Chapter 185

Xiaxian brought several apprentices and worked overnight, finally managing to make five threshing machines before dawn. Adding to the one at Li Yao's home, there were a total of six machines.

Using these six machines, the whole village only took three days to bring all the rice back home.

When Song County Magistrate came to inspect He Wan village, he found that the large area of golden rice had suddenly disappeared.

"Wang Jiafu, where is your village's rice?"

"All brought back home."

Wang Jiafu said with a laugh. Song County Magistrate thought he was joking. He knew about harvesting rice, which takes at least ten days to half a month every year.

But it had only been four days since he last came to He Wan village, and they had finished harvesting already?

"County Magistrate Song," Wang Jiafu said with a smile, "Li Yao made another machine for harvesting rice."

Hearing it was Li Yao's doing, Song County Magistrate was not surprised.

He should have known that for big events like this, it would be strange if Li Yao didn't have any good ideas.

"Show me the machine quickly."

"You can see it, but there's no rice to demonstrate with."

Song County Magistrate thought for a moment and said, "That's fine, we can try it in other villages."

After seeing the threshing machine, Song County Magistrate had Wang Jiafu take some tricycles from the village and bring the six threshing machines to the neighboring Baiyun Village.

Under Wang Jiafu's guidance, the villagers of Baiyun Village used these machines to harvest a third of the rice in one day, greatly impressing Song County Magistrate.

"Such a good machine must be reported to the imperial court. Li, the talented woman, must be rewarded!"

In addition, Song County Magistrate rented the six machines in the name of the government office and sent them to various villages for the villagers to take a look.

After tasting the benefits of the threshing machine, many villagers immediately ran to He Wan village and said they wanted to buy one themselves.

Seeing the endless stream of orders, Xiaxian was very glad he had prepared sufficient materials and parts in advance, managing to make several machines every day.

The extra threshing machines were sold at the Li's Finest Goods Shop in He Wan village.

With Baichuan Market always having traveling merchants coming and going, when they saw He Wan Li's had launched a new product, they bought one first before asking anything.

Also because the rice harvesting time was so short, otherwise based on one season, the threshing machine would probably have spread throughout the entire Daling already. But there was no need to worry about no one buying them. Those merchants were shrewd. If they couldn't use it this year, could they not use it next year? Better buy it and keep it home first. It wouldn't be this price next year!

...

After the rice was dried, Dazhuang cleared out a room to stockpile it.

Although the family was not short of money now, looking at the room full of rice, they felt an unprecedented sense of abundance, with smiles on their faces every day.

After harvesting the rice, they would have to wait a period before planting wheat and rapeseed, and sweet potatoes had to wait some time before digging as well.

But the whole family did not idle around. The county exam was approaching, so Wang Erxiang studied diligently every day. Wang Xiaosi was also sent to school for enlightenment education under a teacher's guidance.

As for Li Yao, she was making a menu to prepare for Xiaoruolan's one month celebration.

The custom on this side of He Wan village was to hold the one month celebration when the baby turned 40 days old. Of course, this was usually only held for boys. For a family like Li Yao's to hold such a grand one month celebration for a girl, they were definitely the first.

"Mother," He Xiaoya looked at the densely filled menu and said, "I feel like this is a bit too much."

"Too much?"

"Yes," He Xiaoya said. "Look, chicken, duck, fish, shrimp, braised, longan, stuffed meat wraps, covered bowls, that's already eight hearty main dishes. Plus another four stir-fried dishes, four cold dishes, and one meat and one vegetable soup. With eight people per table, how can they eat so much?"

Li Yao didn't actually want to prepare so many dishes. But she knew that while the villagers had earned some money working at the workshops, most families still did not live very well, only basically meeting the needs for food and clothing.

Plus, during the recent locust plague, the whole village worked together to protect nearly 10,000 mu of land. Back then they only had a simple meal and didn't properly thank everyone.

So this time she wanted to take the opportunity of holding the one month celebration for Xiaoruolan to prepare more dishes. Any leftovers could be packed for people to bring home and eat slowly.

This was also her way of showing care for the villagers.

After all, she planned to live out her old age here, so she wanted to live comfortably and not have people gossiping behind her back everyday.

Besides, with so much money earned, how could she not spend some of it?

"In that case, let's add more," Li Yao said. "Prepare a small return gift package for everyone, with candy, peanuts and such, for them to bring home."

He Xiaoya: ...

She realized that her mother had no intention of saving money at all.

But seeing her hold such a grand one month celebration for Xiaoruolan, He Xiaoya felt warm inside.

Looking at the sleeping Xiaoruolan in the baby carriage, she felt she was probably the happiest little girl in the world.

Time flew by quickly, and the day of Wang Xiaoya's one month celebration arrived.

The old Wang family, young and old, came over early to help out. They slaughtered five fat pigs, and bought several carts of meat and vegetables from the market.

He Jijing, the owner of He's Restaurant, directly sent over several chefs from the restaurant to specially cook for Li Yao's family.

That morning, villagers who didn't have much work all came over dressed in clean and neat clothes.

According to local customs, each family would give a red packet.

But Li Yao had said in advance that while red packets for auspicious occasions were fine, they absolutely could not give too much. Everyone knew she was not lacking money, so they happily agreed. After discussing among themselves, each family gave 100 wen, meaning longevity to the age of 100.

Of course this was for villagers without close relations. For those with business ties or relatives of the Wang family, they did not adhere to this.

Everyone had earned so much money following Li Yao, so these red packets had to be packed thick.

Especially Jia Zhanliang and Liu Yuan, who gave 300 taels of silver each, plus various local specialties from other places and some exotic curiosities.

Song County Magistrate was not so vulgar. He personally painted a picture, while the County Magistrate's wife prepared a small jade hairpin for little Ruolan to wear when she grew to five or six years old.

When county magistrates from nearby counties heard the news, though they did not come in person, they also sent gifts, giving them much face.

Seeing the venue filled with guests, Li Yao felt that occasionally having such a lively time seemed nice as well.

As noon approached, the kitchen said they could start serving.

Large tables and chairs filled the big courtyard, and just as dish after aromatic dish was brought out, a voice that had not been heard in a long time came from outside.

"Auntie, such a big celebration yet you didn't even let me know!"

Everyone turned to look and saw that it was the long absent Ninth Prince.

In principle, with the prince's arrival, everyone should kneel to greet him and not even raise their heads. But Liu Yun was truly lacking in status in He Wan village, mainly because Li Yao did not indulge him.

So instead of greeting him formally, everyone happily chatted with him.

If this happened anywhere else, with just one fit of anger from Liu Yun, over a thousand heads would fall that day!

But Liu Yun had gotten used to it.

On the contrary, he felt this kind of feeling was very comfortable, much more carefree than in the imperial palace.

"Your Highness..."

Song County Magistrate had just opened his mouth when Liu Yun directly interrupted him, "Don't call me that anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm no longer Ninth Prince Your Highness. I'm now Prince of Yizhou." Prince of Yizhou?

Liu Yun had actually been conferred the title of prince?

Song County Magistrate was shocked. For the officials and commoners of Yizhou Prefecture, this was a huge deal!

For over a hundred years, Daling had stopped conferring the title of prince, instead dispatching officials to govern various places.

This was to facilitate the imperial court's management, avoid separatism by princes, and also increase the court's revenue.

Yet today, over a hundred years later, another Prince of Yizhou had emerged, and he was the emperor's most beloved Ninth Prince.

As a former insider in the center of power in Daling, Song County Magistrate knew very well that this matter was absolutely not as simple on the surface.

Could this world really be thrown into turmoil?