"...Regenerated rice benefits the country and the people...Zhao Cheng from Dahe Village is smart, agile, diligent and obedient. She was immediately named a ninth-grade Ruren with the title of Sui. She was given an official uniform, a Ruren crown, and a hollow carved jadeite One hairpin, ten pieces of brocade...I admire this!"
Just for the rewards, there was a long list of things that the villagers couldn't understand.
Only then did everyone realize that those things were just appetizers. The purpose of the imperial edict coming from the capital was to canonize Dashan Niang.
The people in the village don't know what a ninth-grade Ruren is, but they clearly understand what it is, because only those with official status can distinguish it by grade!
Everyone was in disbelief. They lowered their heads and looked in Cheng Wanwan's direction, looking at her with a trace of respect that even they themselves were unaware of.
Cheng Wanwan herself was shocked.
She just casually mentioned regenerated rice, which was popularized by County Magistrate Shen. Even if a reward is needed, it should be given to officials. Why did the reward come to her?
And generally, women who are canonized as Ruren Shuren have a son or husband who is an official. How could she, a rural widow, suddenly become a ninth-grade Ruren and be given a title? This is so unreasonable!
She knelt over and took the lacquer plate brought by the guard. She couldn't take it alone. Mrs. Zhao and Li Zheng's wife were kneeling beside them, helping to take it together. The other women also helped. , all of them are shiny things, and the women in the village are extremely careful in their movements for fear of breaking them.
At this time, County Magistrate Shen came over and said with a smile: "I have finished reading the imperial edict. Everyone, please get up."
Cheng Wanwan finally stood up and knelt on the hard ground for such a while that her knees started to hurt.
The two messengers cupped their hands and said, "I have seen the Sui Ru people. According to the regulations of the imperial court, the salary of the ninth-grade Ru people is distributed every three months, and they will be sent to them as soon as possible."
The two said they were about to leave.
Cheng Wanwan hurriedly asked Zhao Sidan to go into the house to get the money. She gave the two men two taels of silver each and said warmly: "It's really hard for you two brothers to come all the way. This is a little thought from me. Take it with you." Well. I know you have to rush back to recover, so I won’t let you eat. Here are the water bags you just poured in, and here are some pancakes to satisfy your hunger. You can take them with you on the road, and pay attention to safety on the road..."
The two guards were a little surprised.
When they came to the village to announce the decree, they never thought about getting any reward. This woman was so generous. She gave two taels of silver per person, which was more than the reward given by some rich people in the city. Moreover, this woman was very gentle, and her smile made her happy. It was like seeing their own mother at home, and the two of them felt inexplicably close to each other.
"Thank you Sui Ruren, we will retreat first."
The two messengers put down the imperial edict and left quickly on their tall horses.
After these two people left, the villagers were a little restless, but the county magistrate was still there, and no one dared to be too presumptuous. Under the command of Mrs. Zhao, the women carried more than a dozen lacquer trays and put them on the table in the lobby of the house. On the floor, Mrs. Zhao was watching, and these people didn't dare to touch them, they only dared to stare at those things for fun.
County Magistrate Shen came over and laughed: "Congratulations to the people of Sui Ru, Sui, this millet is Lili, and this is the Sui of Ji. This shows how much the Holy Lord attaches importance to this matter..."
Cheng Wanwan asked: "My lord, may I ask why the court..."
"The state is based on the people, and food is the first priority for the people. Today's Holy Lord is a wise king, and he knows the importance of food. With the promotion of regenerated rice, the rice production capacity per mu in many areas in central and southern China has doubled. How many problems can this solve. Magistrate Shen said, "There is a war in the west, and food and grass are always in short supply. If food can be provided, it can revive morale and ensure the peace and prosperity of the country... The emperor canonized a commoner woman as a ninth-grade child, and also rewarded Cheng who came up with a method to exterminate locusts. Zhao, and the two men who made the stone roller, this is intended to inform all the people that as long as they farm well and provide good ideas to the court, they will be rewarded, which will definitely encourage folk creation and ingenuity..."
