Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

The lawyer trotted along, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead, and arrived at the backyard of the county government office, panting. As soon as he stepped into the yard, he saw the county magistrate sitting leisurely under the shade of a tree, holding an exquisite teacup in one hand, gently blowing away the heat on the surface, and then taking a small sip. He looked very happy.

The county magistrate was of medium build, slightly overweight, and his complexion was slightly paler than the average. He had a few wisps of beard, not long but neatly trimmed. Despite his leisurely appearance today, his family was poor and his life was extremely difficult. Fortunately, he had a virtuous mother and a hardworking wife. They toiled daily embroidering for others, using their meager earnings to support his studies and preparation for the imperial examinations.

While the county magistrate wasn't known for his natural intelligence, his strength lay in his perseverance. Every day, he would rise before dawn and recite scriptures by the dim light of a candle. Even as the sun set and night fell, he would still bend over his desk, reviewing his lessons until the dead of night. He continued this way day after day, year after year, regardless of the bitter cold or heat, without a single slack. Finally, at the age of thirty, his efforts paid off. He passed the imperial examinations. Though he ranked near the bottom of the list and held no power or influence, he was fully satisfied to be assigned to a remote county town nestled among the southern mountains. He felt his life was complete.

The lawyer came to the county magistrate. The county magistrate looked at Si Ye who came to him in a hurry, took a sip of tea, and said slowly, "Master, what's the matter?" You came in such a hurry, have a cup of tea, take a breath, and tell me slowly if you have anything to say. The lawyer was out of breath and stumbled and said, "Master, Master, I'm sorry, Master ...

I don't know what happened. When the county magistrate heard this, his hand holding the teapot trembled and the tea spilled out of the cup. Seeing the master quickly put down the teapot, he anxiously asked the master, what's going on? He just said helplessly, "I don't know either." I heard the dentist running to the hospital and said that there were several people from the capital at the door. They said there was an emergency and they brought a token to see the master. I didn't hear this and reported it immediately.

When the county magistrate heard the legal advisor's report, he was shocked and stood up hurriedly. He waved to the legal advisor and said hurriedly: "Let's go! Let's go and take a look!" He thought to himself: "The mountains here are high and the roads are long, and the rivers are deep. Usually, there are few outsiders coming here. How come a group of bigwigs from Kyoto are here now? Could something big have happened?" Thinking of this, the county magistrate couldn't help but quicken his pace.

Seeing this, the lawyer hurried to catch up with the county magistrate, and the two of them trotted towards the yamen gate. As they approached the gate, they could see from afar that many people had gathered there, everyone craning their heads to look in with curiosity. As they got closer, they saw a team of men and horses in uniform standing in an orderly formation at the yamen gate. Their postures were as straight as pine trees, their expressions solemn and dignified, and they were obviously well-trained. The horses they rode were all fine horses, with shiny coats and crisp hoofbeats. The surrounding crowd occasionally let out bursts of exclamations, clearly shocked by the momentum of this team.

The county magistrate said to Qi Jianlin, who was standing at the head of the group, "I wonder what your name is. What brings you to the yamen?" Qilin bowed to the county magistrate and said, "Sir, we are here on orders to discuss important matters." He looked up and looked around, then said, "It's not convenient to talk here. Can we go to the yamen to talk to you?" Upon hearing this, the county magistrate quickly agreed and led everyone through the hall in the backyard of Yameiwang. Several people sat down in the hall, and the county magistrate quickly ordered the servants to serve tea.

Qi Jianlin, his face calm, slowly pulled out a gleaming golden waist badge from his pocket and carefully handed it to the county magistrate. The county magistrate took the badge with both hands and examined it closely. It was exquisitely crafted, meticulously crafted within the palace. The three characters "Imperial Guard" were clearly engraved on it.

The county magistrate was shocked. He knew that the Imperial Guards were important officials in the emperor's service, responsible for protecting the palace. However, the fact that these people claimed to be sent by the Fourth Prince made him suspicious. The county magistrate raised his head, looked sharply at Qi Jianlin and the others, and asked, "Since you are here on the orders of the Fourth Prince, I wonder what exactly you are doing here?"

