Chapter 92: The Fifth Princess Consort

Chapter 92: The Fifth Princess Consort

If it were merely about harvesting corn, An Qing wouldn't have needed to make the trip herself. However, this also involved evaluating the progress of her students from the agricultural school, so she felt compelled to go both emotionally and logically.

Initially, neither Empress Dowager Concubine Yi, Yinqi, nor Kangxi were entirely at ease with the idea, given that it concerned the imperial offspring. She was indeed quite far along in her pregnancy, and pregnant women in the palace typically rested quietly. It was unprecedented for someone like her to be so active from the start.

An Qing, however, saw no issue with it. Whether in her previous life or on the grasslands, as long as the pregnancy was stable, women continued their usual activities.

Moreover, she wasn't going there to do physical labor. Her every need would be taken care of, ensuring she wouldn't tire herself out.

Despite this, everyone still had reservations. In the end, Kangxi decided to send the imperial physician who had been overseeing her pregnancy to Royal Manor with her, and naturally, Yinqi would accompany them as well.

This trip would likely last several days. After harvesting the corn, they would begin planting spring wheat. There was no avoiding it; this was the busiest time of the year for farmers, but also the happiest.

The autumn wind blew, carrying the fragrance of ripe grains. After half a year of hard work, it was finally time for harvest.

Everyone stood at the edge of the field, looking at their experimental plots of corn, their faces beaming with joy. Their eyes sparkled with excitement, eagerly awaiting An Qing's command to rush into the fields.

In truth, according to An Qing's original plan, harvesting corn wasn't a technical task. They didn't need to do it themselves; the servants could handle it while they supervised the weighing.

However, upon hearing this, everyone vehemently objected, insisting on doing it themselves.

"That won't do. We've been working so hard for so long; we can't let others reap the rewards."

"Exactly. We've done everything ourselves up until now; we might as well finish the job."

"..."

Seeing their determination, An Qing couldn't help but chuckle. If they wanted to tire themselves out, it wasn't her fault.

She waved her hand, and everyone immediately sprang into action, enthusiastically rushing to their respective plots.

When they initially divided the plots, each person received only a small area, roughly one-tenth of an acre. Even if they did everything themselves, such a small area wouldn't exhaust them too much.

Well, let them do as they please.

Watching these usually pampered young men, dressed in worn clothes, moving through the corn stalks, contrasted sharply with their initial reluctance to till the land. It truly was remarkable how much they had changed in just three to four months.

As An Qing stood at the edge of the field, feeling rather sentimental, the Fifteenth Prince suddenly ran up to her. The little boy was considerate, knowing that his Fifth Sister-in-law was pregnant, he stopped a few meters away.

"Fifth Sister-in-law, do you want to come to my plot to pick corn?" He asked, blinking his big, sparkling eyes.

An Qing waved her hand, politely declining the Fifteenth Prince's offer. "No, Little Fifteen, you can pick it yourself. I'll just watch."

Corn stalks could be quite prickly, and she didn't want to suffer through it.

The Fifteenth Prince looked at An Qing's slightly swollen belly and suddenly slapped his forehead in realization. How could he forget that she was pregnant?

"Alright, Fifth Sister-in-law, rest well. When I've harvested my corn, I'll ask Mother to make corn cakes for your little nephew."

An Qing patted his bald head, teasing him. "Oh, what if it's a little niece? Won't Little Fifteen give her any cakes?"

The Fifteenth Prince shook his head vigorously. "No, Fifth Sister-in-law, that's not what I meant. Both little nephews and nieces will get cakes."

Seeing his flushed face from trying to explain, An Qing stopped teasing him and smiled. "Good, Fifth Sister-in-law thanks Uncle Fifteen on behalf of the little nephew/niece."

Hearing himself called "Uncle Fifteen," the Fifteenth Prince beamed even wider. "You're welcome. As an elder, it's my duty."

An Qing chuckled at the adorable contrast between his title and his age. The Fifteenth Prince scratched his head, blushing slightly, then ran off.

