Chapter 146: Children Buying Steamed Buns

"Tonight, make a few more steamed buns." Ning Hanmo suddenly spoke.

Then he thought of something, "One hundred—I'll pay the silver."

"No, count me in." Ning Qiancheng patted his shoulder. He used to have no money, but for some reason, the father emperor suddenly remembered he had this son; last month he had Steward Xi deliver fifty taels of silver for his food, clothing, and expenses.

From childhood to adulthood, he had seen the largest amount of silver.

However, when he was at the academy, he basically never had occasion to spend money; that silver was still hidden under his bed.

"You two aren't enough, count me in too." Kang Zhi Xia raised a hand.

Over there, Kang Wu's gloomy voice said, "What, you think we brothers have no money?"

"Exactly, exactly, not counting us, I, Kang Wen, refuse!"

Several people, each speaking in turn, everyone expressed their opinion.

In the end, Kang Zhi Chun brought back a message: "We need one hundred steamed buns."

Jiang Yunchu lifted her head, "How did they say it? Teach me."

Her expression carried a smile, she seemed in a good mood, and Kang Zhi Chun didn't hide anything, recounting everyone's sighs and feelings in full.

Even Kang Zhi Xia's helplessness was learned to perfection.

Bloodline suppression, whether ancient or modern.

At the very least, in families that do not favor sons over daughters, this bloodline suppression will persist.

"I understand. Tell them I'll cover this meal; next time let them spend their own silver." Jiang Yunchu laughed and shook her head.

Read ten thousand volumes, travel ten thousand miles.

Reading accumulates knowledge, making one's talent surpass others.

Only by traveling ten thousand miles can one apply this knowledge to life.

"Yes!" Kang Zhi Chun smiled and nodded, then quickly went to instruct the kitchen.

Upon hearing the Princess Consort's order, the kitchen brought out the large steamer; "Alright, tonight we'll continue with the big steamed buns."

"This… I… can I not eat it?" a man looked at the big steamed bun in his hand, his eye sockets slightly red.

"Why?" Kang Wen asked, puzzled.

The man said, "I want to take it home for my child to eat; she hasn't seen a white-flour steamed bun yet."

"I also want to bring some back for my mother."

"I…"

In that moment, the youths' hearts grew even heavier.

They suddenly felt as if something was weighing on their shoulders; looking at everything before them, Kang Wu suddenly said, "I want to become a good official so that the commoners under my jurisdiction can all eat big steamed buns."

Ning Qiancheng looked at those men, his mind a complete blank.

Everyone says the father emperor is a wise ruler, yet under his governance the country remains like this, and the people suffer so much.

Then what should he do?

Kang Wen sighed, "I can't do it; if I became an official, the people under my jurisdiction would all have to drink the northwest wind with me."

"My greatest contribution would be to not become an official."

Kang Zhi Xia patted his shoulder, "I'm here; we'll go to the battlefield, the state has Kang Wu and them guarding it, so we'll go out to resist foreign invaders—no one shall dare infringe upon our Da Ning!"

"Good!" Kang Wen directly nodded, his gaze firm as he exchanged a look with Kang Zhi Xia.

"Who says women are inferior to men?" At that moment, Kang Zhiqiu stepped forward.

After glancing at the few people before him, he said, "My sisters and I are your solid rear; you charge forward, and we'll be behind you!"

"Good!" Ning Hanmo shouted loudly.

Then he raised a bowl of cool water and placed it before everyone, "Now the boast we just made must be put into effort."

"Bottoms up!"

In that moment, everyone raised their bowls, "Bottoms up!"

The surrounding men watched, watching the youths holding their steamed corn buns in hand, drinking cool water.

At first, they all thought they were young masters; after two days of novelty wore off, they just cried and ran home.

But it's almost been ten days; the field has already been mostly covered, and these children watch them every day, stepping in to fix any shortcomings themselves.

They fear neither stench nor dirt, nor fatigue.

They will bring them water and let them rest.

In these days of interaction, seeing these youths, their numb hearts suddenly sparked a hint of hope: if the future officials were them, wouldn't things be different?

These people are mostly hired hands of the Kang Fu; Jiang Yunchu's people are also mixed in among them, otherwise just a few children—even if she were bold, she wouldn't be at ease.

Their daily changes are sent by different people to different places, including the imperial palace.

"Your Majesty is in such high spirits—what will we eat tonight?" Steward Xi, seeing the emperor read the secret letter, felt his whole aura relax a bit.

He immediately knew this was good news.

"You know again?" The emperor looked at Steward Xi beside him, then tapped the secret letter on the table, "Guess what?"

"What joy do I have? If you guess right, you'll get a reward." The emperor said this and burst out laughing.

In good spirits, he hid nothing.

"But what about the frontier?" Steward Xi naturally knew it was impossible; frontier matters are military reports, eight-hundred urgencies, not a slip of paper in a secret letter.

"No, no!" The emperor hastily waved his hand.

"This servant can't guess, but seeing Your Majesty pleased makes this servant delighted—how could I guess what Your Majesty thinks?" Steward Xi served the emperor tea, then answered with a chuckle.

A ruler's heart is hard to fathom; sometimes one should try to gauge it, sometimes even if one knows, one still cannot.

He could know the emperor's mood is good, but not why it is good.

This is the extent of what a servant like him ought to know.

Ha ha! The emperor burst out laughing, pointing his finger at Xi Gonggong, "You, you're a real slippery one."

Give Xiao Ba to Yun chu, and it's settled. The emperor said directly.

Since Jiang Yunchu struck the grievance drum, she and the emperor have met twice; once she demanded the Blaze, once it was secret, besides Xi Gonggong, nobody knows.

But...

The emperor always called her Yun chu, not like a sister-in-law of equal generation, but rather like an elder.

"It seems to be the Eighth Prince, making Your Majesty happy." Xi Gonggong laughed, bent over, looking as if he had finally figured it out.

"Yes, Xiao Ba."

The emperor, saying this, still couldn't help laughing.

A few days ago, the Second Prince's gloom finally eased a bit.

As for the Second Prince's punishment, it hasn't been decided yet; although he is a prince, he is as stupid as a pig, and even if someone plotted against him, it wouldn't be known.

He can do bad deeds, but he exposes his petty thoughts outright in front of people—is that doing bad deeds? He just fears it won't cause a scandal known throughout the world.

The same conversation was taking place in Kang Fu.