On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

After leaving the riverside teahouse, Murong Yan didn't set off immediately. She cast her gaze through her pearl tassels at the heavily loaded canal boats and the looming government warehouse buildings in the distance.

"Husband," she said softly, but with a hint of unquestionable determination, "I'm a little relieved by what the teahouse owner said about stable grain prices. But hearing is believing, seeing is believing. Government granaries are the foundation of our country and the key to stabilizing grain prices. Now that I'm in Guangling, I must personally inspect it."

Lin Zhen nodded, his expression turning solemn. "Yan'er's concerns are very true. A full granary is a sign of etiquette. The availability of granaries is crucial to the foundation of the nation, and directly affects the daily meals of the people. I'll go with you."

The emperor and empress's procession then turned and headed towards the Changping Warehouse in the east of Guangling City.

The officials of the Changping Warehouse had already received the news and led the crowd out in a hurry to meet the enemy, kneeling outside the warehouse gate.

Murong Yan didn't rush them to get up, but first looked up at the complex of tall granaries. The granary walls were thick and heavy, and the atmosphere was austere, but she was more concerned about what was inside.

"Stand up." She said in a clear voice, "Take me and the Duke to see the corn warehouse."

"I obey your order!" The warehouse official stood up nervously and bowed to lead the way.

Murong Yan walked slowly, her gorgeous two-meter-long train spreading out behind her, forming a sharp contrast with the slightly rough ground of the warehouse. However, her steps were steady, and her eyes were sharp as she carefully scanned the exterior of the warehouse, observing whether there were any signs of water stains or leakage on the walls, and whether the ventilation holes were intact.

Entering the designated corn warehouse, a heavy, pungent smell of grain hit me. The warehouse was large and spacious, filled with neatly arranged sacks of grain sealed with burlap.

Murong Yan didn't stop at the door to watch. She gestured for Lin Zhen to wait, then lifted the hem of her phoenix robe slightly—even with a maid holding the train, this subtle movement still revealed her determination—and slowly walked into the passage between the grain stacks. Lin Zhen immediately followed, keeping a protective distance.

She extended her delicately armored fingers and randomly pressed on a bag of grain, feeling its fullness and firmness. Then, she did something that shocked all the warehouse officials: she signaled the guards to fetch a special bronze grain probe (a sampling tool).

"From here, and over there," she randomly pointed to a few grain stacks at different locations and heights, "reach in and take out some grain for me to see."

The guard obeyed the order and expertly inserted the hollow grain probe into the sack. Murong Yan watched the entire process intently.

The sampling was quickly completed, and several guards presented the grains to Murong Yan on a copper plate. She examined them carefully, even picking up a few grains with her fingertips, examining them closely before bringing them to her nose for a gentle sniff.

"The grains are plump, golden in color, dry and odorless, and well-preserved." She initially affirmed, and the warehouse officials were just about to breathe a sigh of relief when she changed the subject, "Then why is the grain peeking out of the grain bag at the bottom of the third stack in the southeast corner slightly damp?"

Upon hearing this, the warehouse official's face paled instantly, and he fell to his knees with a thud. "Your Majesty, you are wise! There was a very slight leak in the roof during the rainy season a while ago. We repaired it immediately upon discovery, and moved the grain bags with the damp part to a well-ventilated area to dry. There's no mold, and no grain has been mixed in with the good grain! I have failed in my duty. Your Majesty, please punish me!"

Murong Yan was silent for a moment, her eyes swept across the warehouse official's sweaty forehead, then looked at Lin Zhen. Lin Zhen nodded slightly at her, indicating that his observation was true.

"Get up." Murong Yan's tone was indistinguishable from her emotions. "You handled the situation promptly and didn't cause any serious damage, so you've done your duty. But storage is such a vital area, it affects the lives of so many people, and even the slightest negligence is a must. If it's damp today, it could be insect infestation or mold tomorrow. I'll fine you three months' salary as a warning to others. All warehouses need to be thoroughly inspected again."

The warehouse official, as if granted amnesty, kowtowed repeatedly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace! I will do my duty faithfully and will never be negligent again!"

Murong Yan then turned and slowly walked out of the warehouse. Lin Zhen followed her, whispering, "Yan'er is incredibly meticulous. If you hadn't personally inspected it, this subtle detail would have been difficult to spot. If this continues, it will become a hidden danger."

Murong Ye exhaled lightly, and the pearl tassels on the phoenix crown swayed slightly: "My husband, the country's granary is like the people's cooking pot, how can it tolerate even the slightest grain of sand? I have to be careful."

