Chinese New Year

Chapter 1506 Youthful Beauty
"Why did you suddenly become so irrational?" Inside Fanghua Courtyard, Yang Xianrong angrily slammed down a bowl of tea.

Shao Xun, who had been grinning, fell silent when he saw the hint of concern hidden beneath Yang Xianrong's cold and angry face. He straightened his expression and said, "Actually, it's nothing. I just wanted to take a walk and look around."

"What's there to see in these places?" Yang Xianrong asked. "You've been to Guangcheng Garden countless times, and you've indulged in debauchery at the hot springs more than once. What, are you eyeing some village woman?"

After saying that, he looked down at the hem of Shao Xun's robe.

Shan Yinan, who was preparing snacks, chuckled softly upon hearing this.

Shao Xun glanced at her and asked, "Yi Nan, didn't you say that a gentle breeze and light rain are quite nice?"

Shan Yinan blushed at what was said, glared at Shao Xun, and lowered her head to continue preparing the snacks.

Yang Xianrong seemed oblivious to the interaction between Shao Xun and Shan Yinan, clearly not paying attention to them. She continued to look at Shao Xun, her gaze carrying many unreadable meanings.

Shao Xun could no longer crack jokes. He gently pulled Yang Xianrong into his arms and stroked the few silver strands in her hair.

"I'm getting old," Yang Xianrong said in a muffled voice.

“In my eyes, you will always be the beautiful queen who patrolled the streets back then,” Shao Xun said.

"Which time? I don't remember," Yang Xianrong asked.

"It's okay if you don't remember," Shao Xun said. "Maybe one day we'll wake up and find ourselves back in our youth."

Yang Xianrong was somewhat moved and asked softly, "What will I be like then?"

"You were wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, looking so youthful and radiant, with such a slender waist, I was completely mesmerized," Shao Xun said.

Yang Xianrong chuckled and said, "Did I know you back then?"

You must get to know me.

"Is it only you I can know?"

Shao Xun remained silent for a moment, then said, "I've helped the Jade Emperor so much, there must be some benefits for me, right?"

Yang Xianrong's expression shifted slightly as she asked, "How many times did you help?"

“Just this once, but I feel like it’s happened more than once,” Shao Xun said.

After a long silence, Yang Xianrong finally asked, "Are they... pretty?"

Shao Xun smiled and said, "What did you say?"

Yang Xianrong slowly got up, silently wiped up the spilled tea, and then poured Shao Xun a fresh bowl of tea.

After a moment, she said, "Buddha is also very efficacious..."

Shao Xun hummed in agreement, then added, "Tie Nu (Shao Ji) is doing very well in his position as the Right Tianwu Guard Commander. No wonder he has loved reading military books since childhood. My Shao family—"

Yang Xianrong glared at him, and after a moment said, "After he became Sima, he spent all his time inspecting the armory, and would scold anyone he found that was rotten or broken. He was too impulsive."

“How could my son not have spirit?” Shao Xun laughed and said, “It would be good enough if he didn’t become arrogant and domineering, but could ride his horse through the streets.”

“He won’t,” Yang Xianrong said confidently. “Does he really think I’m indifferent to everything?”

Shao Xun was speechless.

Shan Yinan brought out the snacks and said, "The book is all written."

"Which books?" Shao Xun didn't react for a moment, picked up a piece of dried fruit at random, and asked.

“The Shi Shuo Xin Yu contains over a hundred stories,” Shan Yinan replied. “The Lu Hua Wen Dui has also been revised and expanded. There are now two editions on the market. The new edition is selling very well, and Wang Danhu has made many suggestions.”

Shao Xun thought for a moment before remembering that it was Bing Mei, but Shan Yinan and she should be quite familiar with each other.

"It's a pity she can't have children," Shan Yinan sighed.

Shao Xun was speechless. "If you're sighing for your friend, then sigh. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Is all this useful to you?" Shan Yinan asked again.

“Perhaps it will be useful,” Shao Xun said. “As long as it exists in this world, it may have a chance to be useful. Maybe it won’t be useful for a while, but what if someone remembers it someday?”

"Are the letters you wrote to the King of Zhao like this?"

“Indeed.” Shao Xun nodded and said, “Money is a thing with endless mysteries. If someone could understand its principles, I wonder how much help it could add to the court’s finances. Now we pay taxes to many people, but if one day the court could tax land and money, the national revenue would increase day by day.”

“That court doesn’t even exist, does it?” Yang Xianrong sneered. “If you’re so capable, go to the capital and measure the houses to collect taxes. See what the officials and generals have to say. Don’t end up issuing an edict of self-reproach.”

Shao Xun couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Why is it like this? Changqiu, what's wrong with you today?" However, Yang Xianrong did indeed have political talent.

Instead of taxing people or households, the tax was levied on property. Emperor Dezong of Tang tried this, but Zhu Ci rebelled, and he fled in a daze, then issued an edict of self-reproach. However, to be fair, the Two-Tax System, which levied taxes on property, was still implemented because if the military officials were not taxed, there would be no money to spend, and the consequences would be more serious.

