Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 35 Rice Presented as Tribute to the Imperial Palace!

Zhang Erya was also very excited, as this concerned Xiao Ran's affiliation.

Zhang Jinhe returned quickly, extremely excited. "Young master, you're amazing! The plowshare you modified is so much easier to use now, it's effortless."

"Let the old man give it a try too." The third grandfather was also itching to try.

“Third Grandfather, you try it.” Zhang Jinhe handed the handle of the curved plow to his third grandfather.

"Young master, is this related to registering a household?"

Xiao Ran nodded. "Then Wang Lizheng should agree."

Xiao Ran gave Zhang Jinhe and the others a huge surprise.

"I have to go back and talk to Grandpa!" Zhang Jinhe also ran off.

Third Grandmother went to plow the field with Third Grandfather, leaving only Xiao Ran and Third Sister at the edge of the field.

"Haha, this is a good thing, young master. This is really a good thing." You can tell from the first touch that the curved plow is less strenuous than the straight plow.

"We can borrow Jinniang's ox to plow out this piece of land for our family."

"Will we no longer need two people and two oxen to plow the fields?" Third Grandmother also realized.

“As long as this kind of plow is used, it is naturally unnecessary. It’s truly remarkable.” My great-grandfather kept going back and forth without stopping.

"Grandpa, Grandpa!" Zhang Jinhe called out before even entering the door.

"Girl, what's all the fuss about?" Zhang Mingde asked, holding a water glass.

Zhang Jinhe ran very fast, his breathing rapid.

"What exactly happened?" Zhang Mingde asked.

"Young Master Xiao Ran has improved the straight-shaft plow. Now, only one ox is needed, and one person can easily plow the field without needing another person to lead it."

"Is this really true?" Zhang Mingde was also startled. He knew what this meant.

"This is a major event that benefits the country and its people. It's incredible! Jinniang, let's go take a look."

"Okay!" Zhang Jinhe helped Zhang Mingde out of the house.

When Zhang Mingde and Zhang Jinhe arrived, the third grandfather was still plowing the field, and had already plowed quite a bit.

"Grandpa!" Xiao Ran and San Niang walked over and called out.

Zhang Mingde nodded, leaning on his jujube wood cane. His attention was not on Xiao Ran and San Niang. He stared at the smooth plow marks on the field ridges, and his cloudy eyes suddenly lit up.

"The Huainanzi says, 'Weapons and equipment should be adapted to the changing times,' and today I've truly witnessed that!"

"A straight shaft is like a spear, requiring the combined strength of two oxen; this shaft is like a bow, requiring only one ox. This bend not only saves the oxen's strength, but it also removes half of the shackles from farmers all over the world!"

Zhang Mingdala pulled Xiao Ran along, saying, "Young master, you are truly talented and have done immeasurable good deeds! Immeasurable good deeds!"

This incident truly made Zhang Mingde and Zhang Jinhe look at Xiao Ran in a new light.

“Grandpa, I was just lucky,” Xiao Ran said, a little embarrassed.

"On behalf of all the people of the world, I thank you, young man."

Xiao Ran was startled and quickly pulled Zhang Mingde away, saying, "Grandpa, you mustn't, you mustn't!"

The invention of the curved plow was the culmination of the wisdom of countless working people; Xiao Ran simply copied it directly.

I truly feel unworthy of this honor.

"Young master, this plow isn't just about changing wood or iron; it's about changing the fate of agriculture!" Zhang Mingde exclaimed excitedly as he looked at the curved plow.

Xiao Ran was a little worried; the old man was overly agitated.

"In the fourth year of the Zhenguan era, His Majesty personally plowed the imperial field, saying, 'Agriculture is the foundation of the nation.' But now, how many farmers cannot even afford two oxen? How much sloping land lies barren under the straight shaft?"

Zhang Mingde's voice suddenly rose, "With that one plowing stroke, you saved so much manpower and oxen! This truly embodies the principle of 'using tools to benefit people, achieving merit for the nation'!"

The more Xiao Ran talked, the more embarrassed he became.

"Sanlang, let the old man give it a try," Zhang Mingde called out.

"No!" Xiao Ran was startled. The old village chief usually had difficulty walking, and it would be a huge sin if something happened to him.

"Grandpa, you're so old, what if you accidentally fall?"

"Brother, stop fooling around." The third grandfather also heard it.

Zhang Mingde is over sixty years old, which is quite rare these days.

"It's alright, let's try it, you're all here with us!" Zhang Mingde insisted on giving it a try.

Sometimes, older people just don't want to admit they're getting old.

Zhang Erya also ran all the way to Wang Shen's door, her face flushed and her forehead covered with sweat.

Without thinking much, I knocked on the door.

It was Wang Shen who opened the door.

As the village head, I have a lot to do during the autumn harvest season, but I don't have to work in the fields.

"Second Aunt!" Wang Shen had met Zhang Erya before.

"Wang, the village head, the young master requests your presence in Kaolao Village. The plowshare is ready."

"So fast?" Wang Shen was a little surprised, but he didn't delay. "Second Aunt, let's go!"

