Chapter 855 - 858: Thoughts

Chapter 855: Chapter 858: Thoughts

"The Supreme Emperor’s sudden abdication is also because of this flaw in the new emperor," Gu Wenheng said.

"If I’m not mistaken, the Supreme Emperor wants to give the new emperor a chance to learn the ropes through trial and error. With him holding down the fort in the rear, things won’t devolve into chaos.

"It’s a chance to temper him. Just watch, there’s going to be a lot of drama unfolding soon."

"So, even though he abdicated, the real power hasn’t been handed over," Jin Qianqian said. She wondered what kind of farce this was. Pushing the new emperor into that position without letting him hold power—was that really appropriate?

However, Jin Qianqian knew she had no talent for playing politics; at most, she just treated it as gossip. But Gu Wenheng could be dragged into it at any moment. He appeared to have a lot of free time, but in reality, he had only grown busier.

The patch of cornfield left for Gu Ben Can to manage was growing stronger by the day under their meticulous care. When it came to this new crop, not only did the novice Gu Ben Can lack experience, but even the seasoned farmers had none to speak of. Everyone could only grope their way forward, tending to it the same way they would ordinary crops.

Jin Qianqian had various agricultural texts she could consult, but since she had no excuse to pull them out, she could only drop subtle hints. She had them use several different planting methods in separate areas and keep detailed records.

Seeing the corn starting to tassel, and with no response from the people Gu Wenheng had sent to keep an eye on things, Jin Qianqian asked after dinner, "Didn’t we leak the information earlier? Is there still no reaction?"

Gu Wenheng stroked his beard. "The factional struggles in the imperial court have only just begun. No one has the time to care about our trivial matters.

"Don’t worry, they’ll take notice when the time comes."

The imperial court was quite lively right now. Some remained loyal to the Supreme Emperor, while others sided with the new emperor. Furthermore, some harbored ulterior motives altogether.

Gu Wenheng sometimes found himself doubting the situation. He wondered why Hua Shunming would create such a mess. Could it be that he was getting old and had grown attached to his power?

Somewhere else, Hua Shunming was completely speechless. He was practically ready to retire in peace; what power could he possibly be clinging to?

"Are they still arguing over those few positions?" Jin Qianqian asked in confusion.

With three Chief of Staff positions vacant, all parties wanted to install their own people, which naturally led to fierce competition. It just seemed to be taking an awfully long time.

Gu Wenheng looked completely confident. "It will be soon. It shouldn’t delay our harvest."

"It’s a good thing we haven’t been in Shangjing during this time," Jin Qianqian said. "Otherwise, it would be a real headache."

Gu Wenheng was currently observing Ding You at home, but the letters never stopped coming, and he often worked in his study until midnight. He fell silent, thinking to himself that he should probably thank Gu Dashi for that...

"Father, Mother!" Gu Ben Can shouted as he ran inside. "They’ve all tasseled! I actually grew them!"

Even though he didn’t know exactly what he was planting, the seasoned farmers had told him that tasseling meant harvest time was approaching. He had seen the seeds before, but he didn’t know if the crop would yield those exact same seeds. His mother had said it was a foreign crop, and the person who provided the seeds claimed it was edible. However, because the seeds were scarce, they hadn’t actually tried eating it yet.

He had occasionally heard his mother mention that this crop was corn, but he didn’t know if it tasted the same as regular rice. Shaking these thoughts from his head, he decided not to think about how to eat it first, but rather focus on how to properly tend to the fields. These were plants he had nurtured from tiny seedlings, pouring all his heart and soul into them. Even the wild game caught in the traps along the perimeter failed to pique his interest. Since they were still in mourning, he only spared a glance at the captured animals before handing them over to the other villagers to deal with.

"Didn’t you already see them tasseling a few days ago?" Jin Qianqian stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Did you run all the way back just for this?"

"Mother, it’s different," Gu Ben Can said, his face flushed with excitement. "Before, it was only two or three stalks, but now nearly eighty percent of them have tasseled. I just don’t know when they’ll be ready for harvest."

Jin Qianqian glanced at Gu Wenheng and rubbed her nose. "I’m not sure about that either. Why don’t you ask the others in the village?"

Gu Ben Can gave her a knowing look. "I figured you and Father wouldn’t know either. I asked a few old farmers, and they guessed we have to wait until it forms ears and the kernels fill out, just like rice, before harvesting. However, since they’ve never grown this crop before, we can only observe it slowly.

"Mother, you have no idea. I thought I was dedicated enough, but when those old farmers saw the tassels, they practically wanted to build a hut on the mountain to live in, saying they needed to keep an eye on it at all times."

"And you’re just going to let them?" Jin Qianqian asked.

"How could I?" Gu Ben Can quickly waved his hands. "There are so many wild animals on the mountain. Even though we set up wooden stakes and traps, it’s still very dangerous.

"Just today, we found a wild boar in one of the traps. Who knows if there are other dangerous beasts around? I definitely wouldn’t dare let them stay out there."

"A wild boar?" Jin Qianqian said. "It seems these animals really have a knack for finding food. The ears haven’t even formed yet, and they already have their eyes on it.

"You’ve been running up the mountain every day. Make sure you keep your guards close by and don’t get careless."

Jin Qianqian knew that the two children always had attendants with them, but she still couldn’t help but add an extra word of caution.

"I know," Gu Ben Can replied. "I also agreed with the other brothers to have them wait for me when they go up the mountain."

He had armed guards by his side, so if he encountered any real danger, he would be able to escape safely.

Gu Wenheng finally spoke up. "Remember to record the changes every single day. That way, when you plant it again next time, you’ll have experience to draw on."

"Father, I’ve been taking notes every day. Now we go up twice a day, and we even take a ruler to measure them." Compared to a mountain of homework, Gu Ben Can vastly preferred this task and put much more effort into it.

Gu Wenheng nodded in satisfaction. "Remember to organize your notes daily. Let me take a look at them first after the harvest."

He looked at Gu Ben Can thoughtfully before asking another question. "Which do you find more appealing: farming like this, or doing business?"

"Is there a difference?" Gu Ben Can tilted his head to look at him. "I think they both have their own joys. Being able to enjoy a free and unrestrained life—even if it’s a bit hard and tiring—makes me feel incredibly fulfilled."

"You really don’t know the hardships of the common people," Gu Wenheng said. "If your mother and I weren’t here to provide a safety net for you, do you think the commoners at the bottom live such easy lives?

"I remember taking you out to see the world before. It seems you still haven’t truly taken it to heart."

It was true. Even when they visited the villages, the commoners only presented their best sides to them. The daily trifles and troubles would never appear before their eyes. Because of his presence in Gaoling Village, the clansmen and villagers here lived relatively prosperous lives. It was no wonder this boy felt that such work was enjoyable. He had truly lived too comfortable a life, treating this rural existence as a fun pastime without grasping its deeper realities.

Jin Qianqian guessed what he was thinking at a glance. She walked over, stood beside him, and said with a smile, "This is already very good. You can’t seriously throw him into some remote mountain ravine and leave him to fend for himself!"

Gu Wenheng was left completely speechless. He mused that his wife truly knew him best, having guessed exactly what was on his mind in a split second.