The Imperial Study was so quiet it seemed empty, a hollow silence that made one's heart palpitate with unease.
Gu Jupu's hands, hanging by his sides, trembled slightly. His heart felt as though it might leap out of his throat, leaving him breathless when he tried to speak.
"Your Majesty's dragon body is tied to the Mandate of Heaven. Although the County Princess of Linghui possesses extraordinary medical skills, she is ultimately but a mortal. A healer must observe, listen, question, and feel the pulse to understand a patient's condition and determine if it can be cured. This humble official dares not make any rash conclusions."
Xiao Chengjing's gaze fixed upon Gu Jupu like a malicious spirit crawling out of hell, tightly strangling his throat, terrifying him so much that he hardly dared to breathe.
"You may leave."
After a long silence, a voice sounding like heavenly music rang in Gu Jupu's ears. He bowed slowly, pretending to be calm as he rose to leave. "This humble official takes his leave."
His weak legs finally gave out after he turned the corner outside the Imperial Study, and he collapsed onto the freezing floor, breaking out in a cold sweat.
Just as he caught his breath, Gu Jupu felt as if someone was watching him from behind. He hurriedly pushed himself up from the ground and walked quickly toward the Imperial Hospital.
After three days, the bustling entrance of the County Princess's estate finally began to quiet down.
The day before the Preliminary Eve of the New Year, Lan Xi went to the estates to summon the managers of Daohua Estate and Shiquan Estate.
Chen Fu and Li Hou stood respectfully in the main hall, their hands curled into slight fists at their sides, waiting for Song Jinzhao's questioning.
Ever since the County Princess visited the estates to check on the tenant farmers, she hadn't asked about anything else. Being suddenly summoned this time left both men feeling somewhat apprehensive.
Draped in a fox fur cloak, Song Jinzhao entered the main hall. Her gaze swept over their uneasy faces. "I called you here today to inform you that after the New Year, I do not intend to continue renting the two estates to the tenant farmers."
Chen Fu trembled all over, looking at Song Jinzhao in disbelief. Without land, what would those tenant farmers do?
Li Hou spoke up anxiously, trying to persuade Song Jinzhao to change her mind.
"County Princess, the tenant farmers on the estates rely on farming to survive. If you take the land back, how will they live?"
Chen Fu knelt and kowtowed, pleading, "County Princess, if you feel that a thirty percent rent is too low, we can raise it by another ten percent. Please do not take the fields back."
Song Jinzhao looked at the panicked men and sighed wearily.
"Even if I raised it to forty percent, I wouldn't collect much rent in a year. You both know the situation of the tenant farmers. The main laborers are women, and this kind of physical work simply isn't suitable for them. They work hard all year round but can't even fill their stomachs. They are poor, and I haven't made much money either."
Chen Fu and Li Hou looked troubled. They knew Song Jinzhao was right, but without the land, just surviving would be difficult.
If they left the estate to go outside, it would be troublesome if they caused any disasters.
Song Jinzhao continued, "Therefore, I have decided to take back all the fields next year. Shiquan Estate will be converted into a farm to grow vegetables and raise chickens, ducks, and livestock. Daohua Estate will be turned into flower fields. The workers needed for the farm and the flower fields will be hired from among the tenant farmers, and they will be paid a monthly wage for their work."
Chen Fu and Li Hou were stunned, not expecting Song Jinzhao to have such a plan.
Growing crops depended on the heavens for food; ensuring a harvest during droughts and floods was highly unstable. Having a steady job would definitely be better than farming.
But they feared instability—making money when busy, but having not a single penny when idle.
Li Hou asked in confusion to confirm, "County Princess, Shiquan Estate is not small. If it is all used to grow vegetables and raise poultry, it will be more than we can eat. Are you planning to sell them?"
There were so many merchants buying and selling poultry in the capital; it would not be easy to get a piece of the pie.
Chen Fu also nodded and asked, "The wealthy families in the capital all have gardens in their mansions. I wonder what plans the County Princess has for converting it into flower fields?"
