jdhmnovel Chapter 218 Visiting Zhuangzi
Chapter 218 Visiting Zhuangzi
After a sumptuous lunch, the sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze blew. Su Nuannuan, beaming with smiles, accompanied the Emperor on a stroll through the estate, beginning this unique tour.
"Your Majesty, look, this is the cornfield in our estate." Su Nuannuan raised her slender hand and pointed to the vibrant field. There, rows of lush green corn seedlings were neatly arranged, their tender green leaves unfurling in the warm sunlight, as if showing people the vitality and hope of life.
Next, Su Nuannuan moved to another spot and continued to introduce the Emperor: "This is the estate's vegetable garden. Most of the vegetables eaten on weekdays come from here. However, some vegetables are not yet fully grown." Looking around, the vegetable garden was planted with all kinds of vegetables. Although some vegetables were still in their early stages of growth, one could already feel the joy of a bountiful harvest within reach.
At this moment, the Emperor's gaze was drawn to a patch of barren land not far away. He asked curiously, "My beloved consort, what is planted in that patch of land over there? Why can't I see a single seedling?" Following the direction the Emperor pointed, Su Nuannuan smiled slightly and replied gracefully, "Your Majesty, that is a medicinal herb field that I ordered people to cultivate a few days ago."
Upon hearing the word "medicinal herbs," the Emperor looked puzzled and asked, "Medicinal herbs? What kinds of medicinal herbs are grown here?"
Su Nuannuan replied softly, "Well... actually, they are not particularly precious medicinal materials, just some common varieties, such as goji berries and honeysuckle."
However, at this moment, Su Nuannuan did not fully reveal the truth. In fact, deep within this medicinal herb field, she had secretly planted a small patch of precious ginseng.
These ginseng seeds were a generous gift from Mu Ge. She had collected them herself while gathering herbs in the mountains.
"Why did you suddenly decide to plant medicinal herbs?" The Emperor asked, staring at the barren medicinal herb field in the distance, his face full of doubt.
Standing to the side, Su Nuannuan smiled gently and then said slowly, "Your Majesty, as you know, the demand for medicinal herbs has always been extremely high since ancient times. Especially in those remote border regions, the troops stationed there urgently need a large amount of medicinal herbs. It's fine when there's no war, but once war breaks out, those medicinal herbs are quickly consumed like water."
Hearing his beloved concubine's explanation, the Emperor nodded thoughtfully. His gaze unconsciously shifted to Su Nuannuan, and images of her father and brother leading troops in battle at the border flashed through his mind. It was only natural that she knew these things.
Su Nuannuan noticed the Emperor's gaze upon her. Though somewhat puzzled by its meaning, she did not cease her speech. She raised her voice slightly and continued, "Your Majesty, I believe that while we can purchase large quantities of food from the people to alleviate immediate shortages, if we lack medicinal herbs, even if the major pharmacies sell all their remaining stock to the court, it would be insufficient for a large army. Therefore, I have conceived this idea—we cannot rely solely on medicinal herbs provided by the people; we must learn to cultivate them ourselves. Only in this way can we ensure a sufficient supply of medicinal herbs in critical moments, safeguarding the lives and health of our soldiers."
So, I'm thinking of taking that piece of land and trying it out. If it's successful, we can start by cultivating these medicinal herbs on a small scale, and then gradually expand the scale after accumulating some experience. In this way, not only will the supply of medicinal herbs needed by our army be fully guaranteed, but it will also open up a new way for the people to earn a living.
Besides, I'll be living here for ten years; I can't just waste my time like this. I have to do something meaningful, can't I?"
Su Nuannuan's last words struck a chord with the Emperor, but it was an order given by his late mother, and he could not change it.
Furthermore, the Emperor was constantly frowning and worried about the medicinal herbs. It's well known that the medicinal herb resources available to the common people were essentially controlled by a few large herb merchants. There was nothing they could do; after all, they owned vast tracts of medicinal plantations!
Therefore, obtaining enough medicinal herbs from them is not an easy task.
However, what was unexpected was that the visit to the imperial mausoleum by Zhuangzi to see Consort Zhuang would bring such a huge surprise and unexpected gain.
As for what the Emperor intended to do here, even he himself couldn't quite remember. No, to be more precise, he had intentionally or unintentionally chosen to put the matter out of his mind.
After accompanying the Emperor on a leisurely stroll around the estate, the two returned to their bedroom, where Su Nuannuan served the Emperor during his afternoon nap.
Naturally, this "lunch break" refers to the emperor taking a nap, while Su Nuannuan massages him to help him relax.
Seeing the Emperor sleeping soundly, looking completely relaxed and content, Su Nuannuan's anger flared up instantly. She muttered to herself that she had long known that once the Emperor arrived, her leisurely and comfortable days would be over.
Su Nuannuan appeared to be giving him a serious massage, but her mind was already far away. As she mechanically kneaded the Emperor's legs, she kept muttering to herself, "When will this Emperor finally leave? I really can't take it anymore!"
As time ticked by, Su Nuannuan grew increasingly drowsy, and her movements became sluggish and weak. She kept massaging, and her head began to nod involuntarily, like a chick pecking at rice—she was just too sleepy!
After nodding countless times, Su Nuannuan finally couldn't hold on any longer. She simply stopped what she was doing, leaned against the bedside, slowly closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
Just as Su Nuannuan stopped massaging, the Emperor, who had been feigning sleep with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. He turned his head, his gaze falling on Su Nuannuan, who was fast asleep leaning against the bedside. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Then, the Emperor gently rose, reached out, and softly helped Su Nuannuan lie flat on the bed. He then turned to lie on his side and gently pulled Su Nuannuan into his arms. Finally, the Emperor closed his eyes and, accompanied by Su Nuannuan's breathing, drifted into a sweet dream.