When the imperial decree of ennoblement was delivered to Qingzhou, it was already mid-November. At the beginning of winter, it was quite a bit cooler.
This was the Jiang family's second time receiving an imperial decree. Although they were also excited, with the experience from the previous time, they were much calmer.
After the angel arrived, he didn't waste words and went to the prepared incense table to loudly announce: "Prefect of Qingzhou County, Jiang Wenyuan receives the decree."
After the Jiang family knelt in front of the incense table, he unrolled the imperial decree and started reading it aloud: "Hereby ordered! The Emperor decrees:
Qingzhou County Prefect Jiang Wenyuan has successively cultivated high-yield varieties of sweet potatoes and rice, invented new harvesting tools called rice threshers, and also grown watermelons, a tribute item from foreign lands, his achievements benefit the current generation and posterity.
He is specially granted the title of Marquess of Qingzhou, hereditary for three generations before degrading a rank, with a fief of one thousand households.
Granted, one mansion in Rongning Street, Ningkang District, Qingzhou Marquess Mansion, three thousand mu of fertile fields outside the capital, two thousand taels of gold, five thousand taels of silver, three boxes of gems and precious stones, two hundred bolts of gauze and silk, ordering him to continue promoting new grain varieties without error. This is decreed!"
"Your subject thanks Your Majesty for his abundant grace, long live, long live, long live!" After kowtowing, Jiang Wenyuan respectfully accepted the imperial decree from the angel with both hands.
The angel also said, "The Emperor verbally instructed that the young marquess bears heavy responsibilities. After receiving the decree, there is no need to hurry to the capital to give thanks. Wait until the end of the three-year term as county prefect, then go to the capital."
"Yes, your subject accepts the decree." With a handful of grain varieties in hand, but unable to release them ahead of time, at this critical juncture, he really did not feel assured to just go to the capital and give thanks.
Now, with the Emperor's verbal instructions, he really breathed a sigh of relief.
Just as he was about to get up, the angel took out another scroll of the imperial decree, smiled and asked, "May I ask which one is Jiang Yuqing, rural noble, please come to the front."
The angel who came this time was surnamed Lin, Old Man Lin, he was Li Deshun's adopted son. Otherwise, he wouldn't get such a good job.
Before leaving the capital, he had received repeated urging from his adopted father to not put on any airs in front of the Jiang family. If he offended them, he would be skinned alive when he came back.
Especially the young rural noble of the Jiang family, she was his adopted father's beloved person, he absolutely could not be negligent.
When he asked this, the Jiang family members all turned their heads to look for Jiang Yuqing.
Suddenly, a little head peeked out from behind Jiang Wenyuan and Lu, and said in a milky voice: "Angel Sir, are you looking for me?"
When Old Man Lin saw her, he was delighted: "Oh, you must be Jiang Yuqing? Come, young rural noble, please come to the front, you are the main character in this imperial decree."
"Oh, okay."
Jiang Wenyuan exchanged places with his daughter, letting his precious daughter kneel at the front.
The little dumpling, kneeling there, back straight as a pen.
Her big grape-like eyes shone brightly as she looked at the angel announcing the decree at the front, making Old Man Lin's heart melt. He secretly thought no wonder his adopted father liked this little girl so much, she really was adorable.
Old Man Lin coughed and then began to read the imperial decree: "Hereby ordered! The Emperor decrees:
Jiang Yuqing, daughter of the Marquess of Qingzhou, has assisted her father in designing a new rice thresher, at a young age she is clever and wise. She is truly a model for girls of this generation, she is specially granted the title of "rural noble", titled Linghui.
Granted, the two villages of Xijin ferry and Xiushui Bay in Qingzhou County West as her fief, granted one pair of gold and one jade ruyi each, one set of ruby, mutton fat white jade, and gold-inlaid jade headdresses each, plus some other jewelry. This is decreed!"
"Your subject thanks His Majesty for his abundant grace, long live, long live, long live!"
Old Man Lin smiled and said, "Congratulations to the young marquess, congratulations to the young rural noble."
