Chapter 99: Seeking Solutions!

Xingnong hurried back to the city, went to the yamen, and looked for Ren Zilin to write a travel permit, but neither he nor Chu Tiankuo was there.

She simply rushed back to the restaurant, taught the remaining two or three dishes, and then agreed with everyone to launch a new dish every two months. She would write down all the new dishes in detail and hand them over to everyone. If there were any questions, they could communicate by letter.

As the sun set, Xingnong walked out of the Welcome Inn, also warmly seen off by the chefs.

She planned to go to the yamen to see if Ren Zilin and Chu Tiankuo had returned and to inquire at the pier or the carriage depot about any boats or caravans heading to the capital tomorrow.

Unexpectedly, she saw Songbai waiting with the carriage outside the Welcome Inn’s gate.

Songbai immediately drove the carriage over when he saw Xingnong: “Miss Xingnong, Master said that your farming tools are ready.”

Xingnong was surprised to hear this. They were made so quickly?

Those things weren’t simple, were they?

The carriage curtain lifted, revealing a handsome face: “Go and see?”

Ren Zilin also poked his head out: “Junior Sister!”

She nodded at the two of them: “Yes, I have something to ask you.”

Xingnong got into the carriage.

Seeing her serious expression, Chu Tiankuo’s face turned serious. He placed one hand on the carriage roof and helped her into the carriage with the other.

The carriage moved steadily.

Songbai also felt that Xingnong’s aura was somewhat special today. He carefully drove the carriage, no longer daring to speed.

Ren Zilin curiously asked: “Junior Sister, what do you need from us?”

“I need a travel permit to enter the capital.”

Chu Tiankuo poured Xingnong a cup of tea: “You want to go to the capital?”

“Yes.” Xingnong was indeed thirsty after a busy day. She hadn’t even eaten lunch, but she was full from tasting the dishes.

“Shen Ruolan came back today to take Xingqing to the capital. I’m worried that it might be related to the marriage with the Yao family. I plan to go to the capital to bring Xingqing back.”

Ren Zilin was surprised: “You’re going to the capital alone?”

“Is there a problem?”

Ren Zilin wanted to say that it was dangerous for a woman to go to the capital alone, but Xingnong was not an ordinary delicate woman. “No, just surprised.”

Chu Tiankuo: “It won’t be about the Yao family’s marriage. If you’re worried, I can send a message back to the capital and have someone keep an eye on the situation at Princess Changle’s Residence. I’ll be returning to the capital in a couple of days, and you’ll need to go to the capital then too. We’ll set off together.”

Ren Zilin: “You’re going back to the capital? Why didn’t I know? What about me?”

Chu Tiankuo glanced at him indifferently: “You’re the county magistrate here. What do you think?”

Ren Zilin: “…”

Damn, these two heartless people wanted to leave him behind and fly away together again!

Xingnong didn’t pay attention to him saying “you’ll need to go to the capital then too,” thinking it was a slip of the tongue. She focused on, “It won’t be about the Yao family’s marriage?”

Chu Tiankuo nodded: “Yes, it won’t be about the Yao family’s marriage. There’s no benefit for the Empress Dowager and Princess Changle in this marriage. They don’t need to do that.”

Ren Zilin added: “Princess Changle has a good reputation in the capital and is deeply loved by the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Having Miss Shen marry into the Yao family would firstly displease the Emperor, making him think they are colluding with Prime Minister Liang, and secondly, it would be bad for Princess Changle’s reputation. It would harm others without benefiting themselves, so they wouldn’t do that.”

Finally, he remembered that Xingnong probably didn’t know about the power dynamics in the capital and added: “The eldest daughter of the Yao family is the Prime Minister’s wife, and the two families are closely connected.”

Xingnong frowned upon hearing this. If it wasn’t about the Yao family’s marriage, then it was even worse. If it was about the Yao family, she could still find a way to solve it. But if it wasn’t, what was their motive for taking Xingqing to the capital?

