Chapter 55: The Fifth Princess Consort

Chapter 55: The Fifth Princess Consort

Before An Qing arrived, Kangxi had already questioned Yinqi thoroughly. Since they had discussed it beforehand, Yinqi did not hide anything and explained the situation with An Qing's land in detail.

Therefore, when Kangxi saw An Qing, he suddenly found himself at a loss for words. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "Fifth Princess Consort, please tell everyone what the reason is behind suppressing wheat growth?"

Why suppress the growth of wheat?

An Qing was taken aback; she had expected Kangxi to ask about the wheat yield, not the suppression technique. However, she remained calm and explained, "Your Majesty, your humble servant conducted tests on the estate before winter. The better the above-ground growth of wheat before winter, the less developed its root system tends to be. The soil's fertility is limited, so suppressing the above-ground growth allows the nutrients to prioritize the roots, ensuring a strong foundation. Strong roots lead to healthy foliage, which might explain why these suppressed wheat plants can better withstand winter cold."

An Qing's explanation was simple and straightforward, avoiding technical agricultural terms. She used the concept of "strong roots leading to healthy foliage" as her basis, making her point clear and logical.

Everyone present immediately understood.

However, given the significance of the matter, Ma Qi could not help but confirm again, "Fifth Princess Consort, can you be certain that suppressing wheat growth will protect against frost damage without affecting subsequent growth?"

After all, this contradicted conventional farming wisdom. Despite the evidence, it was natural to find it hard to accept at first.

An Qing was confident, but she could not reveal the scientific reasoning behind it. Instead, she said, "Please consider this: in recent years, has there ever been a year where the wheat grew exceptionally well before winter, only to suffer severe frost damage?"

The crowd paused, recalling past experiences.

After a while, Ma Qi murmured, "Indeed, last year aside, in the thirty-fifth year of Kangxi, Shaanxi had good rainfall before winter, and the wheat grew very well, yet it suffered severe frost damage. Similarly, in Shandong in the thirty-third year of Kangxi, and in Anhui in the thirty-second year..."

Having served in the Ministry of Finance for many years, no one knew these situations better than him. As he recounted each instance, everyone had no choice but to believe him.

An Qing nodded slightly and continued, "In fact, farming is like studying. Without a solid foundation, blindly pursuing quantity leads to inefficiency. Just as with studying, focusing on the basics is crucial."

Thus, in farming, laying a strong foundation early on is essential. For example, before winter, applying base fertilizer and suppressing wheat growth helps build a robust foundation.

She paused and added, "Moreover, farming should not be done superficially."

Most people's opinions do not necessarily represent the truth. As a researcher, questioning and seeking evidence is crucial.

Everyone was stunned, recognizing the metaphor of "studying." They felt a sense of shame, especially the officials from the Agricultural Administration Department, who realized their lack of deep understanding and reliance on traditional methods.

An Qing noticed their reactions and was surprised. This was not her intention. She mentioned it to reinforce her image as someone passionate about farming research, not to lecture them.

She needed to make things reasonable and ensure that the sensitive and suspicious Kangxi had no doubts about her.

This was her top priority at the moment.

However, An Qing did not realize that after the Qingfeng disease incident, Kangxi already firmly believed in her as a "farming genius."

"Do you have the manual for wheat cultivation?" Kangxi, who had been silent throughout, finally spoke.

An Qing was momentarily confused but quickly understood that Yinqi must have mentioned it.

She shook her head and said, "Your humble servant did not know Your Majesty would need it. Shall I send someone to fetch it now?"

Kangxi nodded lightly.

An Qing immediately went out and instructed Perilla to retrieve it. Perilla hurried back shortly, breathless.

Liang Jiugong took the manual and promptly handed it to Kangxi.

Seeing the title "Wheat Cultivation Experimental Guide," Kangxi smiled, feeling a familiar warmth.

He looked at An Qing with admiration. An Qing was initially surprised but sensed a mutual respect among agricultural researchers.

She was at a loss for words but realized her "farming genius" image was established.

Well, things would be easier from now on, without constantly worrying about it.

