Chapter 193: Chapter 192: There’s a National Treasure Now
"Hehehe! Hehehe!"
Lin Wanwan sat cross-legged, holding her face, staring at the imperial decree on the desk for a long time, occasionally letting out a bizarre laugh. Little Qingyu went to the private school to audit a class, so no one came to disturb her.
This was her consecration decree! It even had the signatures from the Central Secretariat, the Ministry of Personnel, and other departments; a whole string from bigwigs to small fry, including famous historical figures whose names resonated like thunder. These signatures alone would have fetched a fortune in modern times!
The whole decree was drafted by Li Shimin’s secretary Yu Shinan, whose calligraphy was exceptional! And among the signatures of the clerks underneath, there was even Chu Suiliang!
Two of the four great calligraphers of the Early Tang gathered right here! This decree would be a national treasure back in modern times, and it’s an exclusive decree for the "Lin Family"!
Just this made Lin Wanwan happy for days, it felt like the peak of her life! The only pity was that it only mentioned the Lin Family; if it had added two more words—Lin Family Wanwan, she’d be even happier.
Ah, if she could have the one with Li Shimin’s personal approval of "Permitted" given to her, she’d be ecstatic! But that’s for archival purposes, and Lin Wanwan can only dream about it.
To gain one thing and desire another—that’s Lin Wanwan right now.
Inside the room, Hua Nong quietly said to Hong Yan, "My lady, has she been possessed?"
Hong Yan pondered for a moment with a serious expression before saying, "It’s possible."
Hua Nong’s face suddenly changed, "Then what do we do? The Divine Doctor Sun has already left!"
Immersed in the joy of receiving a national treasure, Lin Wanwan overheard the words "Divine Doctor Sun," suddenly snapped back to reality, "What? What happened to Divine Doctor Sun?"
Worriedly looking at Lin Wanwan, Hua Nong said, "My lady, you’ve been talking to yourself and giggling since yesterday afternoon. Are... are you okay?"
Lin Wanwan made a sound, uncertainly asking, "Was I?"
Hong Yan and Hua Nong nodded in unison, "You were!"
Lin Wanwan touched her nose and laughed, "Your lady is now a Fifth Rank, one who eats the emperor’s grain, I’m just happy! No need to make a fuss."
Hua Nong was also full of joy and said, "Oh, indeed, congratulations my lady, you’re truly amazing! In a few days, when we return to Lin Family Manor, we should have a big feast to celebrate!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Wanwan frowned, this news surely reached the clan first, and finding she wasn’t home, it must have eventually come to Qiantang. When she returns, will Uncle Clan Leader ask her to present the decree in the ancestral hall?
This is very likely, based on her experience from reading books and watching TV, Lin Wanwan started worrying!
She couldn’t bear it! Rather than in the ancestral hall, she obviously preferred to hide it at home.
"Well, just take one step at a time." Lin Wanwan muttered to herself.
Hua Nong asked again, "My lady, does the Village Lady title come with land distribution? Xiao Mingfu has many official lands. If my lady gets land too, we should quickly return to Mao County and find manor guests, spring plowing is about to start."
Talking about this, Lin Wanwan became unhappy again.
Ancient times were truly hard for women; the achievements she presented would have long been enough for a man to earn a title and land, but for her, it’s only a little salary and honor.
A Fifth Rank Village Lady may sound impressive, with some privileges like seeing officials below the Fifth Rank bow to her; even if she commits a crime, local authorities can’t punish her without first reporting to the court to revoke her title. And Lin Wanwan gained this, unlike others who received the title through husbands and sons, with the ability to collect taxes from 300 households. But compared to what Lin Wanwan offered, it’s insignificant.
Lin Wanwan most wanted land; if she was given a few hundred acres, it would be wonderful, and she could play as she wished.
Mao County, the weather is fine.
Dressed in his sturdy outfit, Xiao Chong stood in front of the official land, watching the manor guests harvest potatoes from the field. Although no emotion showed on his face, it was clear from him putting aside his busy duties to come watch them work that his heart wasn’t at peace.
Every root of potatoes yielded at least three to four potatoes, each half the size of a palm. Based on this calculation, the yield from this acre of land was even higher than the sweet potatoes Lin Wanwan planted last year!
The manor guests in the field had gone from initial excitement to sobbing uncontrollably. They had never seen such a bountiful omen in their life; now it was actually grown by their own hands!
These years, countless civilians died from military conflicts, floods, and droughts; just among the people working in this field, every household has relatives who starved to death.
Starvation, dying from hunger! Even the lowest animals shouldn’t starve to death like this! But a person could actually die from hunger!
Looking at the bountiful potato harvest, the manor guests screamed and cried, their faces purple, their veins thick, as memories of losing relatives to famine repeatedly flashed before their eyes!
Those young children without self-preservation abilities, those old folks without production value, were once carried by their closest kin into the mountains at night, abandoned to the wild.
All of this was just to fight for a bite to eat, a bite to stay alive!
After crying, a manor guest suddenly bowed towards Xiao Chong, deeply bowing his head into the mud, screaming, "Xiao Mingfu descended from heaven, everlasting through generations!"
One person shouted, and everyone followed suit, shouted in chorus, "Xiao Mingfu descended from heaven, everlasting through generations!!"
"Xiao Mingfu descended from heaven, everlasting through generations!!!"
Xiao Chong was stunned, after a moment, his face broke into a smile, "No need for that, this wasn’t my doing."
"Xiao Mingfu, this is truly your achievement! Without the seeds you gave us, the farming methods you taught us, we mud-soaked folk would never have grown such crops in our lifetime!"
What kind of official is a good official? Those farming in the fields, fishing in the water, struggling for a living in the wind and rain knew best.
World-renowned achievements and glorious feats they don’t understand, but they know whoever lets them eat their fill is the best official in all the land!
Yang Guang dug and expanded the Grand Canal, exhausting the people and resources; Emperor Shi built the Great Wall, inch of wall, inch of blood, though future generations benefited from the shade for millennia and remembered them, the civilians under their rule hated them to the bones.
A common people’s wisdom is simple and straightforward: full bellies, warm clothes, security for the elderly, care for the young, that’s the greatest happiness.
They couldn’t see farther, they only want to strive to live now.
While riding back to the County Government, Xiao Chong suddenly asked Shuqi, "Is the day after tomorrow good for visiting friends and family?"
Shuqi, "Ah?"
Xiao Chong said, "Go send my card to Uncle in Qiantang, I’m visiting him the day after tomorrow."
Shuqi, "Ah? Oh, yes, sir, I’ll arrange it when I return."
Curiously, having been to Qiantang at the beginning of the month, why was the sir going again? In past years, he might not visit once a year. Certainly, it’s now a bit closer than before, but the sir is also busier now.
What’s so attractive about Qiantang?