The Crown Prince had assumed that his sharp remark would leave Yun Shu flustered, just as he had been moments earlier.
But to his dismay, the embarrassment he so dearly anticipated never appeared on Yun Shu's face. Instead, she broke into a delighted smile.
"Crown Prince Imperial Brother truly knows me well."
The Crown Prince blinked. "?"
Emperor Xuanwu startled. "!!"
The Simulation Life Selection System had previously indicated that as long as Xiao Wu attended this year's Spring Plowing Ceremony, she would come up with a method to increase crop yields.
He had expected her to need some time to reflect on the matter after returning to the palace. He never imagined she would devise a plan on the spot.
Excellent. Truly worthy of the heir he favored. She far outshone that disgrace of a Crown Prince.
Were it not for the difficulty of moving through the muddy paddies, Emperor Xuanwu might have rushed over to shake Yun Shu by the shoulders, urging her to ignore the useless Crown Prince and speak her plan aloud.
Fortunately, Yun Shu had no intention of exchanging further words with the Crown Prince. After that single remark, she turned her gaze to the elderly farmer standing at the Crown Prince's side and asked with a bright smile,
"Elder, what would happen if we sowed these seeds first on dry land to raise seedlings, then later transplanted those young shoots into the paddy fields? Would the survival rate not increase?"
Was the problem not that the seeds, once sown, failed to thrive?
Then simply ensure they grew into seedlings first. Transplant them afterward. Would that not significantly improve their chances?
Her logic was, as always, blunt and direct. Yet to the court officials who had never heard such thinking, it was almost bewildering.
She did seem to have a point… but…
Would it truly work?
"What are you all standing around for?"
The group, Crown Prince included, was still mulling over the feasibility of her suggestion when Emperor Xuanwu, having already received a preview of the outcome through the system, could no longer contain himself.
"Is it not simple enough to test it and see?"
He turned, raising his voice. "Someone deliver Our decree. Halt all nearby seeding efforts in the imperial estates and immediately begin raising seedlings instead."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The order was swift, without the slightest hesitation.
He did not even notice the Crown Prince biting down so hard his teeth nearly cracked.
Yun Shu had merely offered a method that sounded almost laughably simple. Yet Imperial Father had not even paused to deliberate before ordering the imperial estates to begin implementation.
Such unshakable trust.
No wonder Empress Mother, even while secluded in Longhua Temple, had taken the time to write him a letter, urging him to remove Yun Shu.
She truly was… someone who could not be left alive.
The Crown Prince's fingers curled slowly at his sides. The rice seeds clutched in his palm pricked sharply, but he felt nothing.
His eyes lowered.
There was only about a month left. Soon, very soon now.
Let Yun Shu enjoy her little triumphs while she could.
Oblivious to the Crown Prince's silent scheming, Emperor Xuanwu had already made his way over to Yun Shu with a wide grin, intending to discuss the matter of seedlings further. But upon approaching, the cheer in his face gave way to concern.
"What is the meaning of that complexion? Has an imperial physician seen you?"
"Fifth Sister said she has no need of the imperial physician."
It was Yun Chuhuan who answered helpfully from the side.
"She's just feeling unwell from riding the carriage. After a short rest, she'll be fine."
Just a carriage ride, and she looked this pale?
Emperor Xuanwu cast a furtive glance at the little one's ghost-white face and coughed lightly.
"Since you're feeling unwell, best not to remain here. You two are still young. Go find a spot to play nearby."
Such a generous offer?
At first Yun Chuhuan had found the sowing ceremony a bit exciting, but after scattering a few seeds, the novelty wore off fast. Now his eyes lit up.
Seizing Yun Shu's hand, he beamed. "Thank you, Father Emperor. Fifth Sister, let's go!"
Yun Shu: "..."
Emperor Xuanwu: "..."
"This little rascal!"
-
Though Emperor Xuanwu had permitted Yun Shu and Yun Chuhuan to rest, the imperial manor with suitable accommodations was still a good two incense sticks' walk away.
Yun Shu's stomach still churned. She had no desire to walk, even less to sit through another carriage ride.
So after leaving the paddy field, she asked Ting Xue to fetch a mat, then seated herself on a dry patch beside the embankment.
Yun Chuhuan sat down beside her. Likely out of sheer boredom, this grandson of the richest household in Jiangnan, this imperial son, began playing in the mud for the very first time.
Unlike modern children who grew up with clay, sandboxes, and pottery workshops, building sandcastles and forts with practiced ease,
Yun Chuhuan's creativity was limited. He simply piled up the mud as high as he could, then smashed it down with a triumphant punch, pretending to unleash unmatched martial prowess.
He was thoroughly entertained. Yun Shu, watching beside him, was already tired just from observing.
After resting a while, her nausea eased somewhat. When Yun Chuhuan broke down another of his self-made mountains with a proud shout, Yun Shu offered a quiet suggestion.
"Why not try building a city wall instead?"
"A city wall?"
Build a wall out of mud?
Such a thing was possible?
Eyes brightening, Yun Chuhuan eagerly began rebuilding his pile. This time, he didn't make a towering column. Instead, he carefully shaped the mud into a neat square foundation.
Then he hollowed out the center and began crafting the outline of a wall on either side.
It was his first attempt at something like this. To Yun Shu's critical eye, his craftsmanship left much to be desired.
Still, the act of slowly molding the form with his own hands filled Yun Chuhuan with immense satisfaction. He wanted nothing more than to summon the entire realm to witness his creation.
Little did he know, at that very moment, another translucent screen materialized before Emperor Xuanwu's eyes.
This time, unlike previous prompts that offered questions and options, there was but a single line written in bold black characters:
[Special Notice: Due to your previous choice of Option B in the last simulation, you must now walk over to Yun Shu and Yun Chuhuan and stomp down the mud wall Yun Chuhuan has just built.]
Emperor Xuanwu: "?"
He had seen that little brat proudly showing off his "city wall" to everyone just now.
To walk over and trample it underfoot…
Was that not a bit too unconscionable?