An Qing's "Wheat Cultivation Experimental Guide" was specifically compiled for Kangxi, highlighting key points clearly. He read through the thin booklet effortlessly and finished it quickly.

Then, he instructed Liang Jiugong to pass it to Ma Qi and others.

"Study this carefully and draft a plan. Select a few counties this year to test these methods," Kangxi declared decisively.

An Qing was stunned. Wasn't there more to discuss?

She had prepared herself for further questioning, but Kangxi seemed to trust her completely. She felt both honored and overwhelmed.

Kangxi noticed her reaction and chuckled.

An Qing regained her composure. There were some things she needed to clarify, even if Kangxi did not ask.

"Your Majesty, the yield from my land was an anomaly. Even if you follow my methods, you cannot expect the same results..."

Before she could finish, Kangxi interrupted, "Don't worry, I understand. Yinqi just explained that your seeds are special."

An Qing glanced at Yinqi, who nodded reassuringly. She felt relieved.

Yinqi always handled matters competently. She had previously told him that the seeds could not be widely distributed yet.

The principle was similar to Kangxi's imperial rice: limited seed quantity and the long-term nature of seed cultivation. Her wheat seeds were still in the early stages.

Of course, she had also told Yinqi that even without seeds, just by using her methods, the yield might not reach what she achieved but would still increase. Moreover, just preventing wheat frost damage alone could ensure no decrease in production.

It seemed Kangxi was aware of this as well; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so straightforward.

"You've done a great deed this time. Is there anything you desire?" Kangxi asked.

An Qing was taken aback and quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I dare not claim undue credit. You must realize that whether it's planting wheat or anything else, these results don't come overnight. My brothers and I have been experimenting for years on the estate in Horqin, wasting much of my father's money before achieving today's success. Therefore, this is not solely my achievement."

When Deb and his sons heard An Qing's words, they couldn't help feeling a bit helpless. This girl was indeed taking all the credit now, knowing they couldn't refute her. Yet, they felt undeserving of such praise.

Kangxi looked at her with a faint smile and said after a moment, "Rest assured, the contributions of Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner and your father and brothers are noted."

Hearing this, An Qing immediately flattered him, "Your Majesty is wise."

"Now, tell me what reward you want," Kangxi said.

An Qing thought for a moment and decided to ask for something modest, not wanting to take more than her share, which might affect her father and brothers' rewards.

"Your Majesty, how about granting me an estate? I have no other hobbies, I just love farming. It would be perfect for continuing my wheat experiments," she said obediently.

This request was neither excessive nor burdensome for Kangxi, and it showed her dedication to continuing her work. Her request was indeed considerate.

Kangxi was clearly pleased. "Fine, I'll grant you a royal estate to continue cultivating your wheat seeds. If you can promote their cultivation later, I will reward you greatly!"

Deb immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, you may not know, but that girl has been experimenting on the estate for years to achieve these results. So, if you grant her this estate, she might not produce significant results in the short term."

An Qing understood her father's intention: he wanted to prevent her from being blamed if she didn't meet Kangxi's expectations.

Kangxi waved his hand and said, "I understand the complexities of farming and seed cultivation. There's no need to worry; let her experiment freely."

He had spent nearly twenty years developing his imperial rice before promoting it near the capital outskirts. Such matters cannot be rushed.

Deb was relieved upon hearing this.

Kangxi was clearly in a good mood. He had often heard An Qing talk about her estate in Horqin, and now hearing Deb mention it again, he became curious.

How different could it be from his Fengze Garden?

Thus, Kangxi decided, "On our way back, I will definitely visit your estate."

Since Mulan was not far from Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner, the nearest estate would be within easy reach. A visit would be convenient.

*

After meeting with the Mongolian princes, Kangxi led the princes and ministers, along with the Mongolian nobles, to a hunt the next day. Yinqi and Deb's family were among them.

Kangxi led the hunting party across the vast lands of Mulan, covering every mountain and river. On the first day, he shot a fierce tiger, demonstrating his prowess with a fifteen-strength bow. Truly, Lao Kang's martial skills were impressive.