Qi Jianlin met the county magistrate's gaze without flinching, and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly: "Your Excellency, the Fourth Prince is currently on an important mission to the northwest region under the order of the emperor. As his bodyguards, we have come here on orders to find a vital item. I hope that the county magistrate can provide us with all his assistance to ensure the successful completion of the mission." After saying this, he bowed slightly and saluted the county magistrate to show his respect.

Upon hearing this, the county magistrate hurriedly stood up, clasped his hands together and bowed, saying: "Sir Qi! Please tell me what you want, and I will do my best to cooperate. All the people in the county government are at your disposal!" After saying that, he looked at Qi Jianlin sincerely.

At this point, the county magistrate paused briefly, then asked, "I wonder what exactly you gentlemen are looking for this time? I'd like to know more so I can better assist you in completing your mission."

Seeing the county magistrate's straightforward response, Qi Jianlin stopped trying to hide his true intentions and replied directly, "To be honest, we're here on orders from our superiors to search for a plant. It's said to yield up to 20 dan per mu, and it's called the sweet potato. County magistrate, do you know anything about it?"

Upon hearing this, the county magistrate nodded slightly, indicating his knowledge of the plant. He twirled his beard and slowly said, "In reply to Lord Qi, I do know about these sweet potatoes. I just planted some a while ago. While rumors say they have a high yield and are not particularly picky about their growing environment, they are still in the experimental stage, so I cannot give a precise yield per mu. However, I will do my best to ascertain the relevant information as soon as possible for your reference."

When Qi Jianlin heard this, a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes, and then he asked with great interest: "I wonder if the county master knows who brought such a rare thing back to us? Is this person extraordinary?" Upon hearing this, the county master smiled, and it was obvious that he was in a good mood. He no longer concealed anything and replied with a smile: "Haha, to be honest, sir! This treasure was brought back by a man named Niu Dabao from our Niujia Village when he followed a sailing team to a place called Nanyang!

I heard that place has a pleasant climate with spring-like weather all year round, and no matter when you plant seeds, they will thrive! Speaking of which, Niu Dabao stumbled upon this unique plant while working as a laborer for a local landlord in Nanyang. It's said that the landlord planted large quantities of this crop every year. Niu Dabao worked there for three years, and during that time, he gradually realized that this plant was not only delicious, but also very easy to grow and maintain, and it wasn't picky about the soil at all! So, he had an idea, and when no one was paying attention, he quietly stole some seeds and brought them all the way back to us.

The county magistrate said helplessly that Niu Dabao had gone through many twists and turns in bringing back the sweet potato. He thought that this kind of thing could definitely be controlled in our country and wanted to bring it back, but the farmer there was very strict and searched them every day when they came to work and left work. He was also afraid that Niu Dabao would bring back his sweet potato seedlings.

However, Niu Dabao was incredibly intelligent. Even under such rigorous scrutiny, he was quick-witted and devised a brilliant solution to the dilemma. He skillfully blended sweet potato vine seedlings with local silk vines, then meticulously wove them into vibrant green ropes. These ropes, uniform in thickness and durable, looked like ordinary ropes, arousing no suspicion.

Niu Dabao toiled tirelessly, weaving one strand after another, and before he knew it, he had woven a large bundle. When he finished this massive project, he was exhausted and out of breath, but a satisfied smile was on his face. He knew he had successfully found a way to conceal his presence and successfully bring these precious plants back home.

Finally, when it was time to return, Niu Dabao casually shouldered the seemingly ordinary bundle of green rope and swaggered down the road. The inspectors, oblivious to anything unusual, allowed him to pass through the checkpoints and return home with this "special" cargo. All this was thanks to Niu Dabao's resourcefulness and courage, which enabled him to overcome numerous obstacles and ultimately achieve his goal.

Niu Dabao is already a grandfather, and after returning, he was like an old cow protecting its calf, never setting foot anywhere else, and devoted himself to the seedlings he brought back. After a year of obsessive cultivation and careful care, the seedlings have grown into seeds for an acre of land. He first tried planting them at home for a year, and the sweet potatoes he harvested were piled up like a small mountain. This year is the third year, and most of the people in the village have planted some, so let's see how the harvest will be this year. However, judging by his bumper harvest last year, this year will surely be another fruitful year, and the people will no longer have to worry about food. They will definitely have a good year, and with food, the people will live a happy life.