An Qing watched him enter the cornfield, amused. The Fifteenth Prince was too small to reach the corn, so a little eunuch helped him pick it. He didn't stay idle, though, taking the picked corn and tossing it into a basket nearby, determined to participate fully.

Yinqi was also busy in the field, supervising everyone. This final step involved weighing and calculating the yield, which was part of An Qing's evaluation criteria, so he needed to oversee it carefully.

"I'll take care of things here. You should go explore elsewhere," he said.

An Qing nodded lightly. There was nothing more to do here, and she wanted to wander around the manor.

Yinqi, still worried, instructed Perilla and the others. "Don't take your mistress too far. Keep an eye on the surroundings and take good care of her."

Perilla and the others responded promptly. "Beile, don't worry. We'll look after our mistress."

Since becoming pregnant, An Qing had grown accustomed to being cared for, so she didn't react much to Yinqi's words.

They left the experimental plots and first went to the vast farmland outside the manor. The Royal Manor was extensive, with many fields beyond the experimental plots. At this time, the corn and late rice were being harvested, and the fields were bustling with activity. Due to a shortage of hands, the overseer had hired local farmers to help, and children could be seen playing among the rows.

After a brief tour, they arrived at the orchard within the manor. The orchard already had various fruit trees, and An Qing had added more, expanding its size to fulfill her desire for fruit freedom.

October was the season for apples, pears, persimmons, and jujubes, all of which grew in her orchard, filling it with a sweet fragrance.

"Mistress, look at those jujube trees. The fruits this year are incredible," Cui Liu pointed out, amazed.

An Qing followed her gaze and was equally impressed. Indeed, the jujube trees were thriving.

The red, plump jujubes bent the branches, resembling strings of shiny rubies. With a breeze, the fat jujubes swayed happily on the branches, a delightful sight.

Last year, when they first took over the manor, these jujube trees bore only a few sparse fruits, explaining Cui Liu's surprise.

The overseer smiled and said, "Princess Consort, jujube trees are considered auspicious in folk traditions, symbolizing prosperity, happiness, and early blessings. Congratulations to you and Beile; this is a great omen."

The steward's surname was Wu, and he was a minor overseer of this orchard, as well as an original resident of the Royal Manor.

An Qing smiled. Although she didn't believe in such things, it was still pleasant to hear good words.

"It's due to your diligence; there will be a reward."

Steward Wu hurriedly bowed to express his gratitude. The reward itself was secondary; what mattered most was leaving an impression on the Lady and Beile Yinqi.

"Lady, I see that these fruit trees will soon be ripe for picking. How should we handle these fruits? Should we process them like the peaches?"

During the summer, there were so many peaches that they followed An Qing's instructions and made a lot of peach preserves. Should they also make preserves with these fruits, and if so, how?

An Qing waved her hand. "No need. I have plans for these fruits; they will be given away."

Previously, the orchard had mostly been planted with peach trees, so when the peaches ripened, there were far too many. That's why she decided to make peach preserves. But now, these fruits weren't too numerous, and giving them away would likely leave few remaining.

However, since they were to be given away, they needed to be packaged nicely. She could worry about that later; right now, she had more important matters to attend to.

"Steward Wu, please have someone bring a pole over. We'll knock down some jujubes first."

Seeing those plump, red jujubes, An Qing couldn't help but drool, wishing she could taste them immediately.

Of course, Cui Liu was just as eager. "Yes, yes! Bring the pole over. These jujubes look so sweet; I'm almost drooling."

An Qing couldn't bear to watch. As a pregnant woman, she understood cravings, but why was this girl so eager too? She was truly the biggest glutton.

Cui Liu ignored her mistress's disapproving gaze. She was used to being scolded, and it wasn't a big deal.

Besides, she noticed that her mistress was just as eager.

Steward Wu, following the Lady's orders, quickly brought the pole and personally helped knock down the jujubes.

"Lady, please step aside. Don't get hit by the falling jujubes."

An Qing nodded slightly, and Perilla guided her to the side. Steward Wu then began swinging the pole.

With each strike, the red jujubes fell like hailstones, creating a delightful autumn scene.

