mtl008 Chapter 962 Returning to 8'ao
Chapter 962 Returning to 8'ao
“I won’t go to Leizhou.” Jing Chunxi’s fingertips rubbed the warm cup. “After Third Brother and Third Cousin leave, I will go with Third Uncle to unload the grain.”
These words made Jing Changning's shoulders relax almost imperceptibly: "Then there's no rush. Xi'er, first have a private chat with your third aunt. Your third uncle needs to arrange guards for the granary at the yamen. Then I'll accompany you to Shiba'ao."
“Shiba'ao?” Jing Chunxi raised her eyebrows in surprise. The name of the place was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, rippling in her heart. “Why go to Shiba'ao?” She originally thought they should find a riverside dock to unload the grain. Why did they have to go into the mountain valley?
“The gold mine you unloaded was completely depleted last year, and most of the sand miners have moved to Cangwu.” Jing Changning’s sigh stirred the official documents on his desk. “It’s a real pity that those villages in Shiba’ao have been abandoned.”
He glanced up and saw his niece's focused expression, then continued, "Many of the soldiers stationed there, some married and some wounded, were left behind. My third uncle had them work among the rubber trees, protecting the forest. Knowing you were sending grain, he had already sent people to apply three layers of moisture-proofing to the work sheds and spacious houses with rubber." His fingers unconsciously traced the patterns on the teacup. "That place has always been heavily guarded. Leaving some garrison troops and adding some yamen runners is the safest way to store grain. The stream is also convenient for transporting the grain."
"Are Cuifang and Sanniu still in the village?" Jing Chunxi suddenly pictured the little girl with her hair in two buns and the skinny, dark-skinned boy running around the mountains naked, and couldn't help but chuckle. Her fingertips traced circles on the table, a hint of trepidation and anticipation rising within her as she approached home.
“How could my third uncle recognize the children from the mountains?” Jing Changning shook his head helplessly, his official robe sleeve sweeping across the map on the table. “The original villagers should still be there, but it’s hard to say about the military dependents.”
Seeing the starlight in her eyes dim slightly, he softened his voice: "You'll know when you get there. Even if you return to the North, just ask your eldest uncle."
“No need for that.” Jing Chunxi suddenly felt relieved, remembering what her third sister-in-law Ling Xiao had said when they went south.
As dusk deepens outside the window, a few birds flit across the eaves. The connections between people are like mountain streams: when they meet, the waters surge; when they diverge, each flows to its own vast ocean. Since we are all just passing through, why cling to the hope of reunion?
She lowered her eyes to look at the monk fruit floating in the tea soup, letting her melancholy drift away with the cooking smoke in the evening breeze.
Compared to a few years ago, the trees in Shiba'ao are now much more lush and verdant, with the greenery covering the mountains and fields as rich and vibrant as if splashed with ink.
The branches of those ancient, towering trees have become even more vigorous, and the newly sprouted rubber tree seedlings have grown to a height of about ten feet. Their tender leaves rustle in the spring breeze, as if telling of the joy of growth.
Sunlight filters through the layers of tree canopy, casting dappled, dancing light and shadow across the forest, and even the air is filled with the unique, refreshing scent of resin.
The She lands that were originally barren and whose yields were not very high even with the use of space-based seeds are now almost entirely planted with rubber trees.
These slopes, which once could barely grow some short crops, are now covered with neat rubber trees. The tender green saplings sway gently in the breeze, as if the mountains and fields are draped in a brand-new green silk.
"See that? That simple shed halfway up the mountain is the resin collection and rudimentary workshop that the Crown Prince supervised the construction of last time." When they got close to the villages in Shiba'ao, Jing Chunxi got off the carriage and rode a horse, and Jing Changning was able to introduce them to each one in detail.
He pointed to the mountainside, where, nestled among layers of lush greenery, gray-tiled and wooden sheds were arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, like a string of pearls adorning the verdant mountains.
"Between those two villages, in that towering workshop area, is where the glue is boiled and the resin products are cast." Seeing the wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys, Jing Changning smiled with pride.
His gaze followed the wisps of smoke, a look of satisfaction appearing on his face, as if he were admiring a meticulously painted scroll.
"Now, the small countries in the southern border rely almost entirely on our workshops in Lingnan for their rubber products, accounting for at least 70-80% of their consumption. According to the Emperor and the Crown Prince's wishes, all the proceeds from these three years' trade will be used to purchase durable grains." His tone carried a hint of pride as he gently stroked the reins, his gaze fixed on the busy workshops in the distance, as if he could already see cartloads of rubber products being transported to the various countries in the southern border.
Finally, he tightened the reins, turned to Jing Chunxi, and said, "The Crown Prince's intention is that Xi'er has worked too hard in the past few years. Now that he is in charge of disaster relief, Xi'er doesn't need to worry or exert herself too much. After this experience, you must not use the space again without his permission." His voice was gentle but firm, and his eyes were full of concern and tenderness.
He noticed that Jing Chunxi's gaze had softened considerably. "The Crown Prince's intention is that the matter of the space should remain a secret among us. Even if Xi'er has children or grandchildren with him in the future, it should never be mentioned again." His words fell softly, yet carried immense weight, each word seemingly etched into the annals of time.
"He... really said that?" Jing Chunxi stared at her uncle in disbelief. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the reins, and a complex expression flashed in her eyes, a mixture of surprise and indescribable emotion.
"Yes! The Crown Prince spoke frankly with your third uncle, promising that he is now capable of protecting you." Jing Changning nodded solemnly, his eyes revealing trust and affirmation in the Crown Prince's promise.
"I understand," Jing Chunxi replied, but she wasn't particularly moved. Thinking of the disaster the Imperial Observatory had mentioned, which was expected to strike in about a year to a little over, she dared not relax and naturally wanted to face it together with him.
"Huh? Not only can't I, a princess, get close without a special token? How come the child can run around inside like this?"
As they approached the workshops, two small figures suddenly flashed past and disappeared into the direction of the workshops. The soldiers guarding the gate didn't even stop them. Jing Chunxi exclaimed, "We can't leave the children alone. If a spy appears, the production of resin will no longer be a secret." Her voice was filled with obvious anxiety, her eyes following the two disappearing figures, and her fingers unconsciously tightened their grip on the riding whip.
What she was thinking was: if other countries were to steal the technology and disrupt the trade of resin injection products, Daqing would suffer significant losses, and it might even affect disaster relief efforts. This thought made her heart tighten, as if she could already see the chain reaction that the leak of secrets might trigger.
“Xi’er will know once she goes in and takes a look.” To her surprise, she saw that her third uncle showed no panic whatsoever, as if it were perfectly normal for a child to enter freely. Jing Changning even had a faint smile on his lips, as if he had anticipated her reaction.
Instead, he said, "These children are all safe and reliable; they are our people." His tone was calm and confident, and his eyes revealed a thorough understanding of the matter.