The best performer was Elder Brother Prince, who outperformed many Mongolian youths and won the hunt, earning much praise from Kangxi.

The other princes varied in performance. The Crown Prince, though not as skilled as Elder Brother Prince, still performed admirably. Third Brother Prince did less well, but the worst was Fourth Brother Prince.

An Qing was not surprised. Historically, Yongzheng was known for his poor riding and archery skills, only able to draw a four-and-a-half strength bow. Even the tenth princess of Qianlong could draw a ten-strength bow, making Yongzheng seem quite weak.

After ascending the throne, Yongzheng delegated major events like the Mulan hunt to Thirteenth Brother Prince Yinxiang, showing his lack of interest in such activities.

Of course, this also demonstrated Yongzheng's trust in Yinxiang.

However, Yinqi's performance during the hunt surprised An Qing. He was only slightly behind the Crown Prince, far surpassing Third Brother Prince and Fourth Brother Prince.

An Qing knew Yinqi was skilled but chose to hide his abilities, avoiding competition with his brothers. She had noticed this over the past year, especially since historical records claimed Yinqi was poor in Chinese literature, which was not entirely true. Confucian classics were not a challenge for him.

Yet, this time, he suddenly changed his approach, performing exceptionally well during the hunt. An Qing couldn't understand why.

Little did she know, Yinqi was forced into this situation. Being watched closely by his father-in-law and three brothers-in-law, he couldn't hide his skills. Under Yideri's gaze, hiding was impossible, and he regretted not practicing more.

While the men were busy hunting, the women were also occupied, mostly with socializing.

For example, An Qing's mother, after being introduced to Concubine Yi, found a new friend. Sometimes, she even felt annoyed by An Qing's presence.

Ah~ love fades, wasn't she still their beloved daughter/daughter-in-law?

An Qing, realizing her "fall from grace," tactfully distanced herself, choosing not to bother them frequently.

The grasslands offered more freedom than the palace, so she wasn't bored.

An Qing began riding around daily, sometimes hunting small game like rabbits and pheasants, which Chunxiao would roast for her, making them delicious.

Sometimes she visited the fourth princess, but realizing she didn't enjoy such activities, she stopped insisting. The fourth princess and fourth brother prince truly were a match made in heaven, both preferring quiet pursuits.

Fourth Brother Prince had to accompany Kangxi, but the fourth princess stayed in her tent, leaving An Qing wondering why she came on this trip.

Of course, she might have had no choice.

An Qing's leisurely days on the grasslands reminded her of her unmarried life, when she often rode aimlessly, enjoying her freedom.

However, someone was unhappy—Wuritu.

Sitting gloomily in An Qing's tent, he complained, "I'm only two months younger than Temuer. Why can he participate in the hunt, but Father and Grandfather say I'm too young and would only cause trouble?"

An Qing comforted him, "Your father and grandfather are worried about your safety. In a few years, you'll be old enough to join."

Wuritu couldn't accept this. "We're sons of the grasslands, fearless of danger. Besides, Temuer's horsemanship and archery are worse than mine. Wouldn't he be more at risk?"

Wuritu couldn't understand why others his age were allowed to join while he was not.

Thinking about it made him feel discouraged.

An Qing silently sighed. She roughly understood her father and eldest brother's considerations; they probably felt that their tribe had already stood out this time and shouldn't be too ostentatious. Didn't her Third Elder Brother also hold back?

Otherwise, with her Third Elder Brother's archery and riding skills, it would have been impossible for him to remain so obscure during the hunt.

"Alright, forget about it. What's the point of thinking about him? You might as well think about what you want to do later. Today, your aunt is free, so I'll spend the day with you," An Qing said.

Wuritu immediately perked up when he heard An Qing was going to play with him. "Auntie, let's go horse racing."

Seeing the eager look on the little boy's face, An Qing raised an eyebrow. "What, you want to race against your aunt?"

Wuritu showed his big white teeth and nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

An Qing flicked his forehead. "Alright, but if you lose, no crying."

