Chapter 135: Yuan Qing Cheng Boards the Pirate Ship

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The "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" covers every stage of agriculture—from land planning, cultivation, fertilization, and irrigation to crop harvesting and processing—offering many "original" insights unheard of in this era regarding soil improvement, fertilizer use, and folk pesticides, possessing strong practicality and operability, thereby forming a relatively complete agricultural technical system capable of addressing both northern and southern farming techniques; moreover, it details land utilization methods and farmland water conservancy, and extensively introduces various farming tools (including the advanced tools developed by Ma Xiao Jiao), making it an absolute work that systematically summarizes agriculture and gathers the essence of ancient and modern, domestic and foreign agricultural science.

It is clear that Yuan Qing Cheng's ambitions are great—she aims to synthesize ancient and modern knowledge into an agricultural bible.

Objectively speaking, in terms of content, in this era, the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" truly deserves to be called an agricultural bible.

Of course, some of the things Yuan Qing Cheng proposed are still only at the theoretical stage.

For example, the biogas digester proposed by Yuan Qing Cheng.

Without a pressure gauge, a biogas digester is an extremely dangerous device—if forcibly implemented, people will die.

But then again, one must not underestimate the wisdom of the ancients; if someone has proposed it and can prove it feasible, and if there is demand, someone will inevitably continue to develop and improve it.

Is there demand for biogas digesters in this era?

Not just demand—it is desperately needed.

Know that firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea—firewood ranks first—not because it sounds smooth to say, but because in this era, firewood is not merely a necessity but a luxury, an expensive luxury.

The "Book of Han" clearly records that Han Dynasty commoners spent 60% of their annual income on firewood for cooking; in famine years, they directly sold their children to buy firewood.

At this time, Dongjing Bianliang had over a million people, consuming over a million jin of firewood daily.

This is only the amount consumed in spring, summer, and autumn; during winter for heating, the quantity must increase further.

Forced to act, the court issued orders: whoever cuts down trees illegally shall be imprisoned for life, for the trees around Kaifeng had long been completely felled—even the army stole commoners' mulberry trees to burn as firewood.

Thus, in Kaifeng, a load of firewood could sell for half a load of rice at a sky-high price.

With no other choice, people in this era began mining coal for fuel.

But coal was too expensive, so only high officials, noble families, wealthy gentry, and powerful households could afford it; commoners had to find other solutions.

That is, northern farmers burned straw, wheat stalks, and bean husks, turning the ash directly into fertilizer; southerners collected garbage, dry branches, and rotting leaves as firewood; northwesterners burned cow dung, drying and stacking it into dung-brick walls, a striking sight.

In short, anything that could be lit was burned by people in this era.

Notably, winter in this era was like enduring a heavenly tribulation.

When winter arrived, people—especially the poor—died in droves from the cold.

From this, it is easy to see that if biogas digesters were developed, there would certainly be a market.

At worst, progress would come through repeated accidents and lessons—hasn't humanity always advanced this way?

Zhao Yu first ordered a thousand copies of the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" printed, then summoned Xu Jiang and instructed him to promote the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise."

Xu Jiang studied it for seven days; upon returning, he praised the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" extravagantly, claiming it far surpassed the "Fan Shengzhi's Book" and the "Qimin Yaoshu," and that promoting it would surely benefit countless people.

But Xu Jiang still offered a small suggestion: could Yuan Qing Cheng be asked to rename the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise"?

This was because Xu Jiang feared some might reject the book simply because it was written by a woman, and thus resist this excellent work.

Was Xu Jiang's concern justified?

Yes.

In this male-dominated era, many men held patriarchal views, looked down on women, and could not accept women achieving accomplishments in scholarship or craftsmanship, especially in fields like agriculture, regarded as "a man's ambition." Some inevitably believed a woman's domain should be confined to the boudoir and embroidery pavilion, not the vast fields and boundless books.

Under these circumstances, Yuan Qing Cheng, as a woman, engaging in agriculture and writing a treatise, was undoubtedly a bold challenge to traditional notions, inevitably provoking resistance and even malicious slander.

Thus, Xu Jiang feared that if the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" were published under its original name, it would attract much criticism and prejudice, preventing this agricultural treasure from fulfilling its potential and benefiting the masses.

