At the second watch, I request pink powder.
********
"It’s a Second Class Earl," Lian Manman said.
This ti, because of the corn, the Emperor was overjoyed and decreed rewards for many people. Among them was the Lian Manman family, and officials of all levels in Liaodong Prefecture also received rewards. Of course, the Emperor first rewarded, and most generously, the Shen Family.
Fatty Shen was the primary contributor to the discovery of the high yield of corn. In the morial he presented, he explained the process, ntioned the Lian Manman family, and also ntioned Fatty Shen. As a result, Fatty Shen was granted the title of a Second Class Earl with an annual stipend of four hundred eighty-five taels of silver. Shen Liu was granted the title of a Second Class Marquis, with an annual stipend of five hundred eighty-five taels of silver.
These two titles could be inherited, but with each generation, they would be reduced by one rank. Once all the inheritances were done, the hereditary title would be canceled.
The Shen Family suddenly gained two noble titles, which can be described as being in a mont of great favor.
Shen Liu had an actual deficit, so this title was icing on the cake. As for Fatty Shen, at such a young age, he now had the title of a Second Class Earl. This was truly a blessing from heaven, his luck was extraordinarily good.
Lian Manman had even asked Quan Fu why Fatty Shen didn’t co with Shen Liu this ti. Usually, with nothing to do, Fatty Shen would insist on following Shen Liu here. Now with a title, and feeling proud, one would think Fatty, with his nature, would co to show off.
However, Quan Fu told Lian Manman that Shen Qian did want to co, but Shen Liu didn’t bring him.
In order not to beco an ignorant Second Class Earl when he grew up, Fatty Shen must study hard. It was said that Shen Liu left many assignnts for Fatty Shen, with strict instructions that until those assignnts were done, Fatty Shen was to go nowhere.
Thinking about Fatty Shen’s chubby stead bun face studying hard in his room made Lian Manman want to laugh.
Regarding the corn matter, the Emperor’s rewards were not just these.
Empress Shen, for inadvertently presenting corn to her natal family, leading to such a great achievent, with her rit benefiting the nation, had the character "steadfast" in her posthumous title changed to "cultured" by the Emperor’s own hand.
Since the founding of the Great Ming, only the Empress of The Great Ancestor had the character for "cultured" in her posthumous title. Across all past dynasties, empresses, and even emperors, with "cultured" in their posthumous titles could be counted on one’s fingers.
Therefore, the posthumous honor of Empress Shen reached an incomparable peak.
All this was gossip that Quan Fu told Lian Manman. Recalling the ti in the front hall of the new house, when Lian Manman inquired Shen Liu about the official docunts and Shen Liu remained noncommittal—that when Servant Quan Fu was beside them.
Without Shen Liu’s instruction, Quan Fu would not be likely to tell her these things.
Shen Liu’s silence at the ti was probably because it was inappropriate to speak. A servant can irresponsibly gossip, but Shen Liu could not. And what kind of rewards the Emperor had given the Shen Family were not sothing Shen Liu wanted to hide from Lian Manman, but he wouldn’t volunteer to prattle on about them either.
The family talked about the rewards received by the Shen Family for a while, and then the conversation returned to the governnt decrees about to be issued.
"...Once this decree is issued, in about two years’ ti, our Liaodong Prefecture can fully adopt corn cultivation and extend it to other prefectures too," Wu Lang said.
"Hmm," Lian Manman nodded in agreent. Moreover, with the governnt setting the price, the cost of corn would be on par with sorghum, allowing corn to truly beco the common people’s food.
Of course, Lian Manman also thought about the impact of this governnt decree on her family.
"I think, next year our family can still sell one season of fresh corn," Lian Manman said. The decree only restricted those who received corn seeds from the governnt, whereas her family had its seeds and was not included in the restrictions. "But, we could only sell for that one season, for the price of fresh corn will drop after another year."
After next year, when Liaodong Prefecture opened up corn cultivation, other families would start bringing fresh corn to the market. No longer a rarity, the price of fresh corn would naturally fall.
Moreover, even if fresh corn could still be sold next year, its price and sales volu could not compare to this year.
"If we can sell, we’ll sell so; if not, we won’t," Lian Shouxin thought very openly, "With this corn, we have gained a lot of benefits, we must be content."
"Just now, soone asked about the corn seeds, wanting to buy from us," Lady Zhang interjected.
"Let’s not sell those thousand catties of corn seeds we have just yet. Wait until the decree cos down, and if we have excess corn seeds, we can talk about selling them then," Lian Manman said.
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