After leaving the Changping Granary, Murong Yan did not immediately go to the carriage. Instead, she said to Lin Zhen, "My husband, the government granaries are stocked to stabilize grain prices and provide relief for famines. Although the granaries are full, we still need to know whether the market prices are really as stable as reported. Let's go to the market and take a look."

They arrived at a bustling market not far from the dock. Rice shops, oil stores, and general stores lined the area, and the crowds of people flowed in. The arrival of the Emperor and Empress again caused a stir and drew adoration.

Murong Yan continued to order everyone to stand up and walked straight towards a large rice shop. The people made way for her in awe, but couldn't help but watch from afar.

The owner of the rice shop was a capable middle-aged man. He was so excited to see His Majesty in person that he could hardly speak clearly.

Murong Yan stood in front of the store, her eyes sweeping over the various rice grains piled up inside. She asked directly, "Shopkeeper, what's the current price of new and aged rice? What about japonica rice and indica rice? Have there been any price fluctuations recently?"

The boss rubbed his hands nervously and answered them one by one: "Your Majesty! It's late spring now. Last year's new japonica rice costs about fifteen wen a dou. Old rice is cheaper, twelve or thirteen wen. Indica rice is even cheaper, around ten wen a dou. The price has been relatively stable recently, with no major fluctuations."

Murong Yan listened carefully and pointed to another type of rice that looked even whiter. "How much does this rice cost?"

"Your Majesty has a good eye. This is Jiangnan soft rice, which just arrived at the beginning of this year. It's more expensive, 18 wen per dou."

Murong Yan pondered for a moment, mentally calculating and comparing the cost of the government warehouse's reserves with the market price, as well as the price differences between different qualities of rice. She then asked, "Is the supply sufficient? How many procedures does it take for the rice to arrive at your store? What is the loss rate? Is there any forced buying or selling, or deliberate hoarding to inflate the price?"

These questions touched upon the minutiae of commercial circulation. The shopkeeper, somewhat surprised by the Empress's expertise, replied even more respectfully, "There's ample supply, Your Majesty. As soon as the grain arrives, the government warehouse releases some, and I collect the remainder myself from nearby counties and prefectures. The procedures are simple; just pay the due taxes. Losses are inevitable. A thousand-mile transport is exhausting, and a hundred dan of grain can easily be a little off by a few. Hoarding and raising prices is something I wouldn't dare do, and I haven't seen anyone so audacious as to do so in Guangling."

Murong Yan listened attentively, nodding occasionally. She noticed some people outside the shop seemed hesitant to buy rice, so she gently said to the shop owner, "Go and take care of your business. Don't worry about responding to me. I'll just take a look."

Only then did the boss dare to greet the customers. Murong Yan stood not far away, seemingly casually browsing the street scene, but in fact she was listening carefully to the transactions in front of the rice shop.

"Boss, is the price of polished rice still fifteen cents today?"

"Old man, it's still fifteen cents. How many buckets do you want?"

"Alas, my little boy is eating me out of money, so I'll have three bowls first..."

"okay!"

After hearing this real transaction conversation, which was basically consistent with what her boss said and the report she had, Murong Yan's tense expression finally relaxed.

She turned to Lin Zhen, a genuine smile on her lips, and whispered, "My husband, it seems that the grain prices in Guangling are indeed stable, and people's livelihood is worry-free. I am very relieved."

Lin Zhen also responded with a smile: "This is the result of Yan'er's good governance, light taxes and levies, and smooth transportation of grain."

Murong Yan shook his head slightly and sighed, "It also requires the dedication of local officials. For example, the warehouse officials, even if they were negligent, were able to remedy the situation in a timely manner; and these merchants, who can operate with integrity. Only when everyone works together can we have the current situation."

At this moment, an old farmer with white hair and beard came out tremblingly after buying rice. Seeing Murong Yan's procession, he was so excited that he wanted to kneel down. Murong Yan signaled the eunuch to support him.

"Old man, is the spring plowing going smoothly this year? Are there enough seeds?" Murong Yan asked proactively in a gentle tone.

The old farmer was flattered and nodded repeatedly, "Thanks to Your Majesty's great blessing, the weather has been good, and the government has also provided subsidies for grain seeds. It's enough, more than enough! There's hope for the future!"

Murong Yan nodded with satisfaction, and gave the old farmer some silver money before turning around and leaving with Lin Zhen.

The extremely gorgeous two-meter-long tail slid slowly across the stone floor in front of the rice shop, as if imprinting the empress's concern and comfort on this prosperous place of human fireworks.