"First is the output from the fields," Li Yao said. "I have new methods for planting wheat, rapeseed, rice that can greatly increase yields. At home there are also two to three thousand acres of sweet potatoes, which can yield at least 500,000 to 600,000 catties. Next spring, if all these sweet potato seedlings are planted, it can also yield over 100,000 acres, how much can be harvested next fall?
"With grain, poultry and livestock can be raised, or wine can be brewed, all of these can be sold for money."
"Tea trees can also be encouraged to grow, or mulberry trees planted to raise silkworms, women can be encouraged to spin yarn, weave cloth, embroider flowers. Yi Prefecture’s silk embroidery is very famous throughout Daling."
"In short, there are many ways to make money," Li Yao finally said, "The only thing needed is that what is produced can be sold in a timely manner. So now, do you think repairing the roads is the most urgent big thing?"
Liu Yun's eyes grew brighter as he listened.
Previously, he had also heard many teachers, and even the current Prime Minister, talk about governing the country.
But he felt that those were all too abstract.
It was like an empty castle in the sky. After a long speech that sounded reasonable, when you thought about it carefully, it seemed nothing was actually said.
But what Aunt Li said today were practical methods. Compared to those lofty talks, it was many times more useful!
"It's just..." Liu Yun thought for a moment, and finally said, "If it's like this, wouldn't all the common people want to become businessmen and earn more money?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"I don't know if it's good or bad," Liu Yun said, "But since ancient times, agriculture has been valued over commerce. If everyone wants to go into business, who will farm the land? If no one is willing to farm, where will grain, poultry and livestock come from?"
Being able to think of this point demonstrated that Liu Yun was not ignorant. At least he understood the general principles.
"So I'll give you another piece of advice: Put merchants in a cage."
Liu Yun: ???
"It is true there is no commerce without deceit. But for Daling to become rich and powerful, merchants also play an irreplaceable role. So what you need to do is closely supervise the merchants. Making money is fine, but one person absolutely cannot make money while others cannot make money. There definitely cannot be collusion between officials and merchants that would shake Daling's foundations. Of course, there is a lot of reasoning and methods behind this that cannot be fully explained in a short while. When you encounter it in the future, you can come ask me."
"Auntie, hearing you speak for a while is better than reading books for ten years!" Liu Yun said, "With your great talent, you are qualified to be the Minister of Agriculture of our dynasty! No no no, you are qualified to be Prime Minister!"
"Let's forget about that. I'm just a retiree, passing time in the village raising chickens and ducks, fishing, quite comfortable."
As Li Yao spoke, she tugged the fishing rod, and another small carp was pulled out of the water.
"But my skills are not that great, I can't catch big fish, so you probably won't get to enjoy any today."
"No problem, I'll have Bai Song go catch locusts later," Liu Yun laughed and said, "Daring to nibble on my people's crops, I will also eat their meat!"
...
That night, Liu Yun got his wish and ate fried locusts.
"I didn't expect these little bugs to be so delicious."
"Does the Prince of Yi Prefecture like them too?" Wang Er asked.
"Don't call me that when it's just us," Liu Yun said.
"Then what should I call you?"
Liu Yun thought about it. Previously everyone called him Ninth Prince, even the old village women called him that.
But now he was a prince, Ninth Prince didn't seem appropriate. Having everyone address him directly by name, they probably wouldn't dare.
"How about we address each other as brothers?" Liu Yun suddenly had this idea and said, "You call me Brother Liu, I'll call you Brother Wang."
"Cough cough," Li Yao frowned when she heard this. "Let's not be too casual."
"Auntie, it's fine," Liu Yun said. "If not for the hindrance of my prince status, I'd want to recognize you as godmother. What's the big deal about me and Brother Wang addressing each other as brothers?"
In this era, recognizing a godmother was not as casual as in Li Yao's previous life.
Once recognized, it was truly motherhood.
"Then do as you wish."
Seeing Li Yao agree, Liu Yun was overjoyed in his heart.
Although he was young, he also deeply understood one thing.
If it was just a business partnership with Aunt Li, it was not enough to firmly tie the two of them together. So there must be something more.
Like recognizing a godmother, or marriage alliance.
Recognizing a godmother was not good. Even if the Emperor nodded in agreement, all the civil and military officials of the court would have to collectively kneel in the hall to object.
After all it was too undignified.
But a marriage alliance...he felt it was worth trying.
"Brother Wang," Liu Yun asked, "When are you setting off for Yizhou Prefecture?"
Wang Er looked to Li Yao. He couldn't decide this himself.
Li Yao calculated that there were still ten days until the county exam, but since none of them had been to Yizhou Prefecture before, she wanted to take everyone to visit early, to broaden their horizons.
"Let's prepare tomorrow and set off the day after."
"That's great," Liu Yun said, "I'll go back tomorrow and wait for you all in Yizhou Prefecture. I'll play host then!"
"Then thanks in advance Brother Liu."
"Don't stand on ceremony," Liu Yun said. "It's a pity that after becoming a prince, if Father Emperor does not summon me, I cannot return to the capital. Otherwise after your exam, I really want to take you all to the capital for fun."
The capital?
Wang Er had heard of the capital countless times since he was little.
It was said the capital was where the Emperor lived, the most prosperous place under heaven. The imperial palace was inlaid everywhere with gold, even the streets and alleys were paved with marble...
Sooner or later, he would go to the capital.
...
The next day, the whole family was busy.
Li Yao meant for everyone to go, including little Yanran who just turned one month old, and He Xiaoya who had just finished confinement.
Da Zhuang worried about the land at home, and all those chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, cows, sheep, so he didn't want to go.
"Da Zhuang, just go," Wang Xueshi said. "Don't worry about things at home. Mother will have your dad help watch over things well. Guaranteed not a single chicken will be missing, not a single sweet potato will be missing."
"Then thanks for your trouble, Mother."
"It's no trouble for me," Wang Xueshi laughed. "It's trouble for your dad."
Wang Jia Gui: ...
When the family was poor, the Wang family men didn't seem to have much status.
Now the family was well-off, living good days, the Wang family men seemed to have even less status.
"When we return from Yizhou Prefecture, we'll buy lots of tasty things for Dad and Mother!" Little Wang Xiao Si considered and said. "And a big flower hat for Mother!"
"Hehe...I'm an old woman already, what do I need a flower hat for?"
In any case, with Mother's care, Da Zhuang felt reassured and decided to leave his wife and daughter Little Yanran to go to Yizhou Prefecture together.
"Xiaoya, do you want to stop by and see your parents on the way?"
Mention of her maternal home dampened He Xiaoya's mood.
When they held Little Yanran's one month celebration, not only did no one from her maternal side come, they didn't even send word through someone else.
"I won't go."
"Alright, as you say."
The whole family was packing up, big bags and small bags.
But the busiest was still Du Xiao Hui.
She would also be going along to Yizhou Prefecture this time, firstly to accompany Wang Er, and secondly because she had more important matters to handle.
After this period of time, she fully understood how the school operated, so this time she decided to try starting a small school in Yizhou Prefecture.