor's words to heart and constantly stay vigilant. The Great Yan Dynasty was at the crossroads of a tremendous transformation; what it lacked were capable ministers and competent officials, not subjects who only knew how to engage in empty talk.
He said, "Beloved Subject Feng is right. As for what you beloved subjects said about not knowing what a potato is, I will not say much more to you all here.
Once the Directorate of Astronomy selects an auspicious day, you beloved subjects can dig them up with your own hands and see for yourselves whether the yield per acre questioned by Lord Xu, Lord Zhang, and Lord Huang has been exaggerated."
Hearing Emperor Mingxi's words, Yun Tianxing immediately stepped forward, unfurled a scroll of yellow silk, and reported loudly, "Your Majesty, this humble official observed the celestial phenomena last night and deduced the calendar.
I have calculated that at the first quarter of the Si hour the day after tomorrow, the sun will reside in the east, bringing purple auspicious clouds from the east. Moreover, Chen belongs to earth and Si belongs to fire; fire generates earth. This perfectly aligns with the sign of sowing and harvesting. It is a time of supreme auspiciousness, most suitable for breaking ground!"
Emperor Mingxi nodded slightly, his gaze turning to Yue Fuguang, who had just picked up a pastry and was about to take a bite.
Yue Fuguang: Should I eat it or should I eat it?
Catching from the corner of her eye the hundred officials holding their breath and watching her and Emperor Mingxi intently, Yue Fuguang thought for a moment and decided to hold the pastry firmly in her hands instead.
She couldn't lose her imposing manner. As for saving face, with the golden halo of the Little Immortal Lord on her, she wasn't afraid of losing face no matter what she did!
System: If the tips of your ears weren't red, Tongtong would have believed you!
Yue Fuguang decided to strike first, "Does Your Majesty need something?"
This was the first sentence Yue Fuguang had spoken while the court session was underway. It was also the first time most people had directly witnessed a sovereign-subject dialogue between their emperor and this Junior Preceptor.
Hearing Yue Fuguang's words, some people couldn't help but feel a strange sensation in their hearts, feeling as if the Junior Preceptor was acting a bit out of line, subverting the natural order.
Before the crowd could speculate further, they saw their emperor, who had just worn a face of ice, change his expression in a second. That warm smile, like a gentle spring breeze, was something they hadn't received even once in the dozen years they had served as his subjects.
They saw a smiling Emperor Mingxi say to Yue Fuguang, "Fuguang, you heard Beloved Subject Yun's words just now. We will dig up the potatoes at the Fengtian Hall at the first quarter of the Si hour the day after tomorrow. Do you have any problems with this?"
Some people were very satisfied with their emperor's performance. The items belonged to the Junior Preceptor, so it was indeed right to ask for the owner's opinion.
Those who were unaware frowned. Xu Qian couldn't help but speak up, "Your Majesty, since digging up the potatoes is a major event, it should be solely decided by Your Majesty and the lords.
The Junior Preceptor is young. What could she possibly know about the harvesting of food crops? I'm afraid she might not even be able to tell the difference if chives and wheat were placed together."
[Little Zhu, this Xu Qian is deliberately targeting me, right?]
[Master, Little Zhu can feel this old geezer's deep malice towards you. Do you want me to strike him with a bolt of heavenly lightning to teach him a lesson?]
This time, there was no need for Yu Chongshan to step in. Yu Zhongchun, acting as a father, took the lead and rushed to the front. With a cold sneer, he said, "What great arrogance, Lord Xu, to actually dare question Your Majesty."
He cupped his hands toward his colleagues and said, "Although my daughter is young, she is exceptionally intelligent. I wouldn't go so far as to say she knows everything about astronomy and geography, but when it comes to agriculture, she is far superior to Lord Xu!"
Wang Shouchen immediately stepped forward to show his support, saying, "I can testify for Lord Yu on this point. Our Court of Imperial Agriculture has also received the methods provided by the Junior Preceptor regarding tilling, intercropping, and composting.
After testing, they have proven to be highly feasible. Barring any accidents, the lands cultivated using these methods this year will see a significant increase in grain yield."
Lu Qi also bowed respectfully to Yue Fuguang and said, "The Ministry of Works also thanks the Junior Preceptor for providing the techniques for manufacturing agricultural tools, heated brick beds, and so on."
The most important iron-smelting technique involved confidentiality, so Lu Qi did not mention it. However, just the aforementioned contributions were already enough to surpass the majority of the people sitting here.
Subsequently, Dong Qianli of the Ministry of Revenue and Huo Ying of the Ministry of War also stepped in one after another to voice their support.
Cai Xian and Wei Ping were quite frustrated. The Junior Preceptor had clearly helped them the most, but because they had learned everything through eavesdropping, they couldn't speak of it publicly.
They could only watch their colleagues show off over there.
The others were all dumbfounded upon seeing this. When did all this happen? How come they didn't know anything about it?
If what these lords said was true, then this Junior Preceptor might really have an extraordinary background. Perhaps what the divine oracle said was true?
Meanwhile, Ji Hongming and Zhang Zhongping, who were also Ministers of their respective ministries, had red eyes. They hadn't realized it until they thought about it, but it turned out that they were the only ones who hadn't received any blessings from the Little Immortal Lord!
Was it because they rarely went out of their way to curry favor with those two little ancestors?
Zhang Zhongping glanced at his subordinate, Wu Yong. This kid was wholeheartedly devoted to the Junior Preceptor. Behind the scenes, the Little Immortal Lord and Lord Divine Artifact highly approved of him.
His Ministry of Rites still had a chance!
Wu Yong felt his hair stand on end under his superior's intense stare. However, thinking of his golden backer, he jiggled his chubby frame. He had nothing to fear!
Finally, the Crown Prince stepped forward and said, "I also want to thank the Junior Preceptor for providing the method for producing cement. The cement used for building houses and paving roads saved many commoners during last year's snow disaster."
[Master, it turns out you have already done so much without even realizing it!]
A perfectly timed look of bewilderment appeared on Yue Fuguang's face. [I didn't know. I just mentioned it a few times to my grandfather and father at home, and handed the items over to a few officials. Has it really amounted to this much? You say I've done so much, do you think they will suspect my origins?]
Emperor Mingxi and his ministers felt their eyelids twitch. They had been so caught up in flattering him that they completely forgot about this detail. How careless of them!
Before anyone could react, Yun Tianxing from the Imperial Directorate of Astronomy immediately spoke up. "My lords, you must not doubt it. The Junior Preceptor was born of divine decree, so he naturally possesses extraordinary traits. Wasn't the State Preceptor of the previous dynasty just as intelligent and blessed with immense fortune as our Junior Preceptor?"
At the thought of that legendary State Preceptor from the previous dynasty, and then looking at their own Junior Preceptor, everyone suddenly felt that it all made perfect sense.
[Little Zhu, who is this State Preceptor of the previous dynasty?]
[Master, it is a long story about this State Preceptor. We can talk about it in detail when we have the chance. You still haven't answered me whether I can strike down that old geezer Xu!]
Yue Fuguang did not reply to the system. Instead, he first addressed Emperor Mingxi. "It is entirely up to Your Majesty to decide. However, since Your Majesty has asked, I will only mention one thing."
He turned to Yun Tianxing of the Imperial Directorate of Astronomy and Zhang Zhongping, the Minister of Rites, and said, "The auspicious time remains unchanged, and the ceremony shall be simplified. There is no need to burn a memorial to offer sacrifices to Heaven."
[Master, are you refusing to let them burn a memorial to Heaven because you are afraid that the moment you offer a stick of incense, the incense burner will explode right in your face!]