Chapter 535: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 535: A Clear Reward (4)
Xiao Ruiyuan cast a meaningful glance at Yan Junyu and coldly responded to the initial question, “I sent two shadow guards to protect Yan’er, which is how I learned that you went to Liuyang Village today!”
After speaking, Xiao Ruiyuan ignored Yan Junyu's changing expression and left the pavilion directly. His purpose for visiting tonight had been achieved; regardless of whether Yan Junyu had any intentions toward Yan’er, he had to be prepared.
Yan Junyu's expression shifted between anger and confusion. By the time he recovered and wanted to ask more, Xiao Ruiyuan had already disappeared from view.
When Emperor Hui’an received the fruit presented by Yan Junyu, he immediately recognized the underlying intention. He had planned to support Yan Junyu and, after enjoying the fresh and delicious fruit, was even more determined to reprimand the Agricultural Bureau through his nephew.
At the morning court session the next day, the fresh fruit presented by Yan Junyu served as a direct slap to the faces of the Agricultural Bureau officials, who had nothing to say in response.
They were thoroughly convinced by Yan Junyu’s superior results.
Yan Junyu, relishing his triumph, was careful not to overstep and kept his satisfaction in check. However, Emperor Hui’an awarded him five hundred taels of gold for cultivating rare fruit as a glory for Da Chu. This was a blatant slap to the Agricultural Bureau!
The Agricultural Bureau could only swallow their embarrassment, as the one delivering the slap was the Emperor himself.
With this unexpected windfall, Yan Junyu showed no modesty and flaunted his success, especially in front of other princes and royal sons. Observing their forced smiles, he felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.
Though he didn’t lack wealth, the honor of such an award was rare. He didn’t believe Emperor Hui’an used the excuse of national glory to mask a personal slight against the Agricultural Bureau. For the ruler of a grand nation, having to import rare fruits from a distant land was a form of disgrace.
Otherwise, the annual expenditure from the Ministry of Revenue to transport fruit seedlings from faraway lands for careful cultivation wouldn’t be necessary. It was all to restore the royal family’s prestige and impress neighboring small states with the capabilities of the empire.
Thinking of the high-yield rice that Mo Yan had mentioned would soon be harvested, Yan Junyu's eyes sparkled with anticipation. He could almost foresee the impact that the high-yield rice, with an output of a thousand jin per mu, would have on Da Chu and neighboring countries!
With Emperor Hui’an’s praise and his high-profile display of success, both the Agricultural Bureau and others were eager to learn how Yan Junyu cultivated those rare seedlings and ensured their successful fruiting.
It wasn’t a secret that Mo Yan and Yan Junyu were working together, and it wasn’t long before people discovered her identity. Learning that Mo Yan was a poor farm girl with no extraordinary background and that her relationship with Yan Junyu was merely a business one, they quickly dismissed her, attributing her success to luck rather than merit.
She was just a small figure, not worth much attention!
Unbeknownst to them, all facts about their relationship had been erased by Yan Junyu, leaving only the misleading information he deliberately left behind to confuse the public.
...
When Mo Yan received the five hundred taels of gold sent by Yan Junyu’s people, she had just finished measuring the land with officials from the government!
Yes, she had bought more land!
This time, she spent a full two thousand taels of silver to purchase all the barren mountains around suitable for planting trees. These seventeen mountains added up to two thousand mu and connected with the previously purchased vineyard.
Mo Yan planned to use these mountains entirely for fruit trees to provide the necessary raw materials for winemaking once the vineyard was established. The two existing orchards alone couldn’t meet the winery’s demand.
This was a massive project that wouldn’t be completed in a year or two. Mo Yan wasn’t expecting instant results; her current priority was to build the winery first.
After dismissing the government officials with a red envelope, Mo Yan opened the large, heavy mahogany box sent by Yan Junyu. The golden light pouring from the box almost dazzled her eyes.
“Wow, so much gold! Sis, it’s all gold!” Xin’er exclaimed, rushing forward to grab a shiny gold ingot and shouting excitedly to her sister.
Mo Yan was also stunned. Even the fifty percent profit from selling the fruit wouldn’t amount to this much! This was an entire box of gold!
At that moment, Li Xiu took out a letter from her sleeve and said, “Yan’er, this letter was given to me by Young Master Yan’s people. Please read it.”
Mo Yan quickly took the letter, opened it, and after reading it and looking at the gold, she waved her hand grandly and said, “This gold is a reward from the noble for buying the fruit. It’s now ours! Let’s go, we’re going on a shopping spree in the city!”
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