Don't be tempted, sir

This winter is much colder than previous years. Beijing is already covered with snow. Every household goes out to sweep the snow in the morning, and asks each other what new year goods they want to buy. Peace and tranquility prevail. Although the snow is cold, people are warm.

Today, the court received annual reports from various states. The cotton planting method of Yuancheng County has spread throughout Yuanzhou, and after a year of planting, a bumper harvest was ushered in. The other counties and cities also had bumper harvests of wheat, rice, fruits, refined salt, seafood, etc., which were all sent to Beijing together with the annual reports.

The food tributes from various states were placed in the court hall, and Emperor Yan said happily: "Auspicious snow indicates a good harvest! Come, ministers, you have worked hard for a year. Here are the food tributes from various states. You can choose some to take home and enjoy the good harvest under the auspicious snow, and continue your efforts next year."

The ministers bowed and thanked him: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. We will never let you down!"

Everyone gathered around the rich food, carefully selecting some to take home for the New Year. Zhang Zhizhang, who was now serving as the prefect of Beijing, took a liking to the bundle of snow-white cotton branches, picked them up and was about to walk out of the crowd.

Jiang Qin watched the bundle of cotton branches being taken away and asked for more: "Master Zhang, please stay, please stay... Can you give me some of these cotton branches?"

Zhang Zhizhang took out a handful of cotton sticks and handed them to Jiang Qin: "Come on, Master Jiang, is that enough?"

"That's enough! My wife is from Yuanzhou, and I want to ask for some to put in a vase for her. This is enough. Mr. Zhang's research on multi-head cotton is really a benefit to the people!"

Zhang Zhizhang happily held the cotton and said, "The cotton is as white as snow, but warm to wear. I just hope that the people will not suffer from hunger and cold. I also plan to take the cotton branches home, fluff the cotton and make a coat for my grandson to keep him warm."

"Master Zhang is thoughtful, thoughtful!"

"Mr. Jiang, too!"

"Hahaha" the two men laughed and left the hall with their cotton.

The rest were still choosing. The minister who loved seafood chose seafood from Tongzhou, the minister who loved sweets chose a Suzhou pastry box, and the minister who loved flowers and plants chose a pot of Clivia offered by Jizhou. The flowers were full of buds even before they bloomed.

"Lord Han is really quick to act! This Clivia is rare and precious. If you divide the plants next year, please give me one!"

"Don't worry, Lord Yang. This flower is much better in my hands than in yours!"

"Master Han, you..." Yang Shuo picked up a Sichuan smoked sausage and went out with Han Fanqing, who was carrying a flower, explaining that he really liked her and would take good care of her!

All the civil officials took something light, but Shen Rushan actually carried the rice and flour tribute from Jiangzhou with one hand and said, "I want this! It will be delicious when I make dumplings at home!"

All the generals were carrying a lot of goods, including oil, rice, and two of them each carried half a pig.

"General Shen, they don't know the value of rice. This rice is so delicious. I will take it home to eat during the New Year!"

"I once led troops to the southwest. The pigs there were so delicious. I'm craving for some! Let's roast them in the garden tonight. Do you want to join us?"

"Hey, hey, me! Look at me, a fat sheep, getting close!"

Everyone was happy and took their things home to celebrate the New Year. The people in each state were also happy because this year was a good harvest! The land tax and the good tax were reduced a lot, so the family could have a good year by paying less grain.

Of course, there are also those who flatter and think they are smart, thinking that the emperor is far away, and oppressing merchants and exploiting the people. Emperor Yan issued an order to let Song Xiaoyuan and his group, who were on their way back to Beijing, capture those officials and let them suffer hunger and cold along the way to Beijing to be punished.

The corrupt officials were now in tattered clothes, locked in a prison van and being bashed and cursed by the people along the street. When Song Xiaoyuan and his party reached the city gate, a man came from outside the city on the snow: "Benefactor, benefactor!"