She still had to go to the capital as soon as possible to understand the situation.

Ren Zilin looked at Chu Tiankuo: “Why do you think the Princess’s Residence suddenly took someone to the capital?”

Chu Tiankuo was enveloped in a layer of frost: “The marriage alliance.”

The Chu State no longer had any princesses of marriageable age. The Zhao State was restless, and if they wanted a marriage alliance, it could only be a county princess.

Ren Zilin was startled: “No way?”

Then he thought of something and felt it was very likely!

Princess Changle had a good reputation and was the most outstanding among the county princesses in terms of appearance. She was the most likely candidate to be chosen by the Zhao State.

✿✿✿

The Eldest Princess had passed away, and she had no mother to rely on. Naturally, she would worry about being chosen.

Although the Emperor loved her, he also loved the Eldest Princess back then.

A murderous intent flashed in Xingnong’s eyes.

Chu Tiankuo glanced at Xingnong and comforted her: “Don’t worry, it’s not that easy. And this is just my guess. If she really has this idea, she might turn misfortune into a blessing!”

Ren Zilin glanced at Chu Tiankuo, “What sinister plan do you have? You’re the most insidious and cunning person! You must tell us this time, don’t hide it from us, right Junior Sister?”

Last time with the grain seeds, he wondered if Prime Minister Liang in the capital had received the news. If he did, he must have been so angry that he vomited blood, right?

He had been deceived by him!

He didn’t tell him until the last moment!

Chu Tiankuo ignored him.

Xingnong thought of something and nodded: “Right!”

Ren Zilin: “See, Junior Sister agrees. What did you think of, tell us quickly.”

Xingnong glanced at him in surprise: “I meant that ‘she might turn misfortune into a blessing’ is right.”

Ren Zilin: “. . .”

Why did he feel like he was being excluded by these two heartless people again?

Wuwuwu, how could she turn misfortune into a blessing?

Seeking solutions!

~

Soon, the carriage left the city and arrived in front of an estate.

Inside the estate, three “giant” farming tools were placed side by side in an open space.

Old Master Kong was walking around these three things in circles.

He saw Xingnong get off the carriage and immediately said excitedly: “Xingnong girl, come here quickly. How did you come up with these three things?”

The farming tools Xingnong had shown Chu Tiankuo before were the winnowing fan, the foot-pedaled thresher, and the manual reaper.

Chu Tiankuo had found Old Master Kong and asked him to find someone to make these.

When Old Master Kong understood the ingenuity and function of the things drawn in the diagrams, he was so excited that he couldn’t sleep at night. He had people work on them overnight for several nights, and finally, they were made!

These three things were wonderful!

Especially the foot-pedaled thresher and the manual reaper.

Absolutely wonderful!

Xingnong: “I’ve seen similar things.”

Old Master Kong automatically interpreted this as her having seen similar things and then deducing the thresher and reaper from them.

Could she have come up with this after seeing the wheels of a carriage rolling?

He saw the principle explained in the drawings and immediately thought of the carriage wheels. Then he tried the effect with the carriage wheels and, sure enough, it could thresh some rice.

Ren Zilin circled the three giant farming tools: “This is the winnowing fan for winnowing grain? Junior Sister, what are these two big things?”

This dynasty also had winnowing fans, but they were not fully enclosed and not as effective. Xingnong modified it to make it fully enclosed.

Moreover, the wind wheel box was changed to a cylindrical shape, which could avoid the formation of vortices when the wind wheel rotates, forming useless resistance, thereby making the winnowing effect better and the separation cleaner. It could be done in one go, without the need to winnow repeatedly.

“This is the foot-pedaled thresher, and this is the manual reaper.”

At this time, Songbai carried in two large bundles of rice stalks.

Old Master Kong eagerly said: “Beloved disciple, come and try it out, see if it’s made correctly, and if there’s anything that needs improvement.”

Good morning~

A new day, a new month, asking for monthly votes, recommendation votes, and subscriptions~

Two more chapters, will post after finishing~