Chapter 817 Snitching

Chapter 817: Snitching Chapter 817: Snitching Editor: Atlas Studios “We’re still trying to figure it out.

It’ll take a few days to complete the investigation.” Liu Qing said tiredly, “However, based on the current situation, although it involves a large area, there aren’t many people impacted.

According to his estimation, the advisor in the government office thinks about one out of 35 households is affected.” That’s around 2.9%.

This percentage might not seem high, but if it was based on the entire Lingnan, it was quite a significant number.

Moreover, they did not know if other regions other than Lingnan were affected.

“Your Highness, I wonder if you’ve discovered the source of the substitute seeds and if they are suited for the climate of Lingnan.

If the yield is alright, we can plant these grain seeds this year.

Otherwise, we’ll probably miss the spring plowing if we have to replant them.” Mu Yangling’s expression turned cold as she said, “The grain seeds are good grain seeds, and they’re from Si County, a region in Jiangnan where the cultivation of rice and the breeding of fish flourish.” “What?” Liu Qing was shocked.

“From Si County?” Blessed with abundant water and fertile soil, seven out of ten acres of fields in Si County were high-grade fields.

Due to the dense network of rivers, Si County never suffered from a lack of water even during a drought.

Therefore, the rice produced in that region was fragrant, and fish, well-fed.

The grains in Si County were famous for their fragrance, and the rice produced could be said to be top-grade.

However, at the same time, such rice was also very picky about water and soil conditions.

Other than Si County and Jiangnan, which both had abundant water and soil, it was impossible to grow this type of rice anywhere else.

Even in Lin’an City, not many people dared to plant the grain seeds of Si County, let alone Lingnan, which had infertile soil.

Liu Qing frowned in distress.

“Who is this?

Why is he so generous?

Those grain seeds are not cheap.” Mu Yangling sneered.

“That’s why this person is hard to find, but also easy to find at the same time.” Due to being picky about water and soil conditions, there was a limited number of such seeds left in Si County every year.

Thus, it was not simple for this person to buy so many of these seeds.

Although the farmers in Lingnan could not recognize the species of this seed, they would not mistake the quality and age of the seeds.

One could tell that these seeds were left behind from last year.

If one wanted to transport so many seeds to Lingnan, it was impossible to leave behind no loopholes.

“The Prince and the Duke will naturally be in charge of investigating the case.

Meanwhile, our top priority is to minimize the losses.

I’ve already asked the Harvest Grain Store to prepare other seeds.

You should inform the nearby farmers to take the documents issued by your government office and personally collect the seeds.

As for those who live further away, your government office will personally go to them to give them the seeds.

While it’s not too late, get them to quickly replant the seeds.

“If there aren’t enough Dry Rice No.

1 seeds, they can plant other rice types.

They can also plant corn or peanuts.

In short, no matter what they choose to replace it with, they have to replace all those grain seeds from Si County.” Mu Yangling rubbed her forehead and said, “Otherwise, once the summer drought starts, all the crops planted from Si County’s seeds will probably die from a lack of water.” Liu Qing nodded in agreement and sighed.

“This year’s farming and harvest will definitely be polarized.

Half of the people will transplant rice, irrigate, and harvest in advance, while the rest will be delayed for about half a month.

Who knows what drama is going to happen.

But if they don’t replant them, those affected farmers will probably have to sell their fields or children to pay for the taxes.” Mu Yangling’s heart skipped a beat.

When Qi Haoran returned at night, she asked curiously, “What do you think this person is trying to do?

He can’t bear to see Great Qi prosper, so he deliberately caused trouble?” “Other than this, what else could it be?” Qi Haoran was so tired that he lay on the bed and asked Mu Yangling to massage his shoulders and back.

He said, “Big Brother sent me a letter.

He said that there’s nothing unusual going on in Jiangnan, but this phenomenon is also taking place in Tongchuan Prefecture and other central regions.

However, the situation isn’t as serious as Lingnan.

