mtl008 Chapter 229 The two people parted ways
Chapter 229 The two people parted ways
Tian Tian turned to Ling Yao, her expression completely calm, "That's natural."
"Young Master Ling is going south to personally lead the soldiers in farming. He may encounter many unknown problems during this time. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask."
"I, Tian Er, will speak frankly and without reservation."
Faced with such a gaze, Ling Yao could only adjust his emotions and prioritize the overall situation.
"Thank you for your hard work, Second Sister," he wrote on the paper.
Tian Tian cupped her hands in greeting, "Then starting tomorrow, I will wait for you every day in greenhouse number seven at Qianjiazhuangzi."
Ling Yao nodded, thinking to himself that he would definitely go every day.
Consider this the last time I'll spend with her.
*
Tian Tian was actually worried; she was afraid that Ling Yao would bring up those sentimental things with her again.
She had already firmly refused once, and if he brought it up again, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to be so resolute.
To her surprise, Ling Yao didn't mention it again.
Not a single word was mentioned.
He returned to the attitude he had when they first met, wholeheartedly dedicated to learning how to grow rice.
Previously, due to his loss of speech, his method of communication became even quieter.
This made Tian Tian feel quite uncomfortable.
"You should also teach the soldiers the process of cultivating potato seedlings," Tian Tian said, turning her head to look at Ling Yao.
Ling Yao didn't look over, but nodded in agreement.
Tian Tian felt a little disappointed.
Humans are always so conflicted.
She rejected him, afraid he would keep bothering her.
But when he actually stopped bothering her, she was disappointed again.
Ling Yao carefully examined the sweet potato seedbed that Tian Tian had laid out.
The sweet potatoes were arranged close together, each one slightly tilted.
In addition to textual descriptions, he also included pictures, and meticulously recorded details such as soil and moisture.
After taking notes, he handed the booklet to Tian Tian and waited for her feedback like a student.
Tian Tian looked at the handwriting in the booklet. Unlike the letter of affection he wrote for her, the handwriting was very steady and elegant, which showed that he was in a peaceful mood at the moment.
"Right, that is it."
Tian Tian affirmed, handing the booklet back to him casually, "Be careful to avoid freezing this month."
“Using greenhouses like I do is one method, and covering them with straw last year was also a way to keep them warm.”
"You can also cover it with other things, as long as it can keep the heat in place."
Ling Yao continued recording without any distraction.
His affair with Tian Tian was between the two of them, but the sweet potato was a matter for the soldiers on the border of Daqi and for the people of Daqi. Ling Yao was clear about which was more important.
"Second Miss, you can go and do whatever you need to do. I'll take care of things here." Ling Yao handed the written note to Tian Tian.
Before she could finish reading, he had already moved to the other side to check.
Tian Tian held the note in her hand and said, "Okay, feel free to ask me any questions."
Not wanting to remain awkwardly any longer, she left the greenhouse with slightly unsteady steps.
Isn't this exactly the result she wanted?
She should be happy.
Why do I feel so sad?
Inside the greenhouse, Ling Yao's pretense crumbled instantly with Tian Tian's departure.
Sure enough, only by avoiding any mention of feelings and sticking to a purely businesslike approach could I get a response from her.
Since that's the case, let's continue like this.
*
The daily progress of the potato vines was recorded in Ling Yao's paintings.
As the potato vines grew more leaves and roots, Ling Yao and Tian Tian gradually parted ways.
The method for harvesting potato vines is very simple.
Cut the vines at the base of healthy potato plants, keeping only the thick rootlets.
Because Ling Yao had to take the potato seedlings south, and the journey would take nearly a month.
To ensure the survival of the potato vines, they must be kept moist and warm throughout the transportation process.
Tian Tian gave Ling Yao some thin plastic film to cover the potato vines…
*
On the day Ling Yao left, Li Huaiyuan led the yamen runners to see him off at the city gate.
Ling Yao faced Li Huaiyuan, but his gaze skipped over Li Huaiyuan's shoulder and looked behind him.
Wei Shaoyuan stood behind Ling Yao, his gaze not falling on Li Huaiyuan.
Li Huaiyuan awkwardly tugged at the corners of his mouth, drawing the two back to their attention, "Heming, your injury hasn't fully healed yet, remember to take your medicine along the way."
"Lord Wei, Heming's injury depends entirely on you."
"Once we get to the south, there is a famous doctor in the military camp named Guo Qing. We must ask him to examine Heming's injuries."
Wei Shaoyuan quickly cupped his hands in greeting, "Lord Li, please rest assured, I will definitely take good care of the young master."
Li Huaiyuan nodded. Seeing that Ling Yao still looked absent-minded, he helplessly walked up to him and patted him lightly on the shoulder.
"Crane Cry, it's time to set off."
Ling Yao looked into the distance again...
Li Huaiyuan sighed, "Heming, the important matter comes first."
"This trip to the south to plant sweet potatoes is of great importance and cannot be delayed."
"If things are accomplished successfully, the achievement will be immense, and perhaps I can then raise my own request with my aunt and uncle..."
Ling Yao overheard his implied meaning.
Ling Yao finally came to his senses and nodded.
He turned around and saw more than a dozen horse-drawn carriages behind him.
Most of the carriages contained sweet potato seedlings that could be directly propagated by cuttings, while the remaining half contained sweet potatoes, rice seeds, potatoes, and corn that Tian Tian had prepared separately.
Tian Tian meant that if the sweet potato seedlings lost water along the way and became useless for propagation in the south, he could use those sweet potatoes to cultivate the seedlings himself.
If the people on the other side of the sandbar also grow rice, then we can let them try growing high-yield rice.