Arriving at the city gate, the man dismounted and bowed: "My benefactor, I am Su Yunze." After saying this, he took off his snow-white hat.

Shen Yining got out of the carriage and asked, "Unpolished jade?"

Su Yunze rode to Kaizhou in the snow and took up the post of prefect. He was surprised to see Shen Yining in the carriage: "My benefactor! My benefactor is here too. Before leaving Beijing, I went to the Shen Mansion to pay a visit. The servant said that my benefactor was staying at home and no one was seen. I thought I had to miss her. I never thought that my benefactor was here! Su Yunze is grateful to my benefactor for bringing us together! I have been able to meet Yunze till now."

Shen Yining got out of the car happily: "Mr. Su, Mr. Su passed the exam and became an official?"

Song Xiaoyuan dismounted and helped her put on her fur cape. He spoke gently, "Now that Yunze is the prefect of Kaizhou, there will be no more wrongful convictions and displaced people in Kaizhou, right? Su Yunze."

Su Yunze bowed solemnly: "Yes! Yunze will live up to the teacher's teachings, the people's expectations of living and working in peace and contentment, and your majesty's trust in Kaizhou. I will be a parent official and take care of the people of Kaizhou."

Song Xiaoyuan said: "Remember the cause, so as to be able to carry it through to the end. Now there is still an important matter to attend to, so we can meet again. I will come to Kaizhou next year to examine your ability."

"Yes! Your Majesty, I respectfully send you off!"

Shen Yining got on the carriage and waved goodbye: "Unpolished jade, heaven builds it, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement..."

Su Yunze held his bamboo hat tightly. His ambitions could now be realized in Kaizhou, the place where he was born and raised. He looked at the backs of the group of people going away, his eyes full of firm belief: "The earth is in a low position, and a gentleman should be virtuous and hold the world in his arms. Yunze, I will definitely live up to your expectations!"

The father and son of the Zhao family were not at home. Qizhu was in the palace, picking some young coconuts and sand ginger from Tongzhou. Gao Xing brought them back with the servant: "Mother, today the states have a good harvest, and your Majesty has given me some rewards. I picked some young coconuts and brought them back. We will cook coconut chicken tonight."

Mrs. Zhao came forward and said, "Oh my, this is too much green coconut. The last time you brought this back from Tongzhou, the kitchen boy told me that it was as hard as a rock and it took several knives to cut it."

"Mom, I forgot to bring galangal last time, so I couldn't make coconut chicken. Mom, you don't know how delicious that chicken is!"

"You kid, how can the sweet water boiled chicken not be delicious!"

The kitchen boy came to pick up something and asked, "Miss, do you want any kind of chicken? Or any kind?"

Qizhu then remembered that she was so happy to take the ginger that she forgot to take the chicken: "Oh... I was so happy that I forgot..."

The prince and Xiao Shi stood at the door, and the prince said, "Happy New Year, Madam Zhao!"

Qizhu turned around and saw the Tongzhou chicken in Xiaoshi's hand: "Oh my god! I thought I couldn't eat it again!"

"I knew you wanted to eat coconut chicken! See if I'm considerate."

"Thank you Yan Shang, do you want to eat coconut chicken together tonight?"

"it is good!"

Shen Rushan asked the servant to take the noodles home, and turned around to go to the home of the general who was going to roast pork and mutton tonight. The spices from the garden mixed with the aroma of oil drifted in the wind. The pavilion was surrounded by curtains to keep the cold wind out, but people inside were drinking and eating meat in high spirits, and they were having a great time.

"Wow! Deputy General Wang is really quick, the food is already on the table!"

"General Shen! Come on, we've been waiting for you for a long time, pour some wine." Some people drank and ate meat enthusiastically as if they were in the military camp.

The topic couldn't be separated from the front line. Suddenly someone said, "I wonder if you have heard of a drug that can make people extremely strong!"

"I know! A few days ago, news came from the battlefield that some of the enemy soldiers are not only extremely strong, but also feel no pain!"

"Tsk, what is the reason for this..."