Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 95

Li Zhi had not suffered such a headache in a very long time.

Xia Lang had been a scoundrel to begin with.

Now his throat was damaged, and he lay as silent as a corpse, refusing to utter a word.

On top of that, the poison made him vomit blood at the slightest provocation. They did not dare torture him.

Yet Xia Jinguang was his father. Who could have imagined a father would harm his own son?

As a result, the jailers had not searched him. Had this not created a complete deadlock?

There was no conclusive evidence proving Xia Lang had plotted to harm the Emperor, so that charge could not stand.

However, his attempted murder of his own elder sister and another maid from the General’s Mansion was established beyond doubt.

So many ministers and their families had witnessed the matter that day.

With no other choice, Li Zhi convicted him of “premeditated attempted murder” and sentenced him to fifty strokes of the cane and three years’ penal servitude.

Penal servitude meant he would be sent wherever laborers were needed and could return only after completing the full three-year term.

When Xia Lang regained consciousness once more, his throat still felt as though it were burning.

He cautiously tried to make a sound.

“Hh.”

Hot tears slid from the corners of his eyes.

From the moment he drank that bottle of medicine, he had been destined to remain mute for the rest of his life.

Xia Jinguang rushed over after receiving the notice from Dali Temple.

At last, he could no longer restrain himself and collapsed weeping in front of his son.

“My son! My son!”

He gripped Xia Lang’s hand and whispered through his tears, “Lang’er, Father has arranged everything. Leave the capital and hide for a while. Come back after three years, all right?

“Don’t be afraid. If anything happens, write to Father. Don’t be afraid…”

Xia Lang stared straight at the rafters of Dali Temple without the slightest reaction.

* * *

“Brother, we’ve been in Huaxia for so long, yet Dongfang Wei seems to have no intention of forming a marriage alliance…”

Huyan Lie glanced at Pasang.

“Didn’t my sister say winning Dongfang Wei would be effortless?”

Pasang snapped, “He has no taste! What am I supposed to do about that?

“His harem has remained empty since he ascended the throne. He even sends away women who deliver themselves to his door. Could he be incapable?”

Huyan Lie chuckled.

“We had better hope he is somewhat ‘capable.’ An Emperor who cannot be delayed by beauty will be difficult to deal with.”

“No matter. A marriage alliance does not necessarily have to involve you…”

Pasang arched one slender brow.

“Brother, you haven’t truly taken a liking to that Xiao Yaqing, have you? Such a proper young lady of a great family?”

“It does not matter what kind of person she is. Anyone capable of producing alcohol is useful to Tujue.”

The corner of Huyan Lie’s mouth lifted, his expression filled with the certainty of possession.

At that moment, Xiao Yaqing was in Xia Heng’s courtyard. The two women stood with their hands tucked into their sleeves, staring thoughtfully at several jars of hand cream.

“At present, the people of Huaxia use only a few kinds of oil and fat.

“Animal fat, soybean oil, flaxseed oil. Some regions also use cottonseed and rapeseed oils…”

Xiao Yaqing counted them on her fingers.

“Is flaxseed oil sesame oil?” Xia Heng asked, raising her hand.

“No. Sesame oil is the fragrant kind. Flaxseed oil is pressed from flax seeds. You know flax, don’t you? The plant used to make cloth.”

Xiao Yaqing gave her a brief lesson.

“Not everyone can raise pigs. If swine fever breaks out, an entire year’s work may be lost.

“Most common people cannot even feed themselves. Where would they find grain to feed pigs?

“Plant oils have the same problem. Most crops that can be pressed for oil are also food and must be eaten.

“Flax and cotton yields are both too low. Their seeds can be pressed so nothing goes to waste, but no one would plant the crops specifically for oil.”

“What about rapeseed?” Xia Heng asked.

It was an important source of oil in modern times.

Xiao Yaqing shook her head.

“Its growing season overlaps with sesame and staple grains, so few people cultivate it specifically.”

“Ah… It still comes down to a shortage of food!” Xia Heng sighed.

“Of course. Why else would these products be so expensive?”

Seeing Xia Heng wilt, Xiao Yaqing comforted her.

“Don’t worry. Once your potatoes grow, we can introduce sweet potatoes next year. Grain yields will rise dramatically!

“We have to take it one step at a time.”

Xia Heng lay back on her bed with a miserable expression.

“Ah, everything moves so slowly in ancient times. It’ll take at least a year before any of this shows results.”

Xiao Yaqing smiled.

“Doesn’t that also give us time to prepare?

“No matter what else happens, we must first make certain the people have enough to eat.

“We can’t transform people’s lives overnight. We have to take our time!

“Think about it. Before you arrived, there were limits to what I could do alone, and I had no seed stock!

“I studied trade. It was already an accomplishment to run my businesses properly. There was always a limit to how many people I could help.”

Xiao Yaqing encouraged her.

She remembered having moments like this herself.

An idea would appear in her mind, and she would want to implement it immediately.

But when she discovered that the necessary infrastructure and basic conditions did not exist, the combined anxiety and helplessness felt terrible.

Xia Heng planted both hands on the bed and sat up.

“Exactly! First we’ll produce sweet potatoes and potatoes. Once the farmers have enough to eat and grain left over, they’ll have feed for pigs. More pigs means more animal fat.

“At the same time, we’ll develop more plant oils. I saw winter rapeseed in the system store.

“It’s too late this year, but we can plant it next year.

“Whether for cooking, lamps, hand cream, or face cream, it’ll be useful!

“Everything will get better. Right, Yaqing?”

“That’s right. Everything is already moving in a better direction!”

They looked at each other and smiled.

“I’ve already instructed my estates to reserve land for sweet potatoes and potatoes in the spring.

“I’ll have them plant rapeseed on the rest and count it as my investment. In the meantime, I’ll have my trade caravans bring back honey and similar ingredients.

“You should see how else the hand cream can be improved and research face cream too. Next winter, we can first sell a batch to high officials and nobles.

“Once we earn some capital, we can hire more people to raise pigs and cultivate land.

“The people will have enough to eat and earn an additional income!”

“Yes, boss! Understood, boss! I guarantee the mission will be accomplished, boss!”

Xia Heng was in awe of the way she had arranged everything. As expected of the woman destined to build a commercial empire!

Xiao Yaqing gave her a sidelong look.

“I’ll take my hand cream with me. Once your soap is ready, give me two bars of that too!”

“I can buy you something better. Do you want me to get it from the system store?” Xia Heng asked.

“Absolutely not. Save your points for other things. This isn’t a necessity, and there’s still some at home. I simply want what you made!

“Speaking of necessities, ahem—give me two packs of sanitary pads. Once you’ve used something better, it’s very difficult to go back to menstrual cloths!”

Xia Heng gave her a knowing look.

Ever since she began using sanitary pads, she had packed away all the original owner’s menstrual cloths.

“I’m telling you, I have no idea which dimension the products in this system store come from, but they work very well.

“Huh? That time before? That doesn’t count!

“When you’re spinning upside down in midair, nothing is going to work…”

Xiao Yaqing hid the items inside her sleeve. As she left, she was still thinking about Xia Heng’s instruction to burn them completely after use.

She would have to find somewhere deserted to do it.