When the next day came, Jiang Wenyuan hesitantly told Jiang Yuqing about this matter, and she was completely stunned!
After a while, she mechanically turned her head and asked her father with pleading eyes, "Father, don't you love me anymore?"
Jiang Wenyuan widened his eyes and exclaimed, "Nonsense! How could that be? You are my beloved daughter!"
Jiang Yuqing had an incredulous expression on her face and said, "If that's the case, why would you bring up such a scary question to me? I'm still two months away from turning twelve!"
Jiang Wenyuan looked indignant and said, "Do you think I wanted this? It was forced upon us by the royal family. If it were up to me, I would want you to stay unmarried and stay at home forever!"
Lu couldn't bear to listen anymore and slapped her husband hard, saying, "What nonsense are you talking about? Do you want our precious child to live a lonely life?"
Jiang Yuqing shook her head, made a "stop" gesture with her hands, and said, "Alright, I understand. Let's not talk about this anymore. I will think about it carefully!" With that, she almost floated as she walked out.
Jiang Yuqing sat by the side of Qingbo Pool, and even the January northwest wind couldn't dispel the restlessness in her heart.
Just the thought that her father mentioned something like that, and that Jing Yan had such thoughts about her, made her feel uneasy.
It gave her a strange feeling of "I treat you as a companion, but you want to be my husband." What a terrifying situation.
She felt like she wouldn't be able to face him directly anymore. What should she do?
The certain realm master who had never encountered such a problem in her two lifetimes felt depressed.
She asked Bai Xiaoshi, "What should I do?"
Bai Xiaoshi looked at her with an expression that said, "Are you an idiot?" and retorted, "I am Lu Shu, Lu Shu. How can a human like you ask a dumb question like this? Did your brain short-circuit?"
Jiang Yuqing was surprised by the response and asked, "Oh, so you've never looked for a companion before?"
Bai Xiaoshi replied, "I am an artifact spirit. Where would I go to find a companion? Don't ask me such dumb questions anymore!"
Jiang Yuqing immediately burst into laughter and said, "Bai Xiaoshi, so you've been single for tens of thousands of years? Hahaha, I've actually met the legendary ten-thousand-year single dog, no, the single deer!"
Bai Xiaoshi roared, "You're the single dog! You, a two-lifetime single dog, have the audacity to mock me!"
While angrily jumping up to confront her, Jiang Yuqing laughed and dodged, but unexpectedly, she stepped on empty space and fell into the lake.
Luckily, the weather was cold, and there was a thin layer of ice on the surface of the lake, so she didn't fall into the water. After climbing out, both of them didn't dare to fool around anymore and hurriedly sneaked back to Qingbo Pavilion.
If Lu found out, both of them would be in trouble!
Since that day, cowardly Jiang Yuqing started avoiding Jing Yan.
Jing Yan tried to find her several times but couldn't locate her. Seeing Jiang Wenyuan's awkward expression, he understood.
It seemed that her father had said something to her, and this little girl was avoiding him.
Jiang Yuqing was afraid, but Jing Yan was not. As the future emperor, he excelled in strategy, and he deeply understood the importance of taking the initiative.
So, he employed a little trick and managed to corner her in Lingbo Pavilion.
Since the Lantern Festival more than a month ago, Jiang Yuqing's whole body froze when she saw him again.
As soon as she realized it, she tried to run away, but Jing Yan, who was prepared, grabbed the back of her collar and said, "Where do you think you're going?"
Jiang Yuqing forced a smile and stammered, "Hehe, I'm not running away. Who said I was running away!" She felt guilty.
Jing Yan didn't intend to waste time talking with her. He was afraid that if he let go, this slippery little thing would disappear again. He got straight to the point and said, "I know why you're avoiding me! What they said is true. I am genuinely attracted to you!"
Jiang Yuqing was completely stunned. This guy was actually confessing his feelings?
This was only the second time in her life that someone had confessed to her. What was the name of the person who confessed to her in her previous life? Oh, she forgot!
Jing Yan lifted her up and sat her on the table, then leaned over her shoulder and looked into her eyes, saying, "What I'm about to say next is very important. You must listen carefully and remember it well.