Song Jinzhao understood their concerns. Considering they were asking not for themselves but for the livelihood of the hundreds of people on the estates, she explained a little more.
"I have bought a few shops in the capital to start a food business. Building the farm is so we can produce and sell our own goods. As for what to do with the flowers, you will find out later."
"Go back and tell the tenant farmers on the estates that after the vegetables in the greenhouses are harvested, they don't need to worry about the spring plowing next year. Those who are willing can sign an employment contract. Lan Xi will discuss the wages and benefits with you."
Watching Song Jinzhao's retreating figure, Chen Fu and Li Hou turned their gazes to Lan Xi, who was waiting to the side.
Lan Xi pulled an employment contract template from her sleeve and handed it to Chen Fu. "The County Princess drafted this contract herself. Take a look first, and feel free to ask me if there is anything you don't understand."
Chen Fu reached out and took the contract. Li Hou leaned his head closer, and the two stared at the contract, reading it silently in their hearts.
Those working in the flower fields would receive a monthly wage of two taels and five mace, while those working on the farm would receive two taels, which was five hundred cash less than the flower field workers.
There was a guaranteed minimum monthly wage of five hundred cash. The wages for the current month would be uniformly distributed on the first day of the following month.
They would have four days off in shifts each month. Working hours were from the beginning of the Chen hour in the morning to the beginning of the You hour in the afternoon, with a two-hour rest period at noon.
...
Li Hou spread his fingers and started calculating the money. Two taels of silver a month meant twenty-four taels a year. This was far more profitable than growing crops.
Chen Fu pointed to the words "guaranteed minimum" on the contract in confusion and asked Lan Xi, "May I ask, Manager Lan, what does this guaranteed minimum of five hundred cash mean?"
Lan Xi explained to him, "It means that if there is no work to do on the estate, they can still receive five hundred cash every month."
"But don't worry, you two. The County Princess won't give them a chance to be idle."
Chen Fu and Li Hou widened their eyes in surprise. They could still get paid without working?
If used frugally, five hundred cash was just enough to cover the monthly food expenses for a family of three, not to mention that three people combined would make one thousand five hundred cash.
After reading it, both of them felt that the conditions on the contract were excellent. For ordinary commoners, almost no one would refuse this; it was much better than being a tenant farmer.
Chen Fu tightly gripped the contract template and said to Lan Xi, "Manager Lan, this news is a bit sudden. We need to go back and tell the tenant farmers to see what they think."
Lan Xi nodded. "Handle it as you see fit. Anyway, the County Princess said that all the land must be cleared out before the first of March next year. Those who are willing to work can sign the contract, and those who aren't can figure out their own way."
Chen Fu and Li Hou exchanged a glance, almost certain that the tenant farmers would definitely sign.
"Rest assured, Manager Lan. We will go back and ask, and we will definitely return with an answer for the County Princess within three days at the latest."
The two men rushed back to the estate without stopping. That very afternoon, they gathered all the tenant farmers together and explained the situation.
Chen Fu held up the contract and read it out loud to them, word by word. After he finished reading, he said, "This is a rare opportunity of a lifetime. Twenty taels of silver a year—where else can you find such high wages?"
Guan Nianshan used his one remaining eye to catch the words on the contract. It certainly looked better than farming.
He asked the manager, "If the County Princess's business loses money and the estate can't keep running, does that mean our jobs will be gone?"
Chen Fu explained to him, "Didn't I just read it? If there is no work, you can still get a free wage of five hundred cash every month. It definitely won't let you starve."
"Besides, the contract is signed once a year. If the County Princess doesn't make money next year and suffers a loss, she definitely won't continue the year after and will just rent the land out again."
Chen Fu's voice lowered. "When that time comes, you can continue to rent, though the rent will probably have to go up a bit."
More than two hundred tenant families discussed the matter at the manor for a full two hours, only taking their leave when dusk began to fall.