Zhao Yu believed that the five women surely wished to leave their mark in this era, just as Ye Shi Yun had renamed the "Barefoot Doctor's Manual" as the "Ye Shi Yun Medical Canon"—they did not wish to be anonymous heroes; thus, if he deprived them of the chance to gain fame, he might cause them to become passive and negligent.

But what Xu Jiang said was also true.

After thinking it over, Zhao Yu personally wrote a preface for the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise."

Preface to the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise":

Agriculture is the foundation of the state. As the ancients said: "Food is heaven to the people." For food comes from agriculture; when agriculture prospers, the people are fed; when the people are fed, the state is secure. Our great Song, having enjoyed long peace and tranquility, has never forgotten the weight of agriculture.

Now, My Imperial Consort Yuan Shi Qing Cheng has compiled the strengths of various schools into the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise," rich in practicality and operability, aiming to provide a complete agricultural guide for farmers across the land, worthy of being called an agricultural bible.

The book records planning, cultivation, fertilization, irrigation, and farming tools—honoring ancient methods while incorporating new ideas, striving to adapt to agricultural practices in all regions.

May this book aid farmers to flourish, enrich the fields, fill the granaries, and bring peace and contentment to the people.

May the agriculture and sericulture of our great Song endure forever, and our state flourish eternally. This is the preface.

Zhao Yu.

Tenth month, Jianzhong Year One.

Originally, after Zhao Xu assumed personal rule, Zhang Dun and Cai Bian had considered destroying the "Zizhi Tongjian," but Chen Guan pointed out that the preface of the "Zizhi Tongjian" was written by Emperor Shenzong, bearing the imperial brush and divine authority, thus preserving the "Zizhi Tongjian."

Zhao Yu personally writing the preface for the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" held the same intention.

Still not fully reassured, Zhao Yu summoned all the chancellors of both the New and Old Parties—Zhang Dun, Ceng Bu, Cai Jing, Han Zhongyan, Su Shi, and Su Zhe—to endorse the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise."

With Zhao Yu's prestige and the undeniable fact that the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" was an unparalleled agricultural bible, the chancellors readily agreed, each picking up their brushes to write prefaces, postscripts, or eulogies, all giving the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" high praise.

Cai Jing even proposed incorporating the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" into the imperial examination curriculum.

With the endorsements of these chancellors, the promotion of the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise" would undoubtedly proceed far more smoothly.

Seeing the timing was ripe, Zhao Yu ordered Xu Jiang to vigorously promote the "Qingcheng Agricultural Treatise," enabling more farmers and literati to study its agricultural knowledge and raise agricultural productivity.

When Yuan Qing Cheng learned that Zhao Yu had done so much to preserve her name, she felt she owed him a great debt.

Yuan Qing Cheng disliked owing others.

So, Yuan Qing Cheng prepared "Dongpo Pork," "Song Sister's Fish Soup," "Lotus Pod Fish Packet," "Wine-Braised Lamb," and "Lamb and Radish Soup," personally delivering them to Zhao Yu to thank him.

Yuan Qing Cheng's culinary skill was exceptional—whether frying, stir-frying, steaming, deep-frying, boiling, stewing, or roasting, she applied each technique perfectly.

Crucially, Yuan Qing Cheng paid great attention to ingredient selection and preparation. Her ingredients were all grown and raised by herself; in processing them, she was meticulous, cleaning them thoroughly and skillfully pairing them according to their characteristics to highlight their inherent freshness.

Zhao Yu had long known that Yuan Qing Cheng's greatest talent was not agriculture, but cuisine.

But Zhao Yu had never had the chance to taste Yuan Qing Cheng's cooking and did not know just how delicious her dishes were.

Today, tasting them firsthand, Zhao Yu realized that Yuan Qing Cheng's reputation in her past life—gaining tens of millions of fans through seasonal food video clips and being hailed as the "Eastern Gourmet"—was not empty boasting, but grounded in true mastery.