I am genuinely attracted to you and want to marry you. I also understand that you won't accept a man who has multiple wives and concubines.
So, in this lifetime, besides you, there will be no other woman by my side."
Jiang Yuqing blushed, and stammered, "Don't... don't say it so nicely. Besides your mother, your father has a whole harem of concubines!
And besides, I've heard a saying before: if you can trust a man's words, pigs will fly!"
Jing Yan's face instantly turned dark and he said, "He is him, and I am me. Don't compare me to him! Besides, where did you hear such nonsense?"
Jiang Yuqing stubbornly replied, "It's none of your business where I heard it from.
Anyway, I've always considered you a friend.
And besides, I'm only twelve years old now, Big Brother, please be sensible!"
Jing Yan stared at her for a while, then suddenly smiled like peach blossoms in March.
"I'm perfectly sensible. I know what I'm doing! And Qingqing, I have the patience to wait for you to grow up! Don't think you can escape from me!"
Jiang Yuqing almost cried, "You're forcing me!
Those girls outside are pretty and cute!
Tell me, what do you see in me? Can't I change?"
He touched her head and smiled, saying, "Everything about you is great! So don't make a fuss! And from now on, you're not allowed to hide from me!"
After Jing Yan left, Jiang Yuqing felt hopeless and threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in the soft pillow. She pounded it fiercely. Ah... so annoying!
Bai Xiaoshi said, "Strictly speaking, he's not bad.
Think about it, at least he has spiritual roots, and in the future, he can cultivate with you and be your partner in cultivation.
Moreover, you two have known each other since childhood and understand each other.
Most importantly, he's handsome! Just based on his looks, you won't lose out if you choose him, right?"
Jiang Yuqing pulled her face out of the pillow and curiously asked, "Bai Xiaoshi, didn't you say you've never looked for a partner before? How come you're acting as a relationship advisor now?"
Bai Xiaoshi glanced at her, "What's so rare about it! Haven't you heard the saying 'Never seen a pig run without eating pork'?
Besides, I'm just discussing things objectively. Honestly, I suggest you teach him cultivation techniques and practice together."
Jiang Yuqing turned over and lay on the bed, facing upward, saying, "Let's talk about it later!
Indeed, as you said, he is an excellent candidate for marriage, but this is too sudden! There should be a process, right?
Anyway, I'm still young now. If he can truly wait for me for a few years and prove to be a lifelong companion, then it wouldn't be too late to introduce him to cultivation techniques later.
But if he changes his mind halfway and becomes interested in other girls, then there's nothing more to say!"
Bai Xiaoshi thought for a moment and said, "You make sense!" She was a carefree person, so once she understood, she let it go.
Although they were both in the capital, they had their own busy schedules, so they didn't have much time to meet.
When they were together, it didn't seem much different from before, which made Jiang Yuqing feel very comfortable.
After the first lunar month, February arrived, and the ice melted. After the awakening of hibernating animals, the spring breeze brought warmth, and spring returned to the earth.
The alfalfa Jiang Yuqing planted last year had gone through several cycles of growth. He harvested a portion of it as pig feed before the snowfall, and the rest was buried by the snow.
With the arrival of spring, the diligent soldiers plowed the frozen alfalfa into the ground, making it excellent organic fertilizer.
After preparing the land, the soldiers planted another crop. Jiang Yuqing used the spiritual spring water as "medicine" and had them dilute it to irrigate the land, resulting in fast and healthy growth.
They not only planted alfalfa but also other vegetables such as bitter lettuce and cow-ear lettuce. These vegetables grew quickly and could be eaten by both humans and animals.
When these crops had grown substantially, the soldiers urged Jiang Yuqing to quickly bring in other animals such as cows, sheep, and chickens.
Moreover, they even set up "bamboo fish traps" (a dense fish-catching device woven from thin green bamboo or wooden sticks) in the mountain stream to raise fish fry.
Regarding the procurement of livestock, they had been relying on the Fang Brothers since last year. Finally, this year, they managed to gather the quantity Jiang Yuqing needed: ten thousand chicks, over five hundred sheep, and more than seventy cows.
