The Princess of Northern Land
Chapter 833: Return (4)

Chapter 833: Chapter 833: Return (4)

"Come spring, we can stock the fish fry," Lin Ziyin pointed at the small river and said, "As for how to allocate them, your own village can decide based on income or contract it out to individuals."

There was a fee for using the small river, but the amount the government offices collected in silver was minimal—it was almost like giving it away.

"Your Highness, when can the water wheels be distributed?" someone, seeing her easygoing nature, boldly inquired.

"What?" Lin Ziyin asked curiously, not understanding.

"Your Highness, the water wheels."

With someone starting the conversation, more and more bold people began to speak up.

"Rest assured, the price of the water wheels definitely will not increase. Subtracting the labor and transportation costs, each wheel will only profit thirty copper coins, absolutely no more. Of course, if local craftsmen are able to make them in the future, you can definitely price them according to the local rates," Lin Ziyin answered with a smile, knowing that what the common people cared about most were issues that affected them personally. She would certainly resolve them well.

"Your Highness, we tried them, and those water wheels really work well," someone said with a chuckle. "With the channels delivering water, we are no longer afraid of dry land."

"Everyone, as long as each person treats the Northern Land as a true family, and we work together, we will certainly make sure every hardworking person has a full stomach. Of course, that doesn’t include the lazy ones."

"Exactly, lazy people deserve to starve," everyone laughed heartily.

With her harmonization, Chu Suifeng seemed to have become just an ornament. The common people preferred to be close to Lin Ziyin, the Princess.

But Chu Suifeng showed no displeasure at all; on the contrary, he always wore a smiling face.

Following that, for the chicken coops and the duck and goose pens in the village, she gave several apt pieces of advice. For example, the height, the size of the area, the handling of feces...

The old farmers nodded in agreement as they followed her, growing more and more impressed with Lin Ziyin.

They had farmed their whole lives and had no idea what integrated use meant, what mixing organic fertilizers entailed, and that the fertilizer formulas needed for sweet potatoes and beans were actually different. Today they had truly broadened their horizons.

It was midday by the time Lin Ziyin and Chu Suifeng declined the villagers’ hospitality and went back.

It wasn’t that she disdained the simple farmers’ meals but Lin Ziyin knew that the common people were not living an easy life; if they had stayed, they would have surely consumed all the good things the villagers had saved.

Disturbing the peace was naturally not something they would do.

Even Xiao Yang, with the government officials, followed them back.

Having observed the village, she certainly wanted to see the military’s plant and livestock breeding bases as well.

Thus, their stay in Border City was extended by three days.

Three days later, Chu Suifeng had people prepare the supplies for the journey. On the fourth day early in the morning, Lin Ziyin was already seated in the carriage, while Si Jinhan and Luo Yan, who were in pursuit of the North Country’s State Preceptor, hadn’t sent any message at all.

"Don’t worry about them," Chu Suifeng said, holding her in his arms, "they took enough people with them."

That was enough; Lin Ziyin didn’t ask about other matters.

On the return trip, afraid that she would be jostled too much, Chu Suifeng did not rush the journey. They carefully planned each day’s travel to ensure accommodations were arranged.

"How many people in the residence are involved in this case?" Finding a moment when Chu Suifeng was not around, Lin Ziyin, sitting in the inn, finally took the time to inquire about the inside story of the past events.

"...Ming Ling and Lady Qin have been executed by lingchi by order of the Prince, dragged daily to the market entrance to be cut several times." When mentioning former companions, Hong Ying and the others felt no more regret or pain, but a deep-seated hatred, "Li Yanran was stabbed to death personally by the Mu Family, who also took her own life. Li Jieyong, out of fear, had already lost his mind, so the Prince decided to show him mercy and banished him to Underworld City for labor reform."