Wuritu puffed out his chest. "Auntie, you're underestimating me. Grandpa said my horsemanship has improved a lot this year. As for you, you haven't ridden much in the Forbidden City this past year. Who wins or loses is still uncertain."

An Qing chuckled. Great, this brat knows how to stir up my competitive spirit.

So, the two of them, both filled with competitive spirit, led their horses to a spacious grassland and began their race after more than a year.

At first, An Qing was confident because she had left Wuritu far behind in their race last year. However, as soon as their horses started running, she noticed something was off—Wuritu could keep up with her closely.

In the past, this had never happened. Could it be true that he had improved so much?

Indeed, by the end of the race, An Qing actually lost to Wuritu!

Jumping off her horse, she looked at him in surprise. "You've really improved a lot this year, kid."

Of course, An Qing admitted that she hadn't ridden much this year, which had affected her horsemanship, but Wuritu's improvement was evident.

Wuritu seemed equally surprised that he had won. Jumping off his horse, he looked at An Qing in disbelief. "Auntie, did I really win against you?"

An Qing patted his shoulder and smiled. "Yes, young man, congratulations on your win."

But he asked again, "Did I really win against you, Auntie?"

An Qing huffed. "Are you done yet? Are you doing this on purpose?"

She raised her fist to hit him, but Wuritu quickly dodged.

"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding." He laughed mischievously.

An Qing turned away, ignoring him. This brat always knew how to push her buttons and couldn't be allowed to get too cocky.

Wuritu grinned and moved closer to her. "Auntie, since I won against you, does that mean I can also win against Uncle Yideri?"

He was referring to Yideri.

Hearing this, An Qing glanced at him silently. "Young man, having dreams is good, but you need to be realistic. Stop dreaming!"

Wuritu wasn't pleased. "When did I dream? Uncle Yideri said he never won a race against you. Now that I've won against you, doesn't that mean I've also won against Uncle Yideri? What's wrong with that?"

"Of course there's something wrong with that."

Before An Qing could respond, laughter came from behind them. Turning around, she saw her eldest brother, second brother, and Yinqi standing there.

"How did you guys get here?" An Qing asked in surprise.

Yinqi pointed to a nearby spot and replied with a smile, "We were watching you race over there, so we came to see."

An Qing responded with an "Oh." Before she could say anything else, Wuritu couldn't contain himself.

He walked up to Robzang Lash and asked, "Second Uncle, what did you mean by 'wrong'?"

Robzang Lash shook his head and laughed. "The only person who can make your Uncle Yideri willingly lose is your aunt. You, little brat, shouldn't even think about it."

Wuritu still didn't understand.

An Qing, seeing his puzzled expression, explained kindly, "Dumb kid, don't you get it? Your Uncle Yideri lets your aunt me win."

Even her Third Elder Brother's horsemanship was unmatched, not just by her but also by her eldest and second brothers.

Wuritu exclaimed, "Then your win isn't fair!"

He looked at her with an expression of disbelief.

An Qing was speechless.

This brat needed some discipline.

An Qing looked at her eldest brother expressionlessly. "Eldest Brother, please give him a beating."

Wuritu, seeing the situation, exclaimed, "Auntie, what are you doing? We're just talking. Why are you asking my father to beat me?"

He glanced warily at his father and instinctively took a few steps back, clearly having experienced this before.

Everyone couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

"What are you all laughing about so happily?"

As if on cue, Yideri appeared, accompanied by a young man dressed in Mongolian riding attire.

As they approached, Abulatang introduced Yinqi. "This is Muren, the legitimate prince of the Yirgenjueluo clan and Yideri's good friend."

The Yirgenjueluo clan was one of the eight prominent clans on the grasslands, and Yinqi was familiar with them. He had seen Muren from afar when his father met with Mongolian nobles, but he hadn't known Muren was friends with Yideri.

Muren, upon seeing Yinqi, was initially stunned, then placed his right hand on his chest and bowed in the traditional Mongolian manner.

Yinqi nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Muren turned to greet Abulatang and Robzang Lash, then smiled at An Qing: "Princess An Qing, it’s good to see you again."

An Qing nodded with a smile, "Prince Muren, hello."