Cheng Wanwan understood that this was regarded as a typical propaganda, and she hoped that the people would continue their efforts and create more inventions.
"Sui Ruren, do you need to treat your wound?" Magistrate Shen suddenly spoke and turned around to ask, "Master Yuan, did you bring the golden sore medicine?"
Master Yuan shook his head. He was a scholar, so why would he bring this thing with him?
He tentatively said, "Shall I go and invite the doctor?"
"No need." Cheng Wanwan waved her hand. She felt that her wound was almost healed. It was just a scratch, a very small and shallow wound.
She said, "I'll just go in and take a shower. Excuse me for a moment."
After she entered, the warmth on Magistrate Shen's face disappeared instantly, and a pair of majestic eyes looked at Mrs. Xu who was being pushed aside.
Mrs. Xu was trembling all over.
She never expected that when she came here, she would encounter such a big event.
The village woman who was scolded by her just now turned into a ninth-grade child consecrated by the emperor in the blink of an eye!
Although the ninth grade is the lowest level, he can still be regarded as a person with an official status and a title. How can he provoke her as a slave?
"Your Majesty the County Magistrate, this old slave was ordered by the madam to take the eldest lady back to the house. I really have no intention of doing anything else." Mrs. Xu knelt on the ground and said, pointing in the direction of Cao Yingying, "This one really belongs to our Cao family. Miss, it’s absolutely true!”
"Whether she is the eldest lady of your Cao family, this matter has nothing to do with me, but!" Magistrate Shen said in a cold tone, "The slaves of the Cao family used weapons to harm ordinary people in Ping'an County. No, they used weapons to assassinate the new emperor. This is a serious crime for a canonized ninth-grade child! Come and capture the entire Cao family!"
Mrs. Xu was shocked and quickly crawled to Cao Yingying: "Miss, please explain to the county magistrate. This old slave is really here to take the eldest daughter home. Everything is a misunderstanding..."
She lowered her voice as she spoke, with a threatening tone, "If something happens to the Cao family and they lose face, when the master comes back, the young lady will definitely not be able to eat and carry around..."
Cao Yingying smiled.
Things had come to this point, and this naughty slave came to threaten her.
She raised her foot and kicked Mrs. Xu over, and said to County Magistrate Shen: "Your Majesty, the servants of the Cao family maliciously hurt people. This matter must be thoroughly investigated and severely punished. The eldest daughter of the Cao family, Cao Yingying, hereby promises that the Cao family will never I will protect my shortcomings!"
Regardless of whether her promise worked or not, she had to show her attitude.
Magistrate Shen praised: "Miss Cao understands justice well, and it is Cao Defu's good fortune to kill relatives for justice!"
He also heard about the incident in Hekou County in Ping'an County. He heard that the eldest daughter of the Cao family disappeared and was sold into a brothel. He sighed for a while at that time, but he didn't expect that it was a rumor that was spread... A young lady who was waiting for marriage was sold to a brothel. If people spread rumors like this, the people behind it will be punished!
"I am also very envious of Mr. Cao for having such an outstanding daughter." Cheng Wanwan walked out of the house and said with a soft smile, "When I saw this girl Yingying, I felt like I was seeing the daughter of my previous life, so I decided to ask Yingying to come back to the village with me to stay for a while. We all in Dahe Village know this. I really don’t understand how the servants of the Cao family can think that I kidnapped Miss Cao. I am really wronged."
These words were equivalent to publicly telling everyone that the Miss Cao family was not lost, but took the initiative to follow the newly consecrated child to live in Dahe Village. Thousands of people in the village were witnesses.
Cao Yingying's eyes were filled with gratitude.
In fact, after she got the evidence that her stepmother set her up, it was difficult to clear her name because she was indeed sold to a brothel.
But if Aunt Zhao said this publicly, no one would doubt the authenticity of what she said. All the villagers in Dahe Village knew that she had lived here for a long time. Also, Aunt Zhao had become a ninth-grade Ruren. If she was the wife of the imperial court, who would dare to Suspect?
