Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne-Chapter 1012 - 92: Zhao Yao’s Plan (Part 2)

This year, during the sowing season, all the fields in the Swamp Prefecture were plowed using the new curved plow and fertilized. Then, they were irrigated using the water wheel. Later, fish and ducks were raised in the rice fields, which is why this year’s early rice grew better than usual.

When Zhao Yao went to inspect the fields, the people expressed their gratitude to him. If it weren’t for him, this year’s early rice wouldn’t have grown so well.

The fields in the Lingnan region are not as fertile as those in the Jiangnan region. However, the climate in Lingnan is better than that of Jiangnan, allowing for the cultivation of double or triple-season rice, which is why Lingnan’s yield is higher than Jiangnan’s.

Lingnan’s climate is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Due to the hot weather, Lingnan has a lot of rodents and pests, with many insects in the rice fields.

Before Zhao Yao proposed introducing double or triple-season rice, the yield in Lingnan was very low. On one hand, the fields were not very fertile, and on the other, there were too many pests.

The people of Lingnan had no way to deal with the pests; no matter how much pesticide they used, the pests could not be eradicated. However, the people of Swamp Prefecture found that there were significantly fewer pests in the rice fields this year. Zhao Yao told them, it was all thanks to the fish and ducks, which ate the pests.

Zhao Yao had long expected this year’s early rice to grow well, but how much the harvest would yield was still unknown until the harvest. However, this year’s yield would certainly not be worse than in previous years.

Compared with early rice in regular fields, Zhao Yao was more concerned about the early rice in the terraces. The early rice in the terraces also grew very well, not losing out to regular fields at all.

Seeing how well the early rice in the terraces was growing, the people decided to open up more terraces after harvesting the early rice.

After inspecting the fields, Zhao Yao saw that both the regular fields and the terraces were growing very well, with no serious pest issues, which put his mind at ease. Next, the focus was on the harvest.

Before the trade fair, Zhao Yao and Zheng Cheng finally completed the windmill. Next month, during the early rice harvest, the windmill would be put to direct use.

After inspecting the fields, Zhao Yao dispatched someone to teach the people of Swamp Prefecture how to use the windmill.

After learning to use the windmill, the people marveled at Prince Han’s cleverness and remarked that with the windmill, this year’s harvest would be much easier.

In the past few days, although Zhao Yao had not been inspecting the fields again, he was not at the Han Prince Mansion either. He was in the North Mountain Laboratory. He intentionally hid in the North Mountain Laboratory, as many people were seeking him out these days.

After the trade fair ended, many people from the capital city came looking for him. Unwilling to deal with these people, he simply hid in the North Mountain Laboratory.

These people, unable to meet Zhao Yao, did not leave but continued to stay in Swamp Prefecture while waiting for him. They seemed intent on not leaving until they saw him.

Zhao Yao couldn’t hide in the North Mountain Laboratory forever. He still needed to attend morning court and could only hide in the lab for a few days.

During this period, too many things happened in Swamp Prefecture. A lot of work still lay ahead, and he could not skip morning court. Moreover, the ministers had many matters to report to him as Prince Han.

Tomorrow is the morning court session, so Zhao Yao had to return to Swamp Prefecture. As soon as he returned to the Han Prince Mansion, Lian Fang called him over.

Lian Fang told Zhao Yao who had been looking for him in the past few days and what actions these people took in Swamp Prefecture.

After listening, Zhao Yao said somewhat wearily, "It seems they have no intention of leaving without seeing me."

"If they don’t see you, they can’t report back," Lian Fang reminded Zhao Yao, "This time, they won’t let you off easily. You can’t escape from them."

Zhao Yao sighed in resignation, "Ah, it’s really annoying."

"They won’t be easily dismissed by you this time." Lian Fang observed Zhao Yao’s troubled expression without a hint of sympathy and instead showed a bit of schadenfreude. "If you don’t handle them well this time, you’ll offend them all."

Hearing Lian Fang’s words, Zhao Yao sneered dismissively, "Ha, do you think I’m afraid of offending them?"

Lian Fang glanced at Zhao Yao, "Recently, many people in the court have accused you of bribing foreigners and having treasonous intentions. What do you plan to do about it?"

Zhao Yao shrugged, unconcerned, "I’ll leave it as it is."

Lian Fang asked, "You’re not planning to do anything?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Zhao Yao looked up at Lian Fang, smiling, "Uncle, what do you want me to do?"

Lian Fang didn’t think much of Zhao Yao’s question and didn’t answer directly. Instead, he said, "Waiting passively is not your style."

Zhao Yao noticed Lian Fang hadn’t answered his question, and a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes. However, the carefree smile remained on his face.

"Indeed, waiting passively is not my style, but I really don’t plan to do anything about this. I’ll just ignore them. Let them say what they want; anyway, I’m not in the capital."

"Have you forgotten that you have to return to the capital to get married next year?"

"Uncle, you also said it’s next year." Next year, he might not necessarily go back to the capital to get married. To him, next year’s marriage wasn’t something to look forward to.

"Aren’t you afraid of becoming a traitor in the eyes of the people?"

"Not afraid," Zhao Yao said forthrightly, "I’d be crazy to rebel. Besides, Father wouldn’t believe their slander. He might even wish I would rebel."

"You think Zhao Zheng’s favor is why he won’t think you’re rebelling?" Lian Fang said, curling his lips into a cold smile, "Zhao Yao, when did you become so naive?"

"If Father genuinely believed I had treasonous intentions, I’d just escape overseas."

While drinking tea, Lian Fang froze upon hearing Zhao Yao’s words. He lifted his eyes, looking at Zhao Yao sharply, "You’re planning to go overseas?"

"When I have the opportunity, I definitely want to explore overseas." That’s why he chose Lingnan as his domain; Lingnan is far from the capital and close to foreign countries like Annan. "If Father believes their words and thinks I’m plotting treason, then I’ll escape overseas. With my skills, I can live freely abroad."

Lian Fang looked deeply at Zhao Yao and realized he wasn’t joking but genuinely planning to go overseas, which made his heart tremble slightly.

"You really are quite ambitious."

Zhao Yao looked at Lian Fang, meaningfully saying, "Uncle, I’ve always been a person without ambition."

"If you flee overseas, what about Lady Liang?" Lian Fang knew that Lady Liang, Zhao Yao’s mother, was the person he cared about most in the world.

"Father loves Mother the most; he won’t harm her," Zhao Yao continued, "I’d ask my fourth and eighth brothers to take care of Mother. When the time is right, I’ll send someone to the capital for her."

Hearing this, Lian Fang realized Zhao Yao had long planned to go overseas and had even prepared for it.

"Uncle, if you choose to come with me overseas, I’d take you along."

Lian Fang coldly replied, "As a prince of Great Zhou, stop dreaming of going overseas." It seemed necessary to guard against this boy running away.

Zhao Yao didn’t continue discussing going overseas and shifted the conversation back to those people.

"Tomorrow, after court, I’ll meet them and see what they want to say." He had a pretty good idea of their intentions.