Cui Liu, the biggest glutton, rushed forward first, picked up several jujubes, wiped them on her handkerchief, and ate one directly.

The crisp sound made An Qing swallow hard.

"Mistress, try one. They're incredibly sweet." Cui Liu wiped another one and eagerly handed it to An Qing.

Ma Dong stepped forward to stop her, looking sternly at her. "Cui Liu, these jujubes haven't been washed. How can you give them to the mistress without washing them? What if she gets sick?"

An Qing silently withdrew her hand, adding, "Exactly. How careless of you, Cui Liu."

Cui Liu stared at her mistress, recalling the time in Horqin when she was told that eating unwashed wild fruits wouldn't harm her.

An Qing coughed lightly and looked away guiltily.

So what if she said it? Times had changed, and she couldn't say such things anymore.

As for why she was so unhelpful, well, she was jealous. She hadn't even tasted the jujubes yet.

Steward Wu knocked down a few more jujubes before having people collect them from the ground. Finally, An Qing contentedly carried a small basket of jujubes back to the courtyard.

When An Qing finally got to eat the coveted jujubes, Yinqi happened to return.

"Try these jujubes; they're incredibly sweet." An Qing held up a half-eaten jujube, enthusiastically recommending it. "Don't miss out; if they're not sweet, they're free!"

Her enthusiasm might have made one think she was selling jujubes.

A hint of amusement flashed in Yinqi's eyes. Ever since she became pregnant, her personality had become increasingly childlike, often making him laugh unexpectedly.

He looked at the half-eaten jujube in her hand, paused briefly, and then leaned down to bite into it.

An Qing, who was acting animatedly, suddenly felt a warm sensation on her fingertips and then realized her jujube was gone.

She stared at Yinqi in shock, accusingly saying, "You stole my jujube?!"

Yinqi shrugged, matter-of-factly replying, "Didn't you tell me to eat it?"

An Qing huffed. "I meant for you to take one from the fruit plate, not eat mine."

Yinqi responded with an "Oh," adding, "Then you should be clearer next time."

An Qing was momentarily speechless. So, it was her fault now?

But she couldn't think of a comeback and angrily grabbed another plumper, redder jujube from the fruit plate, biting into it fiercely.

This was the first time she lost an argument to Yinqi, and it was frustrating.

Ugh, she must be affected by pregnancy hormones, slowing her reactions. Indeed, pregnancy makes one forgetful.

"I'll complain to Mother and Grandmother when we return to the palace. You actually stole food from a pregnant woman," An Qing grumbled.

Yinqi found her reaction amusing and, after washing his hands, walked over, took a jujube from the fruit plate, and offered it to her. "Here, take this one. Will you stop complaining?"

An Qing turned her head away. "No, this one is different from the one I had."

Each jujube was unique, so there was no identical one in the world.

Yinqi raised an eyebrow. "Alright, then I'll give you the same one."

Before An Qing could protest, she saw him bite half of the jujube and then offer the remaining half to her.

"Now they're the same, both halves," Yinqi said with a smile. "But you're right; your half was sweeter."

An Qing looked at him speechlessly. "How childish can you be?"

Yinqi responded with an "Oh," wearing an expression that clearly said, "Didn't you start it first?"

An Qing: "…"

Losing another round, she became even more frustrated.

An Qing silently pulled the fruit platter in front of her and then seriously changed the subject. "Why did you come back now? Have they finished picking all the corn?"

Yinqi rarely saw An Qing at a loss, but he knew when to stop. He didn't want to push her too far and end up regretting it.

"They've finished picking all the corn. It's all laid out in the sun as you instructed."

An Qing nodded lightly.

Pulling the corn from the field was just the first step. Next came drying, threshing, and clearing the stalks. The stalks couldn't be discarded; they needed to be used for compost. The land was used for winter wheat in the summer and corn in the winter, so the soil fertility was low. They needed to apply plenty of fertilizer and do it correctly. They also had to prepare the land before planting winter wheat, which required deep plowing in the fall.

According to An Qing's requirements, all these tasks were to be done by them personally, with her providing guidance and instruction.

