Soon, a eunuch came into the palace with Hong Ling, bringing the emperor's oral order, asking Mu Yexiao and Qian Jiujiu to go to the palace together.
So after Mu Yexiao and Qian Jiujiu had almost finished their meal, they ordered Hong Ling to pack a basket of sweet potatoes for the two of them to take with them into the palace.
As expected, the Emperor was dining in Concubine Qing's palace. Mu Yexiao and Qian Jiujiu went straight to the Summer Palace: "Your son/daughter-in-law, greets the Emperor, Father, and Mother."
The emperor quickly called the two of them up: "Hurry up and get up. I called you here just to ask you what this is. I have never eaten it before."
Mu Yexiao and Qian Jiujiu looked at each other. Qian Jiujiu lowered her head and Mu Yexiao answered: "Father, this thing is called sweet potato. It is a kind of food that Jiuer found in the mountains."
The emperor said, "I see. What are your plans? Or are you just sending it in for us to try?"
Mu Yexiao spoke again: "Father, Jiuer is going to plant these sweet potatoes. The harvest of these sweet potatoes is already very good in the environment like on the mountain. If they are planted in the land, it will be even better."
"Perhaps we will have one more kind of food in our Great Zhou. Moreover, all the land on the mountain combined this time has a yield of one thousand kilograms, even though it is less than one acre."
The emperor was stunned for a moment, then he became ecstatic: "Is this true? But do you know how to do it?"
This time Mu Yexiao did not speak, but Qian Jiujiu said: "Father, I have actually grown this before. You know I grew up on a farm in the suburbs."
"When my father ran out of money, I would go up the mountain to dig for food. In fact, I planted sweet potatoes in the mountains two years ago. When there was nothing to eat, I would go to dig them."
Of course, this is not a lie, because the original Qian Jiujiu lived this kind of life, and she also hid some things in the mountains, but now she can't tell her what they are.
When Mu Yexiao heard these words, a trace of heartache flashed in his eyes, and he swore in his heart that he would never let Qian Jiujiu live such a life again.
After hearing this, the emperor also sighed. Although he didn't say anything, he became even more disgusted with Minister Qian and looked at Qian Jiujiu.
"Since you know how to grow it, Princess, I'll leave it to you. Plant more and promote it."
Qian Jiujiu immediately accepted the order: "Daughter-in-law accepts the order."
The emperor then waved his hand and said, "Okay, it's getting late, and the palace gates will be closed soon. You should go back first."
Qian Jiujiu and Mu Yexiao then took their leave together and left the palace. As a result, the next day, the whole Kyoto knew that Princess Xiao had discovered a new kind of food in the mountains.
The yield of this kind of grain is very high, up to 1,000 kilograms per mu. At this time, Qian Jiujiu and Mu Yexiao were sitting in the room. Qian Jiujiu stared at Mu Yexiao and said, "Mu Yexiao, who do you think spread this news?"
Mu Yexiao shook his head: "Don't worry, I will investigate this matter thoroughly."
Qian Jiujiu said, "Why do people always come out to cause trouble for me when I do something?"
Mu Yexiao raised his eyebrows: "Isn't this a good thing to help you gain fame? Why do you think it's causing you trouble?"
Glancing at Mu Yexiao, Qian Jiujiu rolled her eyes: "How many seeds do I have? How many people in Kyoto want to plant them? It will take at least until next year to promote them."
"But now someone has started it. Do you think this is really a way to make me famous?"
Mu Yexiao also thought of this problem: "How about this, aren't we planning to grow it on our own farm? Then take out some of it and give it to a few villages for trial planting, and then gradually promote it."
Qian Jiujiu nodded and glanced at Mu Yexiao: "I am a little suspicious whether you were the one who released this news."
Mu Yexiao immediately raised his hand and swore, "I swear it wasn't me."
In fact, Qian Jiujiu also knew that it couldn't be Mu Yexiao. She was just talking. She glanced at Mu Yexiao and said, "That's not necessary. You probably don't know that sweet potatoes can be transplanted."
"Forget it. You won't understand even if I tell you. By the way, why didn't I see Nanny Wan today? I went to look for someone. Don't follow me. You, why are you so free?"
"It's always in front of my eyes."
After complaining about Mu Yexiao, Qian Jiujiu realized that she hadn't seen Nanny Wan all day. She looked at Qinglian and said, "Qinglian, where is Nanny Wan?"
"My princess, Madam went to the store and said she was going to take a look. She left in the morning."
Qian Jiujiu said, "No wonder I didn't see her today. By the way, who went out with her?"
Qinglian glanced at Qian Jiujiu and said, "Madame Wan went out alone. Qingyu originally wanted to follow her, but Madame Wan insisted not to."
Qian Jiujiu blinked her eyes. She actually went out alone. For some reason, Qian Jiujiu always felt a little worried in her heart. Anyway, it was okay, so she looked at Qinglian.
