Jin Sect is full of rascals and strange people.
Those who blow sugar figures, perform stunts, do tricks on bridges, sell tickets in teahouses, across the array of trades, there's always one or two standout individuals who become the talk over tea and meals.
Today, the Rongsheng Studio is packed with guests, the short, dark fat man in the storytelling trade has been speaking non-stop for three days, delivering twenty-two performances; it's a wonder his voice hasn't gone hoarse!
This Guo Baolin harbors a stubborn streak, intent on escaping the shadow of his master Guo Dongyang, so that when people talk about him, they speak of him as the dark fat Guo Baolin, rather than the disciple of Mr. Guo.
After these twenty-odd performances, the result is apparent; although Guo Baolin is tired, his heart rejoices. Once he finishes the final performance, his reputation at Rongsheng Studio will be firmly established.
At least within the storytelling circle of Jin Sect, he could be called a top craftsman!
However, as Guo Baolin just lifted his spirits to recite the opening poem, planning a grand act, an uproar suddenly erupted among the audience.
Many listeners are whispering to each other, some even start running outside, making it seem like there's an earthquake!
Hey! Don't leave, my big act hasn't even started yet, at least wait till I've finished this performance!
Guo Baolin panicked, hurriedly instructed his apprentices to offer free snacks and tea to the patrons, as a desperate attempt to hold their attention.
But it was in vain!
Guo Baolin anxiously demanded his apprentices to explain the situation.
The apprentices responded:
"Master, haven't you heard? Over in Wanshou County, a strange person has done something remarkable! Ten thousand acres of new crops, today is the harvest day, and the Emperor himself has travelled here to be the first to taste this grain."
Guo Baolin was utterly disheartened, thinking of that land where generations of farmers turned soil towards the sky, tirelessly farming for years; how could it be so easy to cultivate new crops?
It's most likely a scam by some charlatan trying to swindle money!
"There's not much in the soil, where's this new grain coming from? I've heard of Wanshou County's matter too, just some Western Regions millets, how could they be used as staple food?"
Guo Baolin was pondering who could be so audacious to deceive the Emperor, when suddenly his apprentice mentioned that the cultivator is none other than the close friend of Grandmaster Guo Dongyang, our storytelling guild's grand elder, Mr. Xu from the Funeral House...
Guo Baolin's hands trembled, nearly losing his balance and sitting down abruptly!
Forget about the storytelling business; he immediately covered his apprentice's mouth, and only after noticing no one was paying attention did he warn, sweating coldly:
"Who is your grand elder? From now on, no one is allowed to mention his name; if the Emperor finds a mistake in the grain inspection, it would be a crime punishable by execution of the entire family line. How many heads do you and I have for them to chop?"
"We won't be telling stories for now; put up the sign indicating closure, we won't entertain guests. Wait until the situation calms down before making further plans."
Guo Baolin was a cunning soul, valuing life over anything else!
The apprentice, witnessing the urgency, dared not delay, so he hung up the sign, closed the door, and then asked the master what the next step would be.
Guo Baolin pondered for a moment, then immediately changed out of his tunic into casual clothes, and donned a hat.
It was the lingering heat of autumn, yet the dark fat man wrapped himself tightly in a scarf, fearing that others might recognize him.
"I'll head outside the city to gather information; you go tell the people at the studio to keep their mouths shut about your grandmaster and Mr. Xu's past."
...
Wanshou County.
The ten thousand acres of corn stalks were aligned like a military formation, stretching seamlessly as far as the eye could see.
Lu Xiu led a multitude of monkeys from Monkey Hill into the fields to pick the corn.
The monkeys, once rough and unruly, now competed to be the most obedient.
Beside them, the gentle and affable Lu Xiu held a teaching ruler, constantly wearing a friendly smile on his face.
Once the corn was picked overtime and the kernels were hulled, Lu Xiu entrusted the grain drying tasks to the Funeral House staff.
Xu Qing took advantage of some idle time to set up porridge stalls in the fields and on the paths alongside Black Crow Grandfather, Li Tiezhu, Sun Erzhuang, and others, ready to offer porridge once Zhu Huai'an tasted the first grain, hence allowing those who traveled from afar to witness the ceremony to taste something fresh, and also spread the story of the new grain's cultivation across the land through word of mouth.
At the end of August, the Emperor's caravan ventured to Wanshou County.
As the imperial palanquin was about to enter Wanshou County, Zhu Huai'an suddenly asked: "I remember that during the prior dynasties, this place was known as the Village of Longevity, and the former Emperor Longping himself came here seeking the secret of longevity, giving this place the name of Wanshou."
Beside him, the Minister of Revenue Xi Yutang nodded affirmatively: "Indeed, Your Majesty, I've often heard that Wanshou Village is famed for its long-living elders, confirming that this truly is a blessed land."
Zhu Huai'an's eyes glimmered, immediately remarking: "The notion of longevity is elusive and not beneficial to the state. In my view, only by ensuring the people are well-fed and the storehouses are plentiful can true governance and national peace be achieved."
"Proclaim my decree, from now on, Wanshou County shall abandon its illusory name of longevity and be renamed as Cangshi County..."
In the former wheat field, a golden landscape had spread across today.
Zhu Huai'an stepped down from the imperial palanquin, while the attentive Imperial Censor Apology Spring hastened forward to greet him.
"Song Aiqing, is this the harvest yield of this autumn?"
Song Tingfang replied excitedly: "This field has yielded ten thousand stone of new grain; there are twelve such fields, with a total harvest exceeding one hundred twenty thousand stone!"
Zhu Huai'an's eyelids quivered, asking: "Is that dry weight or wet weight?"
"All have been sun-dried, Your Majesty!" Song Tingfang submitted: "Your Majesty, if this grain can truly serve as food, it would benefit generations to come, a deed comparable to and even surpassing that of revered Emperors before."
Zhu Huai'an did not reply; he strode forward, picked up a grain seed, and put it into his mouth.