Big Brother has already gotten someone to investigate the northern regions, and thankfully they’re fine.” “Jiangnan is under the rule of the Emperor, so it’s understandably hard for them to mess with it.

Meanwhile, the north has always been Big Brother’s territory, so there aren’t any loopholes for them to exploit either.

On the other hand, Lingnan and Tongchuan Prefecture were most seriously impacted by the rebellion situation back then.

Now, they’re also recovering more slowly than other regions.” Mu Yangling casually massaged his shoulder and leaned on it.

“I keep feeling that their goal isn’t just this.

Else, considering we’ve been in Lingnan for three years, how could we not have noticed such a huge commotion?” Apart from the army, Fan Zijin’s trading company was also operating in Lingnan.

Those shops must be where all those spies were planted.

“Unless…” “Unless someone is covering for them.” A cold glint flashed across Qi Haoran’s eyes as he turned around and looked straight at his wife.

“Lingnan!” Those who could cover for the culprit naturally wielded a certain amount of power in Lingnan.

Qi Haoran instantly thought up a few candidates in his heart ,the first being the various prefectures in Lingnan.

However, he quickly dismissed the idea.

This was because in the past two to three years, some of the upper, middle, and lower-ranked officials in Lingnan had been transferred away by Qi Xiuyuan and Qi Haoran.

Those newly-hired officials would not be on the same side as those existing officials.

In addition, he was assured of the character of a few loyal and direct ministers there.

Then could it be the Miao people?

Or the local gentry of Lingnan?

Frowning, Qi Haoran said, “We have to investigate this matter further.

However, since they dare to mess with me, I definitely won’t let them off easy.” At this moment, there were indeed a few families in Ju Prefecture City that were having a hard time.

Finally, they had an excuse to gather at one family’s birthday banquet and at this moment, they were blaming each other for screwing up, leading Prince Rong’s estate to realize that something was amiss.

Gentry Qian said with a livid expression, “Alright, stop grumbling.

Who would have thought that the dignified Princess Consort would go to the farmstead to check on the crops and personally dig up the seeds?

And to think she could even differentiate between the seeds?” “Then what do you think we should do now, Brother Qian?

This matter has already been exposed…” Thinking of Prince Rong’s iron-blooded methods, Gentry Wei’s face turned slightly pale.

Gentry Qian glanced at him and said to everyone, “What does this have to do with us?

We can just live life as usual.

Since we don’t even have anyone who’s holding an official position in the court, it’s not as if we know what’s going on in the court anyway.” “So we play the waiting game?” Gentry Tan asked softly.

Gentry Qian smiled in admiration.

The few of them whispered to each other for a while and came to the conclusion that this was the only way.

However, Gentry Wei kept feeling that it was not safe.

He whispered, “Don’t forget, there are many more seeds of Dry Rice No.

1 in our fields now.” Gentry Qian snorted coldly and said, “The seedlings are already two inches tall now, and the seeds have long grown out of shape.

How can she still recognize them?

In a while, we’ll get our long-term workers to transplant the rice, and by then those seeds can’t be seen anymore.

Don’t all the seedlings in the world look the same?

I don’t believe that she’ll still be able to recognize them.” The few people present were landlords of several generations, so they naturally did not know about farming.

To them, all green seedlings looked exactly the same and there was no difference between them at all.

However, he did not know that in the eyes of people who knew how to farm, there was a way to tell the difference between seedlings, too.

Mu Yangling, who could not even differentiate between wheat and millet seedlings in the past, could naturally tell now.

Before Mu Yangling found her way to those people, the tenant farmers farming the rice fields were the first to develop doubts.

A bold and meticulous person secretly ran to Prince’s Residence to snitch.

At that time, Mu Yangling was still eating breakfast.

When she heard this, she looked at the sky outside and saw that it was dark and gloomy.

It was only about four in the morning.

She had woken up early because she planned to patrol the grain store’s warehouse in advance.

She was surprised to see someone show up at her door this early in the morning.

“Snitch?

On what?” “I don’t know.

No matter how I asked him, that person refused to speak.

He insists on seeing you or His Highness personally.”

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