Jiang Wenyuan smiled, cupped his fists towards Old Man Lin, and handed over a pouch.
"Congratulations, congratulations. Sir has worked hard along the way, this is a small token, please have some tea, I hope Sir will not look down on it."
Old Man Lin accepted it imperceptibly: "Young marquess is too courteous, our family still relies on the young marquess' care."
The little dumpling then remembered that she was supposed to give a tip to the imperial decree deliverer.
The pouch her father gave was light, presumably containing banknotes, she didn't know the exact amount, but it must be no less than one hundred taels.
The dumpling tucked the imperial decree under her arm, lowered her head to touch her own little pouch embroidered with fat goldfish.
Inside there were only broken silver coins and over a dozen coppers that her mother had put in earlier.
It seemed too shabby to tip the angel.
However, she was just a little girl, she believed others would not really compete with her over these things. The thought was what mattered.
Thinking this, she took off her own little pouch, tiptoed, and stuffed it over to Old Man Lin, saying word for word: "I give you all I have, please have some tea, Sir."
Old Man Lin bent down, smilingly accepted the jingling little pouch: "Oh my, thank you so much, young rural noble. My family will definitely have two more cups of tea."
Not only was she favored by His Majesty, but also the beloved of the Crown Prince and his adopted father.
Let alone broken silver coins and coppers, even if it contained pebbles, he would have to treasure it carefully.
Old Man Lin did not stay long at the Jiang's, after sitting for a while he returned to the capital to report. Jiang Wenyuan escorted him all the way to the village entrance.
After Old Man Lin left, the old clan chief opened the doors of the ancestral hall, and ordered the young men to set off firecrackers to respectfully invite the imperial decree onto the altar.
The newly titled "Marquess of Qingzhou" Jiang Wenyuan and his daughter "Rural Noble Linghui" each carried their own ennoblement decrees, one after the other, respectfully brought the decrees onto the altar, and placed them together with the previous Earl decree.
The golden yellow color, illuminated by candlelight, seemed to add a layer of soft glow even to the cold ancestral spirit tablets above.
This was truly glorifying their ancestors.
Jiang Yuqing looked at the thick, yellowed genealogy placed on the offering table, and thought to herself; You have accepted me with your magnanimity, I will also use my wisdom to bring glory to you.
Who says women are inferior to men!
This time, the Jiang family did not host flowing banquets again. Now the Qingzhou marquess mansion was at the height of its glory, not suitable for such high profile events.
Therefore, Jiang Wenyuan only sent people to buy several fat pigs for slaughter, giving 10 jin of meat per household in Xijin ferry, which was considered hosting a banquet.
Relying on planting sweet potatoes, the villagers of Xijin ferry and Xiushui Bay were making money hand over fist.
After the autumn harvest, every family started renovating their houses, many of which were now brick and tiled houses. Even the poorest Old Lady Yang bought materials, queued up waiting for the work team to renovate her house.
Because so many people were renovating houses, for a while it even stimulated a small boom for the brick and tile workshops.
No one in the two villages mentioned anything about the high-yield grains. Since Jiang Wenyuan was there, if anyone was implicated, it wouldn't be them anyway.
Especially now the two villages were Jiang Yuqing's fief. This made them even less likely to be implicated.
Thinking that in addition to sweet potatoes, next year they could also plant watermelons and high-yield rice, everyone was burning with impatience, wishing the new year would come sooner so that spring plowing could start.
Only then could they see hope, and truly live.
At the end of November, the cold winds blew harder and harder.
After a frost, the 23 mu of late planted sweet potatoes behind the Jiang house were finally harvested.
After weighing, the average yield per mu was less than 4,300 jin. Planted so late, this yield was still quite good.
Firstly, there was Jiang Yuqing's special abilities and the spiritual spring water, secondly, the weather this year was good with late cold weather, otherwise the seeds might not even have been harvested.
In summary, it was still too risky and shouldn't be done this way next year.
After the harvest, the remaining sweet potato vines, apart from a small portion taken back home to feed the livestock, were all chopped up and plowed into the soil to rot and become excellent fertilizer.