"Then let's go out for a while. The store is open, and I have never been in it once."
Qinglian made some preparations and called Hongling to go out with Qian Jiujiu. When the three of them arrived at the store, it was almost closing.
Yue Niang was a little surprised to see Qian Jiujiu coming, and immediately came forward to greet her: "Greetings, Princess. How come you have time to come here today?"
Qian Jiujiu smiled and said, "Get up, no need to be polite. I'm bored staying in the mansion. Come over and take a look. How's business today?"
As she spoke, Qian Jiujiu looked at the many people coming in and out of the store and was still satisfied. Yue Niang led the way and took Qian Jiujiu to the private room upstairs.
"Today's business is about the same as yesterday's. We just opened, so the popularity hasn't died down yet! But there are fewer people coming to the palace to buy beauty products today."
Qian Jiujiu didn't see Nanny Wan on the way here, and was a little puzzled: "Didn't they say Nanny was coming? Why didn't I see her?"
Mammy? Yue Niang was stunned for a moment, and looked at Qian Jiujiu: "Are you talking about Mammy Wan? Yes, she came here in the morning, but at noon, she went back to the palace."
Qian Jiujiu stood up from the chair at once: "What did you say? Nanny Wan went back to the palace at noon? But there is no one in the palace?"
Hearing this, Yue Niang didn't think much about it. After all, who would harm a nanny beside the princess? She just looked at the tension on Qian Jiujiu's face.
Qinglian and Hongling's faces also changed drastically. Yue Niang also felt that something was wrong and looked at the princess: "Princess, this..."
Qian Jiujiu ignored Yue Niang and said, "Hong Ling, go back home immediately and send someone to find Nanny Wan for me."
Hongling answered, then turned and left, even using light skills to travel faster. Yue Niang finally understood what was going on. It seemed that she had underestimated the identity of Nanny Wan.
Qian Jiujiu glanced at Yue Niang and said, "Yue Niang, you just take care of the things in the store. Qinglian, we will go back first."
As he said this, he took Qinglian and quickly walked towards the palace. Just when he returned to the gate of the palace, he saw a little beggar wandering around the gate.
When the little beggar saw Qian Jiujiu, he rushed out and said, "Are you from this palace? I have a letter here that I want to give to the princess of the palace. Can you help me?"
Qian Jiujiu glanced at the little beggar, then reached out to take the letter and opened it directly. The little beggar was depressed: "Only the princess can read this letter."
Qinglian looked at the little beggar and said, "This is the princess of our palace."
When the little beggar heard this, he looked at Qian Jiujiu with sparkling eyes and said, "Are you really the princess? Let me give this letter to your sister."
"If I give you this letter, you will give me the money, right? Will you?"
Qian Jiujiu looked at the little beggar and said, "Do you want silver? Then do me a favor and tell me what the sister who asked you to deliver the letter looks like, and I will give you ten taels of silver."
The little beggar's eyes suddenly sparkled: "Does the princess keep her word?"
Qian Jiujiu nodded: "Of course, I am the princess, of course I keep my word, Qinglian, take him to find a painter."
After saying this, Qian Jiujiu looked at the letter again. The content of the letter was very short: "If you want to see your mother, you can only come alone to the Shili Pavilion outside the city."
Qian Jiujiu snorted coldly. She was not stupid. It was so obvious that they were coming for her, but she went there alone. Was she going to die? More importantly, she couldn't find the Shili Pavilion at all.
Walking into the palace, he looked at Mu Yexiao and said, "Mu Yexiao, tell me where the Shili Pavilion is?"
Mu Yexiao looked at Qian Jiujiu and said, "Even if I told you, do you think you can find the place by yourself? Hongling has come back and told me that I know about my mother-in-law's disappearance."
"Don't worry, I will do my best to find him. I have asked someone to take my letter to the government office and have them set up defenses at all the city gates."
"Besides, the portrait of my mother-in-law will be distributed very quickly, so I'm sure we can find it soon."
Qian Jiujiu shook her head, "No, what if the other party sees that I don't go to Shili Pavilion and harms my mother? Shili Pavilion, I must go. At worst, I can let Hongling lead the way for me."
"You follow quietly behind me, so that you can rescue me easily. Oh, and I have something for you. It's a kind of powder that can emit light at night."
"If you lose track of me, you can follow this powder."
Mu Yexiao didn't want to agree at first, but looking at Qian Jiujiu's expression, he knew that she had already made up her mind, and he couldn't stop her at all.
"Well, you must be careful."
Qian Jiujiu nodded: "I will be careful, don't worry, where is Hongling!"
Hong Ling came out quickly at this time: "Princess, I'm here, let's go."
The two of them went towards the Shili Pavilion outside the city, and Hongling glanced at Qian Jiujiu vaguely.