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Chapter 515: The Rear (Part )

Chen Changshi nodded and said, "The princess is charging into battle in the capital, so we will stabilize the rear and not let the princess worry."

Feng Changshi agreed with him and laughed softly, "This autumn harvest is another bumper harvest for our Nanyang County. The whole Jingzhou is growing our new grain, so the grain is very abundant this year."

As long as there is food at home, you will have the confidence to do anything and there is no need to panic at all.

Chen Changshi nodded and reminded in a low voice: "Send more gold and silver treasures to the capital. The Empress Dowager likes filial piety the most, so don't let the princess lack money to spend."

"You don't have to tell me that." Feng Changshi said with a smile, "I sent two cars to the capital yesterday."

As they were talking, the young Ma Dianshan came.

Ma Yaozong now had an official rank of seventh rank and wore the official uniform of a palace official. He looked much more stable and composed.

The duties of the Prince's Palace Chief Steward were supposed to be in charge of the rituals and offerings to guests. This was similar to the Ministry of Rites in the imperial court. After the previous Chief Steward Qiu was driven away, this position had been vacant and had no impact on the operation of the Prince's Palace. This also shows how easy the position of Chief Steward was.

After Ma Yaozong became the chief chef, he did not want to be idle, so he often took the initiative to see Chen Changshi, looking for some tasks to do and share Chen Changshi's worries.

Ma Yaozong is young but slick, talented, careful and steady in his work. He is also the future grandson-in-law, so Chen Changshi has to give him some help.

"Your humble servant greets Chief Clerk Chen and Chief Clerk Feng." Ma Yaozong bowed respectfully and handed over his luggage.

Chen Changshi smiled and said, "Stand up! If you have anything to say, just tell me."

Ma Yaozong said, "The princess and the Earl of Changning have already decided on their marriage. During this year's annual ceremony, should we prepare a heavier gift for the Cui family of Boling?"

Chen Changshi laughed: "There are still more than two months before the Chinese New Year. Are you preparing so early?"

Ma Yaozong smiled and said, "I am afraid that I will be busy at the end of the year and something might go wrong with the New Year gifts. Now that I have nothing to do, I will prepare the gift list in advance."

What's busy at the end of the year?

Of course it’s a happy event of getting married!
Chen Changshi looked at the handsome and cheerful face of his future grandson-in-law and couldn't help but stroke his beard and smile.

Feng Changshi smiled and said, "It's better to prepare it early. In addition to the Cui family of Boling, the annual gifts given to the Xue governor's mansion this year will also increase by 30%. There is also a slight increase in the Fanyang Lu family. So, you go find the annual annual gift list and prepare it carefully. When you are ready, bring it to me and Chen Changshi for a look."

Ma Yaozong responded promptly and went to do his job quickly.

"Young people are full of energy." Feng Changshi smiled and praised: "You see, your grandson-in-law has a good eye. Ma Yaozong is not bad."

Not only is the grandson-in-law good, but the granddaughter-in-law Xue Liuniang is even better. She got pregnant the same month after the marriage, and has been pregnant for several months now. She will be able to give birth to a child for the Chen family in the spring of next year.

Chen Changshi was happy, but he couldn't praise his grandson's wife too much in front of his old friend. After all, the Chen and Feng families had originally planned to discuss marriage, but later Chen Haoran married into the Xue governor's mansion, and Chen Changshi felt that he was a little sorry for his old friend.

Feng Changshi praised Ma Yaozong, and Chen Changshi followed Feng Changshi's words and smiled, "The Ma family is not bad either. The princess wanted war horses, and the Ma family expanded the horse farm this year, bought horse slaves and prepared fodder, and they didn't neglect it at all."

Magistrate Ma did more than that. The Imperial Guards had been training soldiers all the time, and Magistrate Ma secretly sent people to buy Rouran horse slaves outside the Great Wall, and specially selected defeated cavalrymen from small tribes and secretly sent them to the Imperial Guards.

Even Feng Changshi was not sure of the exact number. From the various new weapons requested by the Imperial Guard Battalion, it could be inferred that the training had paid off.

A long-servant came in hurriedly, bowed and reported: "My two chief secretaries, there is a letter from Ye County." Chief Secretary Chen nodded slightly, took the letter, unfolded it and frowned: "This County Magistrate Cui actually wants to teach the skills of planting mulberry and weaving cloth to the refugees who come later."

Feng Changshi said: "Young people are energetic and motivated, and it is a good thing to want to make achievements. However, we must be cautious about this matter. We should wait until the refugees have completely returned to their hearts and integrated into Nanyang County before we proceed with this matter."

"I will write him a letter right now and ask Magistrate Cui to slow down a bit." After a brief thought, Chen Changshi made up his mind: "At least we have to wait two years for the refugees to be registered before they can learn to grow mulberry trees and weave cloth."

The fourteen counties of Nanyang County were actually a miniature imperial court, with not many major events but many minor ones. Every single event had to be decided by someone.

Chen Changshi was in charge of the personnel of the Wang Palace, and his status was similar to that of Prime Minister Wang. However, Chen Changshi had no selfish motives and never formed a clique for personal gain, which made him much better than Prime Minister Wang.

On this side, a document was delivered from the household department, waiting for Feng Changshi's approval.

When Feng Changshi took a look, he found that it was sent by Tianzhuang.

After Jiang Shaohua left, Cui Du lived directly in the farm and almost never returned to the palace. In addition to cultivating grain seeds and fruit and vegetable seeds, Cui Du has recently been studying matters such as fertilizing and irrigating farmland. But any research always costs money.

The little money spent on the farm is just a drop in the bucket compared to the expenses of the military camp.

Feng Changshi signed the document without even looking at it carefully, and stamped it with the household seal. Two days later, the silver and utensils were delivered to the farm.

Cui Wang took care of all these trivial matters, and Cui Du didn't care. He walked around the experimental field in his old home clothes, and from time to time he found an especially plump ear of wheat. Then he carefully dug it up with its roots and had someone take it to a special shed for growing grain seeds.

Grain seed cultivation requires extreme patience. High-quality grain seeds are cultivated year after year.

Cui Wang came to deliver the message, and seeing Cui Du was busy, he did not disturb him and waited quietly by the field.

Only passion can withstand the long years.

There were no flowers, no fine clothes, no wine, no singing and dancing, only the boring and monotonous life of cultivating grain day after day, month after month, or even year after year. They were busy in the fields all day, dealing with a bunch of illiterate farmers.

Cui Du's patience and perseverance are amazing and admirable.

It was getting dark.

Cui Du finally came out of the field.

Cui Wang stepped forward with a smile: "The document has been sent to the palace. Feng Changshi has approved it and asked someone to send the silver and the necessary tools."

Feng Changshi was notoriously stingy. Any documents asking for money would have some of it cut. But for the expenses of the farm, he would approve as much as he asked.

Cui Du was used to this kind of treatment, and said with a smile: "Just send it over, and we will start researching new fertilizers in two days."

Cui Wang suddenly laughed softly and said, "The princess has been gone for so long, and she only wrote you one letter. Can't you take the initiative and write more letters to the princess?"

After the engagement, the engaged couple still lived in the same way as before, each busy with their own things. They would occasionally exchange letters, and the frequency of their correspondence was even less than that of Chen and Feng Changshi.

Cui Du's heart moved: "I will write it when I get back."

……