As the saying goes, the fallen red leaves bear no grudges, becoming spring mud to nourish more flowers.
After the sweet potatoes were finished, the farm work was thoroughly slowed down.
Because of their contribution in assisting grain planting, the three agricultural officials living in the Jiang house were promoted and transferred from Qingzhou to other prefectures and counties to assist local officials in promoting new grains.
At the same time, a new appointment arrived posthaste from the capital to the Jiang house.
Jiang Wenxi and Jiang Wenkang, for their contribution in assisting grain planting, were appointed by the court as eighth-rank agricultural officials. After new year, they would go to the neighboring Jiangzhou County and Yunxi County respectively to guide sweet potato and new rice planting.
The two brothers had planted crops facing the earth all their lives, never expecting planting could earn them official positions. Smiles blossomed on their dark red faces.
Lin smiled heartily, joking: "I thought being the sister-in-law of a marquess was impressive enough, I never expected I would have a day as an official's wife myself."
"My lady, you really give me too much face. I'll go back to my parents' home tomorrow, and my father will surely toast you a couple more glasses of wine," said Lin. Her words made everyone in the room burst into laughter. Of course, Jiang Wenkang absolutely dared not let his father-in-law toast him.
Even if his father-in-law really did so, he would not dare accept it. Whether he was filial or not aside, his wife could punch his dog head and shatter it.
Compared to Lin's breeziness, Zhu's eyes were red. She had never dreamed that she would have the day of being an official's wife.
Among the three daughters-in-law of the Jiang family, she had the most difficult birth. Not to mention losing her parents at a young age, she had also met with such a pair of heartless brother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Fortunately, after marrying into the Jiang family, her in-laws were reasonable, her sisters-in-law were friendly, her husband loved and valued her. Now her husband had also become an official, so she could be considered as having a turn for the better after hardship.
Lu, who had been sisters-in-law with her for many years, knew at a glance what Zhu was thinking.
She didn't say anything, just gently hugged Zhu and patted her back. Lin also smiled and hugged her, saying, "It's all over!"
Seeing the three daughters-in-law so affectionate with each other greatly comforted Old Lady Hu.
It was said that a good wife meant good fortune. The Old Jiang House had married three good daughters-in-law, which gave rise to a hall full of good children and grandchildren.
Old Lady Hu felt that even if she died now, she could close her eyes in peace.
In the twelfth lunar month, the official promotion document that Jiang Wenyuan had applied for his family was approved.
Old Lady Hu and Lu were both granted the title of Madam of the Second Rank.
Old Lady Hu was called "Old Madam", and Lu was called "Marquise". Jiang Wenyuan's elder brother Jiang Yuchuan was also granted the title of Heir Apparent.
At this point, Jiang Wenyuan had truly achieved honoring his wife and providing for his children.
There was an old saying that after the twelfth month began, it was the new year. Whether rich or poor, marrying a wife was better than celebrating the new year.
The time before the new year was also the peak time for folk weddings.
This year, every household in Xijin ferry had made a lot of money. Not only were there rows of new houses, but new daughters-in-law were also brought in one after another.
On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month was an auspicious day for weddings.
The Eldest Grandson Huazi of the old clan chief was getting married. According to custom, they had to invite a Madam Fu, the Goddess of Fortune, to spread the beds for the newlyweds, and then find a pair of golden boys and jade girls to step on the beds.
In the whole of Qingzhou, who else could have the fortune of the wife and children of the Marquess of Qingzhou?
The old clan chief's eldest daughter-in-law then suggested inviting Lu to spread the beds for the newlyweds, and letting her pair of children come to step on the beds.
However, as soon as she said this, the old clan chief shut it down.
He frowned and said, "No matter how good your son and my grandson are, they are still just commoners. What virtues and abilities do they have that allow a second-rank marchioness to spread beds for them? Aren't you afraid of shortening their lives?
As for the Heir Apparent and the Viscount, how could we even think of involving them? Stop this nonsense!"
His daughter-in-law didn't even dare to breathe loudly after being scolded by him, and could only let it go.