As for potatoes and corn, you can try planting them on the sandbar.
If the crops are planted well, the soldiers can cultivate the wasteland on the sandbar and plant more crops when there is no war.
If they can't finish it, they can sell it to her.
In this way, more military equipment can be acquired.
The extra military equipment can be distributed to the soldiers as pay, or used to upgrade their weapons or other benefits.
Seeing these things, Ling Yao couldn't help but think of Tian Tian again.
She thought so much about the soldiers... he felt somewhat ashamed of himself for not being able to do as well.
In his view, it was he who was not good enough for Tian Tian, not the other way around.
But it doesn't matter, he can slowly realize her wishes on his way to the sandbar!
"Let's go," Li Huaiyuan urged again.
Ling Yao nodded emphatically, looked at Wei Shaoyuan, waved his hand, and signaled him to set off.
The two turned around...
"Isn't that Miss Tian Er?"
Ling Yao turned around abruptly, his eyes asking, "Where is she?"
*
Tian Tian and Xiao Si traveled quickly along the way...
"Xiao Si, hurry up."
Xiao Si was carrying all sorts of things on his back, which were so heavy that his back was about to give out.
My legs and feet ached so much I felt like I wasn't even myself anymore; all I knew was to keep running forward.
This second daughter is really something...
Since we've prepared so much stuff, we should have Young Master Ling come and pick it up sooner rather than later.
Standing inside the south city gate, Tian Tian saw Li Huaiyuan's back and knew that Ling Yao hadn't left yet, so she breathed a sigh of relief.
He turned around and urged, "Hurry up, Xiao Si..."
Xiao Si was panting heavily... He wanted to go fast too.
Tian Tian turned around and saw Ling Yao coming over. Because she had caught up, she couldn't help but smile and say, "Young Master Ling."
She took off her bundle and said, "It's so good to have met you."
"These are the dry rations I prepared, so I can eat them on the road."
Xiao Si finally reached Ling Yao and began to take off his bundle...
"Young Master Ling, these things... our Second Miss started preparing them after the New Year..."
Upon hearing this, Tian Tian immediately glared at him, "Stop talking and put the things down quickly."
Xiao Si had no choice but to stop talking and continue putting things down.
“I put the recipe in everything,” Tian Tian explained.
Over the past month, she has prepared sausages, fried noodles, biscuits, and vermicelli—dry rations that are convenient to eat on the road.
They also took some frozen food from the teahouse.
These items are all individually packaged and vacuum-sealed, so they can be stored for a long time.
Ling Yao and Wei Shaoyuan could eat all the way to the sandbar without it spoiling.
"Thank you, Miss Tian Er." Ling Yao felt a warmth in her heart and took out her charcoal pencil to write.
Tian Tian took a breath and waved her hand, "You're welcome."
Li Huaiyuan saw this from a short distance away and asked a yamen runner to help him carry the items.
Watching the packages being brought back one after another, Li Huaiyuan couldn't help but roll his eyes.
These two people...
Ling Yao and Tian Tian stared at each other for a long while, seemingly oblivious to everyone else, as if they had a thousand things to say but neither of them uttered a word.
"Crane Cry, it's time to go."
Li Huaiyuan reminded him for the third time.
Ling Yao took a step back, stood still, and bowed to Tian Tian with his hands clasped in respect...
Without him saying anything, Tian Tian knew he was thanking her on behalf of the soldiers from the south.
"Young Master Ling, there's no need to be so polite! Please get going."
Ling Yao straightened up, gave Tian Tian a deep look, and then turned away...
Wei Shaoyuan pouted, feeling extremely wronged.
Miss Tian the Second came to see Young Master Ling off, but Miss Tian the Eldest did not come.
Hey...
Before Ling Yao could get into the carriage, Tian Tian looked at Xiao Si, whose breathing was still not steady, and said, "Xiao Si, let's go back."
Xiao Si: "..."
*
Since Ling Yao left, nothing has changed in Baishi County.
But Li Huaiyuan and Tian Tian started getting busy.
The most important thing is for the people of Yunzhou Prefecture to grow high-yield rice.
The Prefect of Yunzhou Prefecture has already sent a letter. After they returned, they notified the magistrates of other counties, instructing them to inform the people in advance to plow and fertilize their fields, and then wait for the rice seedlings from Baishi County.
In other words, Tian Tian is going to cultivate enough rice seedlings for the entire population of Yunzhou Prefecture this year.
Li Huaiyuan invited Tian Tian over.
He also knew that it was really too much to ask Tian Tian to be in charge of cultivating the rice seedlings needed by the entire population of Yunzhou Prefecture.
Leaving aside how much rice is needed to grow so many rice seedlings, the seedbeds alone would require hundreds of acres.
Tian Tian's land is for growing vegetables and grains, and she hasn't received any money from it. We can't expect her to use her land for seedling cultivation, can we?
This is precisely where Tian Tian's dilemma lies.
Given that she is opening a branch store and needs to buy land, it's unrealistic to expect her to set aside a large area for seedling cultivation.
“I can raise seedlings, but not on my own land.”
Tian Tian looked at Li Huaiyuan with neither humility nor arrogance, "Lord Li, I can raise the rice seedlings that Baishi County needs in my own field."
"But the rice seedlings of other counties and prefectural governors must be allocated a plot of land by each county itself."
“I can go to other counties to cultivate seedlings.”
She was already planning to buy land and look at shops in other counties, and this just happened...
"After all, these rice seedlings are precious and fragile, and they are very likely to die during long-distance transportation."
That's a good reason.
Li Huaiyuan immediately replied, "Alright, then I'll write a letter to the Prefect and ask the other county magistrates to make preparations in advance."