Chapter 200: Chapter 182: Coveting Sichuan After Securing Gansu_1

Daohua realized that this year, her family had received more Dragon Boat Festival gifts than last year, and even some families who had never interacted with them before had sent gifts.

In the past few days, Madam Li had been busy every day with returning gifts, and Daohua, who had been taken under Madam Li’s wing, also found herself swept up in the hustle.

On the day before the Dragon Boat Festival, Daohua was in the main courtyard organizing the gift lists from various households when she saw Madam Li hurriedly entering from outside.

“Mother, the sun is so fierce, why are you rushing like that?” Daohua put down the list and quickly poured a cup of cooled tea, handing it to Madam Li.

Madam Li indeed was thirsty and tilted her head back to finish the tea in one gulp, handing the cup back to her daughter. She then turned to Ping Tong and Ping Xiao inside the room and said, “Quick, find the new clothes we made earlier for the master.”

Daohua, curious, asked, “Mother, is Father meeting with someone?”

Madam Li shook her head while searching for other items Yan Zhigao often used, saying, “Not meeting anyone, he is going out.”

Daohua followed Madam Li closely, asking, “Going out, where to?”

Madam Li said, “To the provincial capital, the Governor has invited your father to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival.”

Daohua asked, “The Governor, Xiao Yeyang’s uncle! What does he want with Father?”

Madam Li paused in her gathering of items, turned her head to look at Daohua, and smiled, “Your father’s winter wheat planted in the official fields has been harvested, and the yield was high.”

Hearing this, Daohua’s face lit up with joy, “Really? Does that mean it will be promoted soon?”

Madam Li shook her head, “I don’t know. Your father has already reported it upward with a memorandum. As for what to do next, it depends on the higher-ups’ decision.”

Daohua didn’t ask further and sat back down to continue sorting the gift lists.

After all, now that the grain variety was out, it would definitely be promoted.

Before she had sorted through a few lists, Daohua turned her head towards Madam Li again, “Mother, our watermelon cultivation is doing well. You could mention it to Father; if it could be promoted in Xingzhou, it could also increase the common people’s income.”

Madam Li’s eyes lit up, “Yes, that’s true. How did I forget about this?”

Daohua continued, “And there are also grapes. Since Father is the Prefectural Governor of Xingzhou, if he could create one or two specialties for Xingzhou during his term, I think the people would be grateful.”

Madam Li, who had followed her brothers around since she was young and was therefore well-versed, after hearing Daohua’s words, didn’t bother with her preparations and picked up her skirt to head towards the front courtyard.

Seeing this, Daohua shook her head, saying with mock solemnity, “Oh, my mother. Even at her age, still so impulsive.”

“Pfft~”

Ping Xiao and Ping Tong inside the room laughed upon seeing her like this.

Wang Manman, who was also there, said with a smile, “Now I finally know who the young miss gets her fiery temperament from!”

Daohua smiled, unbothered, “I am my mother’s daughter, isn’t it to be expected that I resemble her?”

…

The front courtyard.

Madam Li recounted Daohua’s words verbatim to Yan Zhigao.

After listening, both Yan Zhigao and Xiao Yeyang’s uncle were impressed.

“Did Daohua really say all this?” Yan Zhigao asked in surprise, the insights of his eldest daughter truly took him aback.

Xiao Yeyang’s uncle smiled and said to Yan Zhigao, “Congratulations to you, sir, for having such a smart daughter.”

Madam Li’s expression faltered, and she quickly said, “That girl was just speaking off the cuff. She’s just a child, what does she know? She probably just thought the watermelons and grapes she grew tasted good and wanted to sell more of them.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yeyang’s uncle chuckled and refrained from lavishing further praise.

He understood Madam Li’s meaning; she did not want Miss Yan to gain too much fame.

Fame, at times, can be beneficial, but at other times, it can be a burden.

Yan Zhigao also grasped Madam Li’s meaning and immediately laughed, saying, “This girl just loves to stir things up. Alright, I’ll take care of it.”

After Madam Li left, Yan Zhigao discussed the feasibility of the plan with Xiao Yeyang.

Xiao Yeyang pondered for a moment, “My lord, watermelons and grapes are both luxurious items, and cultivating them would be somewhat challenging; we cannot rush this.”

Yan Zhigao nodded, “You’re right, our top priority is the matter of the grain seeds. As for the rest, we can postpone it.”

Xiao Yeyang smiled, “The watermelons from the lord’s home are grown so well, it seems that the land in Xingzhou is suitable for cultivation; we could start by arranging for people to inspect the lands.”

Yan Zhigao smiled and said nothing.

He knew that his maternal cousin had bought some farmland in a few of the counties he was in charge of, all planted with watermelons. Whether the crop was suitable or not, one would know by looking at the harvest in July and August.

If he could indeed create one or two specialities for Xingzhou, being promoted would actually be secondary; allowing the common people to gain tangible benefits would make his tenure as an official here worthwhile.

Thinking of this, Yan Zhigao suddenly felt a sense of gratitude in his heart. His mother was right; his eldest daughter truly was the lucky star of their family.

Just then, Advisor Lin walked in with a smile.

As soon as he heard that Yan Zhigao was invited by the Governor to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, he immediately set aside what he was doing and hurried over.

“Brother-in-law…” Advisor Lin was about to call him brother-in-law, but upon seeing Xiao Yeyang, he quickly changed his address, “My lord, I heard you are going to the provincial capital?”

Yan Zhigao frowned slightly as Advisor Lin entered, “Liang, remember to have someone announce your visit next time.”

Advisor Lin’s expression stiffened, and seeing Yan Zhigao’s displeased look, his heart skipped a beat. He immediately bowed and said, “My lord, I will certainly remember next time.”

Yan Zhigao nodded, “Do you have something to discuss?”

Advisor’s Lin lips moved as he glanced at Xiao Yeyang, who showed no sign of leaving, and stiffly said, “I heard you are going to the provincial capital, my lord, and came to see if there was any way I could be of help.”

Yan Zhigao took a quick look at Advisor Lin and suddenly realized, had he been too nice to Advisor Lin in the past? So much so that Lin felt he could come directly to him whenever there was an issue.

“Hmm, I’ve made up my mind to take Xiao Yeyang with me. After we leave, remember to keep an eye on the Governor’s Office and keep track of anything that happens; report back to me when I return.”

Advisor Lin’s mood dropped. His words had been so obvious; he wanted to accompany the lord to the provincial capital to broaden his horizons, yet the lord had briskly refused him.

“Alright, I need to go back and change my clothes. Advisor Xiao, you should prepare as well.”

“Yes, my lord.”

After Yan Zhigao left, Xiao Yeyang turned to leave as well. Before he did, noticing Advisor Lin standing there in a daze, he patted Lin’s shoulder, “One needs to have self-awareness; don’t covet what is beyond your reach.”

Advisor Lin, relying on the fact that his sister was one of the lord’s concubines, had obtained a position at the Governor’s Office.

With this relationship, he had been swimming like a fish in water at the Governor’s Office, with almost no one troubling him.

Logically, having received such a benefit, he should have been content and dutiful, supporting the lord in his official duties. But the human heart is never content; it’s like a snake trying to swallow an elephant, always trying to compete with the official wife.

How arrogant!

Among the children of the official wife, which one is not a paragon?

Because of childhood connections, the eldest son of the Yan family might not take issue, but the fourth son and the eldest daughter would not be considerate of such matters.

If this fellow did not learn to restrain himself, he would inevitably be disciplined sooner or later.