Wang Shen wasn't one to dawdle, so he immediately led Zhang Erya back.

The two walked very fast, with Zhang Erya practically jogging the whole way.

Wang Shen didn't ask Zhang Erya, because he would see it soon.

When Wang Shen and Zhang Erya arrived at their great-grandfather's land, Wang Shen's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Zhang Mingde, a man who usually walks with difficulty, was plowing the field with a whip.

Xiao Ran, Zhang Jinhe, and their third grandfather stood guard beside them, filled with fear and apprehension.

"Hey, old village head, what are you doing?" Wang Shen jogged over.

Zhang Mingde stopped when he heard Wang Shen's voice.

"Wang Lizheng, you've finally arrived! Take a look at this young master's curved plow." Zhang Mingde was in high spirits.

Although I didn't improve it myself, I'm still happy.

Xiao Ran will definitely be a resident of Kaolao Village in the future, and the improved curved plow will benefit countless people.

As Xiao Ran briefly explained before, this is a curved-shaft plow, not a straight-shaft plow.

Several people gave Xiao Ran a new name.

"Old village head, if anything happens to you, we can't bear the responsibility." Wang Shenzhen was frightened.

"Oh, it's alright, it's alright. The curved plow is light and easy to handle; this old man can ride it. I can turn it around."

"Grandpa! No!"

"Brother, stop fooling around!"

"Old village head, goodbye."

Wang Shen also experienced it firsthand and was equally excited.

"The Kaogongji says, 'Examine the curves and shapes to refine the five materials,' and this plow embodies that principle!"

"Brilliant! A brilliant revision!"

"With a straight shaft, the force comes from the ox's shoulders; with a curved shaft, the force comes from the plowshare. Young man, this bend isn't about changing the farming tool, it's about changing the principle of 'force'!"

Looking at the damp soil turned up by the plow, Wang Shen's voice carried a hint of solemnity, as if he were presenting a report to the emperor: "If this plow can be put into operation, one ox can do the work of two, and one person can do the work of two. It will enable even a small family with only one son to cultivate a hundred acres of land!"

"On a smaller scale, it means there will be no more lawsuits in Kaolao Village involving fighting over cattle; on a larger scale, it means that His Majesty's equal-field system has been given a more robust plowshare!"

“I will report the matter of registering my household registration today,” Wang Shen immediately replied.

Xiao Ran took out the guarantee letter and other materials that Zhang Mingde had prepared and gave them to Wang Shen, saying, "Thank you for your help, Village Head Wang."

Wang Shen took the materials, saying, "No trouble at all, no trouble at all."

“Young master, I want to take this curved plow with me. If it can’t be returned, I will compensate you. This is no longer just a matter for you.”

"This matter is of great importance and must be treated with utmost care."

"no problem!"

Wang Shen was very excited. This was a great achievement. Although it was Xiao Ran who made the improvement, he, as the village head, also deserved some credit for reporting it.

Most importantly, this event will surely be recorded in history.

They also have the opportunity to leave their names in history books.

Zhang Mingde was also excited for this reason. Who doesn't want to be remembered in history!
Now, the only people who know how the curved plow was made are Xiao Ran and my third grandfather, but my third grandfather was only a half-baked one.

Without Xiao Ran, we need to think about it and study it further.

Zhang Mingde, Zhang Jinhe, and Zhang Erya were even more excited than Xiao Ran.

Zhang Mingde held his great-grandfather's hand and said, "This matter is of great importance, so be careful with your words and actions."

Third grandfather nodded, "Brother, don't worry, I won't say anything wrong, I know what I'm doing."

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya felt differently when they looked at Xiao Ran.

Wang Shen carried the curved plow and jogged all the way home.

I used to carry a straight-shaft plow when doing farm work. Compared to a straight-shaft plow, a curved-shaft plow is much lighter, about two-fifths lighter.

Upon returning home, Wang Shen instructed his family to prepare an oxcart and load the curved plow onto it.

Xinhe Village is more than 20 miles away from Chang'an City, so it was impossible for them to carry the goods there.

While the others prepared the oxcart, Wang Shen returned to his room to fetch paper and pen.

I must not forget the promise I made to Xiao Ran to be a registered resident of his household.

The whole story must be clearly written down; Xiao Ran's matter cannot be concealed from the county.

The matter of the curved plow must also be reported truthfully.

It's several pages long.

When going to the county, one naturally needs to change clothes; appearance and demeanor cannot be neglected.

West Market of Chang'an City

Zhang's Grain Shop
Zhang Huaicai crouched down, holding a feather duster, and carefully swept between the shelves of the grain store.

The shop was filled with the unique aroma of grains, and bags of millet and foxtail millet were neatly stacked, like a sturdy city wall.

I gently dust off the negligible dust from the bag; I'm used to doing it this way.

Qin entered the grain store carrying a box. "My lord, Jinniang sent a letter and a box through someone."

Since Qin was illiterate, she could only give it to Zhang Huaicai.

“Okay, let me see.” Zhang Huaicai put down the feather duster.

