GBP Chapter 295 The Debate Between Agriculture and Sericulture
Chapter 295 The Debate Between Agriculture and Sericulture
The night was as dark as ink, thickly spreading over the palace of Cangling Kingdom. All was silent except for the flickering candlelight in the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Shi Wanxia sat at a desk piled high with documents, her brows furrowed, her face appearing even more haggard in the dim candlelight.
There are still many official matters to be dealt with today. The weapon drawings just submitted by the Ministry of War are spread out in front of me. Those complex drawings bear the weight of the safety of the soldiers on the front line and the heavy responsibility of the country's defense.
Most of the weapons were modified from bows and crossbows, and the production schedule was tight. Every moment of delay could lead to irreparable losses on the battlefield.
Shi Wanxia sighed softly. She wished she could create gunpowder to reduce casualties among soldiers on the battlefield.
But as a liberal arts student, the complex chemical ratios and production processes seemed like insurmountable barriers, leaving her at a loss.
"Gunpowder, oh gunpowder, how can it be made?"
Shi Wanxia muttered to herself, her brush unconsciously lightly touching the edge of the drawing, leaving a few ink dots.
Her eyes revealed a hint of resentment and helplessness; in this era, the lack of scientific knowledge became her biggest obstacle.
After finishing her business with the Ministry of War, Shi Wanxia picked up the documents sent by the Department of Agriculture and Sericulture.
The nationwide spring planting and replanting was imminent. She carefully examined the records on staple foods in the documents. This country mainly used millet, also known as yellow millet, as its staple food, and it was widely cultivated.
As a southerner, Shi Wanxia was very familiar with this common monoculture crop in the north. Although millet is easy to grow and raise, its annual yield is somewhat insufficient for this vast country.
"The cultivation rate of rice is too low. Even in Yan Yue Kingdom, not many people grow it."
Shi Wanxia frowned, her mind filled with doubt. "Rice yields are not low. It's not suitable for the north, and the south has more rain and fertile soil, so why doesn't anyone grow it?"
The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed; there must be some unknown reason hidden behind it.
Moreover, the country's staple food is too monotonous, consisting mainly of millet, sorghum, and a small amount of wheat.
"No wonder so many people are starving. With so little grain, after deducting taxes, there's hardly anything left for ordinary people."
Shi Wanxia pondered to herself, a sense of mission welling up in her heart; she had to change this situation.
"I need to think about how to explain to Shen Yuxi the importance of planting other crops."
Shi Wanxia rubbed her temples, leaned back in her chair, and began to formulate her words of persuasion for the emperor.
Shen Yuxi, the monarch of Cangling Kingdom, although he was a man of great talent and ambition, seemed to follow the traditions left by his ancestors in agricultural planting and was not proactive in promoting new crops.
Just as Shi Wanxia was lost in thought, there was a gentle knock on the door of the Qin Zheng Hall.
"Come in," Shi Wanxia replied, her voice tinged with weariness.
The maid who entered was Xiao Tao, the personal maid assigned to Shen Yuxi. Xiao Tao carefully placed a steaming bowl of ginseng soup on the table, saying, "My lady, you have been busy all day. You should have some ginseng soup and rest."
Shi Wanxia forced a smile: "Thank you, Xiaotao. I still have some things to think about, you can go now."
Xiao Tao glanced at Shi Wanxia with concern, hesitated for a moment, and then turned and left.
Shi Wanxia picked up the ginseng soup, took a small sip, and felt the warmth flow down her throat to her whole body, but her mind was still on the complicated farming and court intrigues.
She knew all too well that promoting the planting of new crops would be no easy task; she would not only have to persuade the emperor, but also face opposition from conservative ministers in the court.
"Perhaps I can start with a pilot program in the south, let everyone see the advantages of rice cultivation, and then gradually promote it."
Shi Wanxia gradually came up with an idea, "But how do we solve the problems of initial investment and manpower allocation?"
Just as Shi Wanxia was racking her brains over agricultural matters, a conspiracy against her was quietly brewing in the imperial court.
Lin Hetang, the Minister of Rites, had long been dissatisfied with Shi Wanxia's growing influence in the court. He joined forces with several other conservative ministers and planned to remonstrate with the emperor at the morning court session the next day, accusing Shi Wanxia of interfering in agricultural affairs, overstepping her bounds, and disrupting the order of the court.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Shi Wanxia got up early, washed and dressed, put on her court robes, and went to the court.
Little did she know, a storm was brewing for her.
The atmosphere in the imperial court was heavy. Emperor Shen Yuxi sat high on the dragon throne, his majestic gaze sweeping over the ministers below.
Shi Wanxia stood among the officials, her expression calm, but a vague sense of unease lingered in her heart.
"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present." Lin Hetang stepped forward first, bowing slightly with a hint of respect on his face, but a subtle smugness flashed in his eyes.
"Please speak, my dear minister." Shen Yuxi's voice was deep and steady.
"Your Majesty, matters of agriculture and sericulture should be the responsibility of the Agriculture and Sericulture Department, but now Shi Wanxia is frequently interfering. Isn't this overstepping her bounds?"
Lin Hetang's sharp voice echoed in the court, "Lord Shi's actions may disrupt the order of the court. I hope Your Majesty will investigate carefully."
These words immediately sparked a heated discussion in the court. Some conservative ministers echoed the sentiment, while those who supported Shi Wanxia showed their dissatisfaction but were at a loss for words to refute them.
Shi Wanxia's heart tightened; she hadn't expected Lin Hetang to suddenly make trouble.
However, she quickly calmed down, stepped forward, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Majesty, food is the most important thing for the people. Agriculture and sericulture are related to the rise and fall of the country and the life and death of the people. I only want to do my part for the country because I cannot bear to see the people suffer."
Shen Yuxi looked at Shi Wanxia, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes: "What you say makes sense, Minister Shi. However, this matter is of great importance and we cannot act rashly."
Shi Wanxia was overjoyed. She knew that the emperor had not completely rejected her idea, so she continued, "Your Majesty, I have a suggestion."
"We can first pilot rice cultivation in the south, and if the results are significant, then promote it nationwide. This will reduce the risks and allow everyone to see the advantages of the new crop."
Shen Yuxi nodded slightly: "This matter will be discussed later. Court adjourned."
After the court session, Shi Wanxia returned to her workstation. She knew that the struggle over agricultural reform had only just begun.
She must quicken her pace and find a solution to the problem in order to win this battle against the conservative forces and bring new life to the people of Cangling Kingdom...
Shen Yuxi was not idle either. Just as he returned to the Imperial Study and sat down, his shadow guards brought him news that Cui Zhihao had been attacked and injured and was currently recuperating at the Chengjiao Manor.
He couldn't understand who was so audacious as to dare to attack him right under his feet. Although he harbored murderous intent towards Cui Zhihao, he was still wary of the Qinghe Cui family behind him.