"So it seems you have already thought everything through."
Emperor Xuanwu, who had always excelled in his studies since childhood, failed to catch the subtle implications hidden in Yun Shu's words. What he did perceive, however, was reassurance—Yun Shu's proposal was not a fleeting whim. Before uttering a single word, she had clearly mapped out the entire plan and its countermeasures.
Truly, she was the child he had personally guided, step by step.
Emperor Xuanwu gave a slight nod.
"In that case, carry it out as you see fit."
"Many thanks, Father Emperor."
Receiving her Imperial Father's full support, a sly glint flashed in Yun Shu's eyes. She suddenly spoke again, this time raising a topic that, at first glance, seemed entirely unrelated.
"Speaking of which, not long ago, the court officials busied themselves for quite some time over the expansion of the national treasury. Now that their duties have finally eased, why not take them out for a brief respite, let them rest and relax?"
"A respite?"
The underlying motive in her words was so transparent that Emperor Xuanwu twitched at the corner of his mouth.
"Where would you take them?"
"What does Father Emperor think of the imperial estate?"
Yun Shu smiled as she suggested it.
"As it happens, the second harvest of high-yield crops in the greenhouse at the estate has ripened. Until now, the court officials have yet to witness it with their own eyes."
…
When Emperor Xuanwu suddenly declared that court would be suspended for a day and that the ministers were to accompany him to the imperial estate, it caused quite a stir among the officials. No one could guess what prompted such an unorthodox move.
Privately, however, many had their suspicions. This sort of deviation from standard protocol bore the unmistakable mark of Her Highness the Crown Princess.
And knowing her, she was most likely setting them up for another monumental trap.
Still, an imperial decree was an imperial decree. Even if it led straight into a pitfall, they had no choice but to march in obediently.
That said, nerves ran high throughout the journey.
"Come to think of it, has it not been several years since we last visited the imperial estate?"
"Indeed. In the early years, we would occasionally accompany His Majesty there. But ever since... I believe ever since Her Highness the Crown Princess began rising to prominence, we've not returned."
With the topic veering toward Yun Shu once more, the two officials speaking exchanged a look, then recalled something else.
"Was it two years ago, or perhaps three, when Her Highness escorted His Majesty alone to the estate?"
"Yes, I remember. Word spread at the time that military forces had even been stationed at the estate for the past few years..."
If neither the Emperor, the Crown Princess, nor any other royal family members were residing there, what could possibly warrant a military presence?
Clearly, something of extraordinary value was being kept at that estate.
"I remember now!"
One of the ministers slapped his thigh in sudden realization.
"Some time ago, Her Highness requisitioned funds from the Ministry of Revenue to build a 'warm house' at the estate. Minister Yan was distressed for days. I only found out because I overheard him lamenting about it."
"A warm house?"
Another official looked baffled.
"What is that? Some kind of room with underfloor heating?"
"...I am not certain."
"…"
As the officials continued speculating about what treasure might be hidden at the imperial estate, the convoy finally rolled to a stop at the manor grounds.
Yun Shu closed the phonics primer she had been using to teach Yun Chuhuan and adjusted her cloak before stepping down from the steam-powered carriage with practiced ease.
"What is that?"
The ministers, having also alighted, began surveying the surroundings.
Most of them had not visited the estate in years. At first, they merely glanced about, trying to spot any changes from what they remembered.
But upon seeing the vast stretches of land now entirely covered by unfamiliar structures, their expressions froze. The sprawling farmland they had once known was gone—replaced by rows upon rows of enclosed sheds.
"Where are the estate workers?"
One official, particularly passionate about preserving farmland, could no longer contain his fury.
"Destroying good farmland is a serious crime!"
"Please rest assured, Tian Daren. The farmland is still intact. It has not been ruined."
Now that Emperor Xuanwu had stepped down from his carriage, Yun Shu slowly walked toward the gathered officials.
"These greenhouses merely provide crops with a more temperate environment for growth, allowing us to harvest twice yearly, even here in the capital.
As it happens, the second crop of the year has already ripened. The estate workers are currently harvesting in the fields. If any of you are curious, why not come take a look?"
Crops yielding two harvests a year in the capital?
Could that possibly be true?
Faced with such a claim, the ministers could not help but follow. Not one of them believed that these modest-looking sheds could enable crops to mature twice in a year, but they all trailed behind Yun Shu and Emperor Xuanwu, heading toward the fields.
As they passed one of the greenhouses, a curious official reached out and lifted the curtain over its entrance.
Even from outside, they could clearly feel the warmth within. The temperature was significantly higher than that of the surrounding air.
However...
"These dried stalks—I do not recognize them."
"Ah, those are corn stalks."
Yun Shu, only a step or two ahead, turned at the question and replied offhandedly.
"This too is a new crop we acquired from overseas. Its growth cycle is shorter, so it has already been harvested. The yield per mu is about one thousand jin. Later on—"
"One thousand jin per mu?!"
Tian Daren's voice rang out with such volume that Yun Shu jumped in surprise.
Oblivious to how loud he had become, he pushed past the other officials and hurried to examine the dried stalks with trembling hands.
"Your Highness must be mistaken. Could this crop truly produce a thousand jin per mu?"
"The estate workers have verified it over a dozen times. It is indeed one thousand jin."
Yun Shu regained her composure and nodded with resignation.
In this era where the average yield of rice was barely four hundred jin per mu, the sudden appearance of a crop that produced a thousand jin was bound to cause shock. Their excitement was understandable.
And had she not brought them here today for precisely that purpose?
Her lips curled ever so slightly as she waved a hand, feigning nonchalance.
"This is nothing. What This Princess truly wishes to show you are the sweet Tudou and the red tomatoes. Their yields are far more impressive."
"More impressive than a thousand jin per mu?"
Tian Daren cried out again.
"Do you mean to say they can reach one thousand two hundred jin?"
"One thousand two hundred?"
Yun Shu repeated the number, then let out a soft laugh.
"Tian Daren, do you doubt these new grains, or do you doubt This Princess?
Go ahead. Let your imagination run bolder than that."
===
A phonics primer is a beginner-level reading book that teaches children how to connect letters (or letter combinations) to sounds. It's usually one of the first tools a child receives when learning how to read.
Think of it as:
"Phonics" = method of teaching reading based on sound-letter matching.
"Primer" = an introductory book or lesson.
So together, a phonics primer is:
A simple, illustrated book that teaches a child, step by step, how to recognize letters, pronounce them, and gradually read simple words and sentences.
Phonetics is not same as Phonics.
Phonetics: The study of all speech sounds in any language. Usually used by Linguists, educators, speech pathologists
Phonics: A method for teaching how letters relate to sounds. Usually used by Teachers, kids, parents learning to read
In simpler terms:
If you're talking about a child learning to read, say: "phonics."
If you're talking about sound articulation in language science or pronunciation accuracy: "phonetics."