"I wonder how Father and Jinniang are doing in the village lately." Zhang Huaicai opened the letter and frowned when he saw Zhang Jinhe's handwriting. It was messy and unbearable to read.

Upon seeing the contents of the letter, Zhang Huaicai became agitated and quickly opened the box in Qin's arms.

I saw the snow-white rice.

"Hmm? This rice is so white, where did it come from?"

Zhang Huaicai picked up a small piece and examined it closely. "They said it was given to them by the Zhang siblings from the east of the village."

"Could the three siblings really produce rice of this quality?" Qin Shi asked incredulously.

"Would Jinniang lie to you? Prepare a box and pack this rice in. I have to go to the master's house."

Madam Qin was a little reluctant, "You've given them all away?"

"Otherwise, why do you think Father sent this over? Do you think it's for us to eat?"

Madam Qin frowned. "My eldest son studies hard. It wouldn't hurt to leave some for him to try."

"His hardship is nothing! Is it as hard as Jinniang's?" Zhang Huaicai said irritably, "That's why they say women have long hair but short brains!"

Although Qin was dissatisfied, she did not know how to refute it.

Ji State Duke's Mansion

Inside the martial arts arena, Qin Huaidao wielded a wooden stick with impressive skill.

Qin Qiong stood not far away watching, quite satisfied.

Having a son late in life, he placed high hopes on Qin Huaidao and devoted even more energy to him.

Butler Qin Tai ran to Qin Qiong's side with the gift box in his arms, "My lord!"

"Hmm, what is it?"

"Someone from Zhang's Grain Store has brought some rice."

Qin Qiong showed no interest in looking at it. "You don't need to tell me about this. You handle it yourself!"

"Ah Lang, this rice is a little different, take a look."

Qin Qiong then turned his gaze away from Qin Huaidao, took the box, and opened it.

"Hmm?" Qin Qiong was surprised by the rice, and immediately thought of the meal he had eaten by the pool before.

Qin Qiong didn't get to eat rice, Li Shimin didn't get to eat rice, so naturally Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin didn't get to eat rice either.

But upon seeing such white rice, Qin Qiong instinctively thought of Xiao Ran.

I'm pretty sure this can only be the kind of rice Xiao Ran makes.

Qin Qiong knew that the rice of the Tang Dynasty was not like that.

Even the rice used in the imperial palace wasn't this white.

"Who is this Zhang's Grain Shop owner?" Qin Qiong asked hurriedly.

"Young Master, Zhang Huaicai of Zhang's Grain Store is from Kaolao Village. His family owns land in Kaolao Village, which they contract to cultivate."

Qin Qiong nodded. "That's right, Kaolao Village."

The pool where Xiao Ran is is Kaolao Village, and both the pool and the mountain over there belong to Qin Qiong.

It wasn't like that at first. Qin Qiong found that the pond was good for fishing, so he bought it.

However, Qin Qiong can no longer go there casually, as Li Shimin is interested in Xiao Ran.

Qin Qiong naturally had to step aside.

"Give this to Madam and have her take it to Her Majesty the Empress."

Qin Qiong knew that Li Shimin would definitely covet this rice, but it wouldn't be appropriate for him to give it to him.

Delivering it personally feels a bit opportunistic and obsequious.

If Qin Qiong had given the gift to Li Shimin himself, Wei Zheng would probably have impeached him and given Li Shimin a dressing down.

Li Zhengdian

There were also sliced ​​tomatoes on the plate on the counter.

I can't cook, so I can only eat it as fruit.

Hongxiu took small, quick steps, carrying a gift box as she entered the front hall. "Your Highness, the Duchess of Ji has sent a gift box."

Empress Zhangsun put down her book, feeling somewhat bewildered. Why would she send a gift out of the blue?

Li Lizhi, who was standing next to her, was reading a book and occasionally glancing at her two younger sisters, showing no interest in the matter.

"Did they say anything else?" Empress Zhangsun asked.

"It was obtained by chance; it wasn't anything valuable, just food."

"open to take a look!"

Hongxiu opened the lid and handed it to Empress Zhangsun.

When Empress Zhangsun saw the rice, she paused for a moment, realizing that the rice was unusual.

The grains are plump, uniform, and very white.

It's similar to what Li Lizhi mentioned before.

Empress Zhangsun smiled and said, "Girl, take a look."

"Mother, is there anything special about it?"

Li Lizhi leaned closer. "Hey, isn't this the kind of rice that only young masters have?"

Li Lizhi picked up a small handful, brought it close to her nose, and was quite certain that it belonged to Xiao Ran.

"Did Uncle Qin from the Duke of Ji's mansion go to find the young master?" Li Lizhi asked thoughtfully.

Empress Zhangsun shook her head. "The Duke of Ji is a steady and cautious man. Now that he knows His Majesty is interested in Xiao Ran, he will not contact Xiao Ran again."

Li Lizhi trusted her mother's judgment.

Empress Zhangsun looked at Hongxiu: "Go to the storeroom and get some spices for the lady. I have accepted the gift. Tell the lady that I like it very much and that she is very kind."

(End of this chapter)