Chapter 1487: Her Highness the Princess (33)

Tang Guo glanced at Lü Qing, who was still toiling miserably in the fields. Growing darker by the day, he now resembled a lump of charcoal, causing her to burst out laughing.

“The few seeds Lü Qing worked so hard to steal are about to be distributed among the common people,” Tang Guo said cheerfully. “Three months from now, some of the short-cycle crops will already be ready for harvest. As for fruits and vegetables, many of them can be eaten after only ten days to half a month of growth.”

“I wonder if he'll die of anger when the time comes.”

System: Host, why are you so wicked?

“How am I wicked? He brought this upon himself. If he hadn't harbored such thoughts, would I have bothered dealing with him?”

System: Fine, then. Whatever Host says, whether human words or ghost words, always makes sense.

The following day, the officials from the Ministry of Agriculture presented a memorial to the Emperor, stating that it was time to begin distributing seasonal crop seeds as well as fruits and vegetables to the common people.

Throughout the entire court, aside from the agricultural officials and the Crown Prince, no one understood why the Emperor was so delighted after reading the memorial.

After finishing it, he immediately uttered a single word.

“Approved.”

After a brief pause, he added, “The Crown Prince will supervise this matter.”

These days, he had grown increasingly satisfied with the Crown Prince.

Neither arrogant nor impetuous, the young man was steady and composed. During the previous northern drought, when the people had suffered total crop failure, it had been the Crown Prince who personally oversaw the transportation of relief grain.

Thanks to the earlier warnings and the timely delivery of food supplies, unlike previous years, there had not been widespread deaths from starvation.

The Emperor had entrusted more and more affairs to the Crown Prince.

Standing below, the Third Prince appeared as low-key as ever. He had no idea that the memorial concerned the promotion of new crop varieties throughout the empire.

Three months later, Lü Qing was no longer the refined and handsome scholar with delicate features.

With a hoe over his shoulder, a straw hat on his head, and coarse linen clothes on his body, he looked every bit like a farmer who worked the land.

No one suffered more from this transformation than Tang Xi.

What she had valued in Lü Qing had been his handsome appearance. Now, he returned to the Princess Manor every day reeking of sweat and dirt, which she found increasingly unpleasant, and she grew noticeably colder toward him.

Lü Qing, however, seemed unconcerned.

By now, he had already stolen a great many seeds.

They were all hidden in his study, filling several sacks.

These seeds would be enough to set their plans in motion.

In less than a year, they would possess vast quantities of seeds in their hands.

System: Host, these people really are capable. With just a little guidance from you, they've managed to select seeds suited to the climates and soils of different regions. Look at these fruits and vegetables—their growth is truly excellent. This watermelon is enormous. I even heard that some of the commoners have been discussing privately how they want to present watermelons to you as gifts.

The Third Prince appeared low-key, but in truth, his mind was entirely occupied with the imperial court. How could he possibly care about the lives of ordinary people?

Had he paid even a little more attention to the people, he wouldn't still be unaware that the lives of commoners throughout the land had already become much better than before.

Not only did they have fresh fruits and vegetables to eat, but the crops in the fields were also thriving.

“Lü Qing told me today that he's quitting,” Tang Guo said with a smile. “After stealing several sacks of my seeds, he actually thinks he can soar to the heavens?”

System: Host, without you, Lü Qing really would have succeeded. Under normal circumstances, spreading these seeds across the country would take at least two or three years. Lü Qing's side would only need one.

That was why it always said that whenever the protagonist's halo encountered the Host, it simply ceased to exist.