Chapter 137

A few days later, thanks to Li Yao and a group of master craftsmen's efforts, the first batch of qualified tiles was finally fired successfully.

Looking at the tiles piled up in the yard, Li Yao could not wait any longer. "Hurry up, finish tiling by the end of today."

More than twenty masons immediately started working, beginning to tile the floors of Li Yao's main residence, using the methods taught by Li Yao, and they were quite adept at it.

After the floor tiles were laid, the whole house gave a completely different feeling.

It was clean, bright, and pleasing to the eye.

When Liu Yun stepped on the tiled floor for the first time, he decided that he must bring back large quantities of tiles when he returned, to tile the main hall, bedroom, and empress's quarters of his father the Emperor.

This was so comfortable!

This Mrs. Li was simply better at enjoying life than the imperial family.

And her enjoyment was created bit by bit through her own efforts.

These days when working in the workshop, he had already found out that everything the Song Chancellor had said was true, without any falsity.

He was prepared to have the imperial edict from his father read out loud by someone when the Grand Minister of Agriculture arrived, to properly reward Li Yao.

"Mother," He Xiaoya said, struggling to squat down and stroking the smooth floor, "Isn't it too wasteful to lay such nice things on the ground?"

"What waste," Li Yao said. "This stuff is called floor tiles, it's inherently meant to be laid on the floor. Oh yes, have someone tidy up, the floor of your room will be tiled tomorrow too."

"Oh!" He Xiaoya rubbed her belly and said, "After my son is born, he'll be able to crawl on the clean floor, he'll definitely like it a lot."

"How do you know it's a son?"

He Xiaoya was startled for a moment, then said, "I don't know, but isn't having a son better?"

"Don't keep listening to those old women's nagging all day, letting them lead you astray," Li Yao said. "In our family, sons and daughters are the same. Even if you give birth to all daughters, I definitely won't blame you for it."

He Xiaoya felt a surge of warmth in her heart. Her mother-in-law was definitely the best mother-in-law in the whole world.

But she still wanted to have a son. Not every daughter was as fortunate as her to encounter such a good in-law family.

If her daughter married badly in the future, she didn't know how heartbroken she would be.

"Mother, can we have stir-fried pork with chili peppers for dinner tonight?"

Li Yao: "Didn't we just eat that yesterday?"

"But I want to eat it again."

"Let's eat it, I happen to want to eat it too, go pick some chili peppers." As Li Yao spoke, she picked up a basket. Just then, Song County Magistrate's carriage stopped at the door.

"County Magistrate, is there an urgent matter at this time?"

"It is quite urgent indeed." Song County Magistrate said.

"Then come in and sit down to talk slowly about it," Li Yao looked at the basket in her hand, turned around and called out, "Xiao Si, Liu Yun, stop fiddling with that waterwheel machine for now, let Master Xia come and fix it later. You two go pick chili peppers now."

"Coming!"

Wang Xiao Si ran out like the wind, with Liu Yun and Bai Song behind him. The three of them were trying to fix a waterwheel machine, and were all dirty and grimy, with black smudges all over their faces.

Especially Bai Song, who was smeared all over like Black Face General.

The moment he saw Liu Yun, Song County Magistrate froze as if electrified.

This... this... isn't this the Ninth Prince?

Although he didn't dare believe it, this really was the Ninth Prince!

How could the Ninth Prince be at Li Yao's home, and be made to look like this, and be ordered by Li Yao to go pick chili peppers... pick chili peppers...

"County Magistrate Song, what's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing."

Song County Magistrate quickly regained his composure.

He had already figured out that since His Majesty had sent the Grand Minister of Agriculture here, the Ninth Prince being here was nothing unusual.

After all, he knew this Ninth Prince quite well, he was naturally playful by nature.

"Today I received an official letter from Prefect Hu," Song County Magistrate said, "Saying that His Majesty has sent the Grand Minister of Agriculture to Bai Chuan County, to investigate all your achievements and merits, in order to reward you. "

Li Yao was completely indifferent. "I didn't do these things for merits or rewards, but for my own comfort."

"I know this, but after all he's one of the Nine Ministers, you can't simply refuse to meet him."

"I really don't want to meet him. Or I could go live in the mountains for a couple months?"

Song County Magistrate: ...He had never seen such a person before!

His Majesty finally found out about her matters and wants to reward her, yet she was reluctant to accept it.

There was probably no one else like this in the whole world.

"Actually you don't need to meet the Grand Minister of Agriculture," Song County Magistrate said. "To tell you the truth, that Liu Yun is the Ninth Prince, he has more say than the Grand Minister."

"I know."

"You know?"

"The two of them whisper to each other, thinking I can't hear them?" Li Yao laughed. "But I don't let him know that I know, and he pretends to be muddle-headed every day, so I'm happy to have someone to order around. As they say, don't waste what comes free."

Song County Magistrate's eyes were about to pop out. Don't waste what comes free, she says. She's really incredibly bold!

But the Ninth Prince looked quite happy just now, he must be enjoying it too.

No no, that's not right.

The Ninth Prince recognized him, and since he was traveling incognito, naturally he could not reveal his identity.

"Mrs. Li, that's how things are. The Grand Minister and Prefect Hu will arrive tomorrow, so County Magistrate Song will take his leave now."

After saying this, Song County Magistrate didn't linger and hurriedly got on his carriage and left.

...

The nights in He Wan village were not quiet at all.

It was full of insect chirping everywhere, and occasional wolf howls could probably be heard from the mountain forests behind too.

Compared to the absolute silence of the imperial palace, this noisy environment made Liu Yun feel extremely comfortable. Plus the cool tiled floor, and the starry sky, made Liu Yun feel this was the true human world.

"Your Highness," Bai Song suddenly said, "the Grand Minister is coming tomorrow, we'll have to return to the capital soon too."

"Yes," Liu Yun lightly sighed, "but I don't want to go back."

During this time in He Wan village, although he was ordered around by Li Yao every day and always got himself dirty, these were the happiest days of Liu Yun's life.

So many novel things made him addicted.

The villagers were also very nice. They didn't fawn over him for being a nobleman, and would even joke with him often, with several old women trying to matchmake him.

Which villagers in the world would dare to act like this?

And all of this originated from Li Yao.

A bold commoner woman, who brought out equally bold villagers, and somehow Liu Yun felt this was great, extremely carefree.

If the whole country could be as prosperous and harmonious as He Wan village, wouldn't that be wonderful?

But he knew this would be very very difficult.

The Crown Prince was not as friendly to common people as him. That guy's mind was narrower than a needle hole.

"Bai Song," Liu Yun said, "or we could stay a while longer?"

"Your Highness, would that be proper?" Bai Song said. "His Majesty didn't mean it that way."

"The army has some freedom when away from court," Liu Yun argued. "If Father wanted me to return, he would send someone directly. If no one comes, it means he tacitly approves me playing for a few more days. Don't you think so?"

Bai Song sighed inwardly. His Highness was good in every way, he just loved to play too much.

But his argument did make sense, and this was probably for the better too.

On the surface the capital seemed tranquil, but undercurrents were flowing. The Crown Prince was ambitious, who knew if he would stir up trouble.

It was safest for the Ninth Prince to stay here, far from the Emperor's eyes. As long as he guarded him diligently, nothing should happen.

"Then play for half a month more."

"Hehe, I knew you'd agree."