A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 913: Countryside

Everything was arranged properly.

The sky was getting late.

Xia Ruqing couldn’t delay any longer.

Together with her elder brother and sister-in-law, she saw off the carriages for Second Madam and Cai Yang.

After chatting for a moment and taking a look at her little nephew Xia Chengze, she also took her leave.

...

Zhao Junyao really couldn’t make time.

Even though she was a woman traveling with a child, having the Hidden Guard’s protection, staying overnight outside the palace was still inconvenient.

Therefore, every single day became increasingly precious!

Leaving the gates of the Hou Mansion.

Xia Ruqing’s carriage headed directly towards the south of the city.

Along the way.

Chenchen looked curiously outside the carriage, his eyes full of curiosity.

"Mother Concubine? Where are we going?"

Xia Ruqing rubbed his head and said gently.

"Guess?"

Chenchen looked around and shook his head.

"I don’t know!"

Xia Ruqing laughed.

"You’ll know soon enough!"

As she spoke, she embraced his shoulder and asked.

"Chenchen, do you like the common people of our Great Chu Dynasty?"

Chenchen’s thick eyebrows, much like Zhao Junyao’s, furrowed seriously.

"Of course I do!"

"Ancient texts say: Those who are emperors and kings should love their people like their children!"

"Even though I am not an emperor, I do not dare be negligent!"

Xia Ruqing was supposed to be serious, but she was amused by his little demeanor.

Suppressing her laughter, she asked.

"Then... have you seen the common people?"

Chenchen was taken aback, shook his head, and murmured.

"No, I haven’t!"

His eyes slowly filled with some guilt.

Indeed.

The books, ancient sayings, the teacher’s words...

He read so many books, always listening to others, never seeing with his own eyes.

How is this different from talking on paper?!

"Then today Mother Concubine will show you!"

"As the saying goes, food is the people’s primary concern, so let’s visit a commoner’s home for a meal as your fourth birthday gift, how about that?"

Chenchen’s eyes instantly lit up.

"Really?"

"Mother Concubine, is this true?!"

Xia Ruqing asked with a faint smile.

"Do you like it?"

"I like it!"

"I really like it!"

Chenchen said, almost sobbing.

He was so fond of this birthday gift.

Xia Ruqing was somewhat amused.

Thinking to herself: This child, just like his father, almost worries himself sick for the common people of the world!

If he becomes an emperor in the future...

Bah, bah, bah! 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Xia Ruqing quickly shook her head.

How could she think so wildly?

Being an emperor is not a good job, if possible, it is better not to.

Her only hope.

Is that her children, can all live their lives peacefully and steadily.

...

An hour later.

The plain carriage stopped on a small rural road on the outskirts of the city.

The road led to blocks of farmland.

Xia Ruqing removed all the jewels and hairpins from her head and changed into a white cotton outer garment.

Chenchen also changed his jeweled hat for a small blue cloth cap.

His clothes were changed into long pants and short shirts worn by common children.

Zi Yue and the others also changed into cotton clothes.

On the whole,

they looked like a group of outsiders passing through the Capital City.

After changing clothes,

Xia Ruqing then led the group off the carriage, heading towards the farmland.

It was already the end of October.

It was neither spring planting nor autumn harvest.

There weren’t many people in the fields.

Walking along the path,

the crops in the fields were mostly sweet potatoes and taro.

Growing up in the countryside, Xia Ruqing naturally recognized them all.

But Chenchen... was completely bewildered.

"Mother Concubine..."

Xia Ruqing interrupted him.

"You should call me Mother now!"

"Mother, what are these? Do you recognize them?"

Chenchen immediately changed his address, his big eyes starving for knowledge.

"Of course I recognize them!" She laughed.

"Those dry stalks are sweet potatoes, their fruit is buried underground, and you can eat it when you dig it out!"

She pointed to another field.

"Those white and green plants are cabbages, and those with half of the red showing are radishes!"

"Oh!"

Zhao Qichen listened carefully, nodding all the while.

In ancient times, crops were very scarce.

Along this small path, the fields on both sides were almost filled with these crops.

Occasionally, spotting a few spinach plants was already a rarity.

Chenchen was a bit confused.

"Mother, why do they plant so many sweet potatoes but so few radishes and cabbages?"

Xia Ruqing gazed deeply at her son.

Thinking about this profound question.

Truly a child of the emperor father, such intelligence... and only four years old.

"Because sweet potatoes can fill your stomach!"

"And radishes and cabbages are just non-filling vegetables, they plant just enough to eat!"

"Huh?"

Zhao Qichen was really surprised.

Xia Ruqing nodded with a composed look.

Yet she was secretly relieved:

Fortunately, she brought him here, or else... he might have asked a question like ’Why don’t you eat meat porridge?!’

"Then... just these few vegetables, are they enough to eat?"

"They should be... enough!"

Poor commoners live like this, don’t they?

She looked at those giant cabbages in the distance.

Recalling the time in modern days.

Her grandmother also planted a lot of radishes and cabbages.

Every time around the New Year, grandma would prepare two large clay jars.

One for pickling salty radish pieces.

The other for pickling sour cabbage.

These two jars of pickles were enough for her and her grandma to eat for a year!

So...

It should be enough!

But Chenchen shook his head.

"Why don’t they plant more?"

"Is it because... planting more of this means... they can’t fill their stomachs?"

Xia Ruqing nodded.

"Yes!"

"These fields probably belong to farmer households!"

"And there are others who don’t even have these, only working as tenants for landlords, working all year round only to remain hungry!"

Wherever there are people, there is society.

From ancient times to the present, where has there been no exploitation?

Chenchen’s eyes gradually grew solemn.

"Mother!"

"I still find it hard to imagine!"

"How do they eat for a year with just these few vegetables!"

If put in the palace, it’s barely enough for one meal!

The way he spoke, with a hint of concern for the country and its people.

Made her unable to hold back her laughter.

"Alright!"

"Let’s find a farmer household to have a meal, and you’ll see!"

Chenchen frowned, nodding.

Previously, he thought he was already frugal enough.

Yet unexpectedly, he was still too extravagant!

The group wandered around the fields.

Finally, they found an old woman digging sweet potatoes in the field.

Xia Ruqing was about to approach.

But Chenchen stepped forward first to greet her!

"Hello, Grandma!"

The old woman, though white-haired, seemed quite robust.

Likely conditioned by years of working in the fields.

She looked up.

Saw that the caller was a fresh-faced little boy.

She liked him immediately and smiled.

"Oh, hello!"

"What a sensible little child!"

Looking up again, she saw three young women dressed in cotton garments.

The foremost one, with fair and clear skin, was particularly good-looking!

"Who is this Madam?"

Xia Ruqing was dressed like a matron, hence the question.