Cows were the most important production tool and should not be easily slaughtered. Jiang Yuqing kept them not only for plowing the land but also for breeding more calves.
With so many animals and the vegetable garden, they needed quite a few hands to take care of them.
Fortunately, all the fruit trees planted last year had survived and were already sprouting and budding, showing good growth.
Jiang Yuqing believed that it wouldn't be long before they could bear fruit, so there was no need to allocate more manpower to take care of them.
Therefore, after the initial chaos, the soldiers quickly adapted and performed excellently.
Jiang Yuqing calculated the time, drew up some blueprints, and promptly ordered a batch of barbecue grills, bamboo skewers, and charcoal, which were sent to Tai'an Farm.
He also prepared specialized barbecue seasonings and spent an afternoon teaching a few clever soldiers how to grill meat.
She provided the theory, and the soldiers were responsible for the practice.
Selected a group of sturdy rams, which were trained to pull small sheep carts. These carts could be rented or driven by hired drivers.
In early March, accompanied by a refreshing spring rain, Jiang Yuqing's five hundred mu of peach blossoms bloomed overnight, exuding a vibrant and enchanting beauty.
Soon after, seven hundred mu of pear blossoms also burst into bloom, creating a breathtaking sea of flowers that stretched across the mountains. It was as if someone had aptly described it in a poem, "Pear blossoms flutter like snow on the spring mountains, mistaken for cold plum blossoms adorned with dewy jade faces."
Jiang Yuqing widely distributed invitations, inviting acquaintances from the capital and noble ladies from other mansions to come and enjoy the flowers.
At the same time, Jiang Yuchuan sent invitations to his former classmates from the Imperial Academy, inviting them to come and appreciate the flowers and enjoy the spring.
The most prominent pair of siblings in the capital sent out invitations, and no one dared to refuse, and receiving an invitation became an honor for everyone.
On the day the garden opened, all the households that received invitations came in full force.
Even from a distance, the scent of fragrant flowers wafted through the air. As soon as they turned a corner, a sight of a pink, red, and white floral sea appeared before their eyes. Everyone couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, how beautiful!"
The horse carriages stopped at the entrance of the farm, and people entered on foot. When they saw the plaque hanging at the entrance with the handwritten words "Tai'an Farm," they couldn't help but show reverence.
At the entrance, someone collected an admission fee of twenty wen per person.
Although the price was not expensive, some people still grumbled about having to pay an entrance fee for a garden.
But as soon as they saw the person collecting the fee, who had both legs amputated, they immediately showed respect and couldn't think of anything else, paying the money respectfully.
Inside the garden, there were pathways paved with green stones that led deep into the floral sea.
Graceful and lively young ladies walked through the pink sea of flowers, some stopping to admire the view, while others approached and closed their eyes to savor the fragrance of the flowers. It was truly a scene where beautiful faces and peach blossoms matched.
Many talented noble ladies were inspired on the spot. They would pick up a brush or paper and write poems or create paintings.
If they got tired from walking, they could go to the management office and rent a finely crafted double sheep cart. Driving the cart through the floral sea provided another kind of enjoyment.
After playing for a while and feeling a bit tired, a different fragrance reached their noses, making their mouths water.
Following the scent, they found someone who set up a small food stall, grilling skewers of meat over charcoal fire. The aroma was tantalizing.
When asked, the price for freshly slaughtered lamb skewers was eight wen, while pork belly skewers and vegetarian dishes were even cheaper.
They ordered two skewers to give it a try, and once they started, they couldn't stop.
The skewers were grilled to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender inside. Taking a bite satisfied their entire being. Just as Jiang Yuqing had anticipated, no one could resist the allure of barbecue.
Everyone who came here to play was wealthy, and word spread like wildfire. Several barbecue stalls were packed with people, and the barbecue chefs couldn't keep up.
Even the master chefs in the kitchen sold out their steamed vegetable and meat dumplings.
The masters might not fancy such food, but the servants still needed to eat.
On the opening day alone, they sold two pigs and slaughtered five sheep. When they counted the money in the evening, the old soldiers were delighted to see the boxes filled with copper coins and silver pieces. They all praised that the young county princess knew how to do business.