This was their second intensive training session at the agricultural school. Kangxi had granted them leave, but this time was different from the last. This time, everyone, including the princes, stayed at An Qing's estate.

Fortunately, the estate was large enough.

It wasn't that An Qing felt sorry for their travel; the workload was heavy and the timing urgent. Harvesting and planting overlapped, and farming didn't wait. Special circumstances called for special measures.

Thus, they worked for over twenty days straight until the winter wheat was planted. Only then did they finally catch their breath, feeling like they had shed a layer of skin.

During those days, besides the harvest and planting, An Qing also taught them various agricultural techniques, such as the proper depth for plowing different crops. She not only demonstrated these skills but also explained the reasoning behind them.

In short, these twenty days left them mentally and physically exhausted.

But after finishing, everyone felt a sense of relief. To help everyone relax, An Qing organized a barbecue before they left.

Although their agricultural school was different from others, they still considered themselves classmates. Especially during these recent days, they lived and ate together, strengthening their bonds.

However, some would be leaving the agricultural school after this, though not because they were graduating. An Qing jokingly called it an agricultural training program, but the first batch would need at least a year to graduate.

After all, every step of planting and harvesting had to be witnessed through the seasons. It couldn't be explained simply on paper. Knowing and doing were worlds apart.

Some were leaving because of the imperial examinations next spring.

The imperial examinations were held every three years, and next year, the 39th year of Kangxi's reign, was one of those times. Many of the sons of officials planned to take the exams, having joined An Qing's agricultural class to gain experience for their future careers.

As they ate and chatted, Yinqi and Zhang Tingyu sat side by side.

"Hengchen, how is your preparation for the spring examination going?" Yinqi asked casually.

Zhang Tingyu replied, "It's going well. With my father watching over me, I haven't dared to slack off these past few years."

Thinking of Zhang Ying, Yinqi nodded with a smile. Zhang Ying was known for being strict. When he served in the Southern Study, he also acted as a tutor in the Imperial Academy, famous for his strictness.

If he was that strict with them, he must be even stricter with his own son.

An Qing glanced at the two, wondering why she always felt they had a deep friendship despite knowing they rarely interacted privately.

It was strange, and she couldn't pinpoint where this feeling came from.

Just as An Qing was pondering, Zhang Tingyu suddenly bowed and requested, "I hope Lady Wujin can reserve a test plot for me."

An Qing was taken aback. Wasn't he busy with the spring examination? Why did he need a test plot?

"Do you want to come back?"

Zhang Tingyu nodded. "Yes."

An Qing frowned. "Can you manage both?"

If he lost the imperial examination due to farming, wouldn't Great Qing lose a capable official? She couldn't bear that responsibility.

Zhang Tingyu smiled. "My father always taught us that being too busy is just an excuse. If you want to do something, you can always find the time."

An Qing: "!!!"

Wow, she didn't expect Zhang Ying to be such a motivational parent. His words sounded like a textbook inspirational quote.

Of course, he could say that to someone like Zhang Tingyu, who was a top student. But for someone lazy like her, it probably wouldn't work.

Still, since Zhang Tingyu addressed her as a teacher, An Qing felt she should offer some advice.

"Reserving a test plot is fine, but I still want to remind you that the spring examination is imminent. You need to prioritize and make choices if necessary."

After spending these days together, An Qing could see that Zhang Tingyu joined the agricultural school not to become an agricultural official but to supplement his career. There was nothing wrong with that, as long as he used what he learned to help the people.

Hearing this, Zhang Tingyu paused, then quickly understood An Qing's concern. "Thank you, Lady Wujin, for your advice. I will keep it in mind."

An Qing waved her hand. It wasn't really advice; it was likely unnecessary. Given Zhang Tingyu's intelligence, he surely understood this already.

But even if it was unnecessary, she had said what needed to be said. After all, they had known each other, and he called himself her student. They had a quasi-teacher-student relationship.

After everyone had eaten their fill, An Qing cleared her throat and announced a major piece of news.

In three days, they would have a midterm assessment.

It would serve as a test of their learning over this period.