Yang Xianrong had never experienced anything like this before, but she used her keen insight to deduce it all, and mocked Shao for it. But there was no way around it; he was right! Shao Xun could certainly use his immense prestige to suppress his subordinates, but the hidden dangers were enormous. They couldn't defeat him, but outlasting him was easy enough, right? Even something more ruthless wasn't out of the question, as long as they found the right opportunity…

Anyway, with the crown prince in place, the world won't descend into chaos. After the mourning period, the crown prince will ascend the throne, and things will continue as before.

Upon noticing that her aunt was in a bad mood, Shan Yinan immediately stepped forward to smooth things over and stuffed a piece of dried peach into Shao Xun's mouth.

After eating it, Shao Xun repeatedly praised it, saying, "What a delicious peach!"

"It's all thanks to you," Shan Yinan said. "It's widely planted in Wei, Ji, Hanoi, Xingyang, Henan and other places. It seems that a new variety has emerged, and it tastes even better."

Shao Xun remembered.

Initially, the process of exploiting powerful families by asking them to contribute their agricultural techniques was not smooth, but some gains were still made, mainly from large families such as the Yu, Wang, and Pei families.

The fruit tree cultivation was provided by the Pei family, who later collected more trees, gradually forming a large-scale operation, which was then handed over to the Imperial Household Department and the common people for cultivation. The Imperial Household Department did not achieve much, but the common people cultivated some interesting fruits over forty years, which are now widely spread and planted everywhere.

"With such a fine product, I will return it—" Shao Xun said.

"You're not going to run away this year, are you?" Yang Xianrong asked after "adapting" for a while, then sat back down.

"I'm not running anymore, I'll stay with you all," Shao Xun said.

"really?"

“Really?” Shao Xun said, “There are four prime ministers in the Council of State Affairs, so I don’t need to interfere too much most of the time.”

“There are some things I don’t want to talk about in everyday life.” Yang Xianrong pondered for a moment and said, “Now that the so-called new dynasty’s governance is stable, for example, in Jiaozhou, grain is transported by sea to Guangling, something that Wu and Jin have never done before. But this is the limit. Don’t expect more, or it will cause chaos. There are many such things. If we want the Great Liang Dynasty to be more stable, the fewer of these things, the better.”

Shao Xun couldn't help but glance at Yang Xianrong.

In fact, as she said, the new dynasty's governance has already become somewhat stable. For example, Jiaozhou, where maritime trade is most stable, has formed a considerable chain of interests. Although it is still very fragile and could be destroyed by a single order from the higher-ups, Shao Xun observed that the Crown Prince is quite interested in the profits from sugar, timber, grain, and rare treasures, and it is unlikely that this matter will be abolished in his generation.

As for the Myriad Phenomena Academy and the Heavenly Craft Academy, which study the principles of the Great Dao, they face great difficulties and mostly remain at the stage of debate and rebuttal—those critics really enjoy doing this.

Of course, it wasn't without any results.

When Yu Mie returned, he did not have time to bring back sugar-making artisans, but last year the Protectorate of the Western Regions recruited some artisans at great expense—not from Kangju, but from the Kushan Empire.

They brought with them sugar-making techniques that Magadha had transmitted to Central Asia and Persia. The artisans of the Imperial Household Department learned these techniques and made further improvements, finally producing relatively pure granulated sugar. Unfortunately, it wasn't white sugar. There are rumors that Magadha once produced white sugar, but it's unclear if this is true; it's likely just a rumor.

Other technologies, apart from those for crop and livestock breeding, are not very useful.

Recently, the Imperial Household Department brought back kelp from the outer seas of Dongwuju and Lelang and introduced it into the Liaohai Sea for cultivation. Strangely enough, this plant was not found along the coast of the Great Liang Dynasty from south to north. However, after being introduced from Dongwuju, the kelp adapted very well to the environment of the Liaohai Sea, perhaps due to similar climates.

It's a pity there's no nylon rope, and bamboo and wood aren't resistant to corrosion. But it doesn't matter, it's not important; we can just let these things grow freely in the sea.

Shao Xun snapped out of his thoughts, gently took Yang Xianrong's hand, and said, "Let's stop this fussing. Let's leave it at that. I'm quite satisfied with this world."

A slight smile appeared on Yang Xianrong's face.

She turned and walked to the window, opened it, and let some of the stuffiness in the room dissipate.

Outside the courtyard, the trees cast swaying shadows, and the flowers bloom in profusion, filling the air with the breath of life.

Shao Xun walked to the window and stood side by side with Yang Xianrong. After looking at it for a long time, he praised, "I never expected Fanghua Courtyard to have such a view."

Yang Xianrong rolled her eyes at him and said, "You came in a hurry and left in a hurry. Apart from causing trouble for Yinan, when have you ever paid attention to such scenery?"

"I saw it today," Shao Xun said with a smile.

"If you come often in the future, you'll be able to see as much as you want," Yang Xianrong said. "If you get tired of it, you can replace all of these."

"How can we get tired of looking at it?" Shao Xun shook his head and said.

“If you get tired of seeing the same places…” Yang Xianrong looked at Shao Xun and said, “I’ll go with you.”

"What about Yi Nan?" Shao Xun asked.

“You’re shameless!” Yang Xianrong glared and said.

Shao Xun chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I'll stay with you from now on."

As he said this, he looked up at the sky, but unfortunately he couldn't see anything; the sky was clear.

(End of this chapter)