"Dongpo Pork" gleamed with a rich red hue, fatty yet not greasy, the lean meat clearly textured and melting on the tongue; "Song Sister's Fish Soup" emitted an intoxicating aroma, the fish flesh as fine as silk, the broth extraordinarily savory; "Lotus Pod Fish Packet" was elegantly shaped, the fish and lotus seeds perfectly combined, preserving the fish's tenderness while adding the lotus's fragrant clarity; "Wine-Braised Lamb" had a slightly charred exterior and tender, juicy interior, the wine and lamb aromas interwoven, leaving an endless aftertaste; "Lamb and Radish Soup" was clear in color, the lamb and radish pairing both warming and nourishing, each spoonful an exquisite temptation to the palate.

Zhao Yu could hardly imagine how Yuan Qing Cheng had managed to cook such delicious food in an era with so few seasonings.

Without exaggeration, this was unquestionably the most flavorful meal Zhao Yu had ever eaten since his reincarnation—no, since his two lifetimes combined.

Zhao Yu, who rarely overate, broke new ground by finishing every single dish Yuan Qing Cheng had prepared.

Seeing Zhao Yu eat so eagerly, Yuan Qing Cheng, whose face remained as calm as a still well, was inwardly overjoyed.

Put simply, at that moment, Yuan Qing Cheng's eyes held nothing but Zhao Yu's ravenous devouring.

After finishing, Zhao Yu took a handkerchief from Liu Mingda, wiped his mouth, and asked with a puzzled expression: "My beloved, how is your cooking so vastly superior to the imperial chefs?"

Zhao Yu then specifically pointed to the Dongpo Pork and said: "This Dongpo Pork was created by Su Shi—if he were to cook it himself, he'd likely fall far short of your skill. Why is that?"

Yuan Qing Cheng replied: "Your concubine specially crafted some seasonings, such as soy sauce and others…"

Only then did Zhao Yu realize that Yuan Qing Cheng had not only brewed soy sauce, but also made rose paste, shiitake paste, beef paste, broad bean paste, mayonnaise, various fruit jams, and even salt among many other seasonings.

Moreover, Yuan Qing Cheng had sent people to seek out seasonings that already existed in this era but were unknown to its people.

Additionally, Yuan Qing Cheng had brewed several fine wines.

Unfortunately, seasonings like chili peppers were unavailable, forcing Yuan Qing Cheng to revise many of her already perfected recipes.

Yuan Qing Cheng told Zhao Yu outright that she had substituted Sichuan pepper for chili peppers, but the flavor still fell short; she had also drawn from herbal medicine to use gan song and su sha mi as seasonings.

Upon learning this, Zhao Yu silently sighed: "Only in this life, having become Emperor, could I have ever laid hands on a treasure like Yuan Qing Cheng."

Zhao Yu spoke bluntly: "My beloved's cooking pleases me deeply. From now on, whenever you prepare any dish, send me a portion—no exceptions."

Yuan Qing Cheng rolled her eyes inwardly: "Oh, so you've become addicted? What, are you planning to turn me into your personal cook?"

Yet, remembering how Zhao Yu had always stood by her and helped secure her place in history, her heart softened: "Fine—I'll serve you for a few years, until I develop high-yield, resilient rice. This is my repayment for your kindness. Once I've repaid my debt to you, we'll be even… then I…"

Well, Yuan Qing Cheng hadn't yet decided what she'd do when that day came.

Outwardly, she obediently replied: "Your concubine accepts your command."

From then on, Yuan Qing Cheng became Zhao Yu's exclusive cook.

Afterwards.

The five women gathered together.

Zhang Chun spoke with no small measure of envy, even jealousy: "I thought she was merely a minor nuisance—Yuan Qing Cheng is my true threat. Who knew she quietly won over Zhao Yu's stomach? What's that saying again?"

Zhang Chun looked at Ye Shi Yun.

Ye Shi Yun said with a knowing smile: "To win a man's heart, first win his stomach."

Even Ye Shi Yun teased Yuan Qing Cheng: "Qing Cheng, you've got this. I've got your back. The rest of us played the early game—you're playing the endgame. The harem will be yours; the others are just stepping stones."

Ma Xiao Jiao said: "Qing Cheng, you cook for two, you cook for three—it's all the same. Why not bring me my portion too?"

Even Li Lin chimed in: "+1."

Yuan Qing Cheng could only give a wry smile: "What can I say? I only meant to thank Zhao Yu—and ended up boarding his pirate ship…"

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(End of Chapter)