The fool has become a spirit, and she can speak

Chapter 1890 Wild Ducks in the Pan Pond

"Is Your Highness going to farm outside the north city?"

"Of course. Agriculture is the foundation of the world, and food is the lifeblood of all people. Our territory is vast and expansive, but there is much wasteland. We must still encourage the people to farm! If we are to farm, let's start with me, the Crown Prince. I will set an example for all people."

Cheng Youning spoke with such righteous indignation that even Qiao Rong, who had been by his side for years, was stunned. The Crown Prince was unruly and often caused trouble, but he also frequently uttered words that surprised people.

Qiao Rong had to keep in mind everything the Crown Prince wanted to do, so that he would remind him if he forgot. It didn't matter if the Crown Prince forgot, but if he forgot, it would be a dereliction of duty.

Qiao Rong counted on her fingers, sensing that the Crown Prince would be very busy in the coming days. "Your Highness, the imperial examination is just around the corner, less than a month away. You'll have to spend a lot of time studying, won't you? Will you still have time to farm?"

“Taking the imperial examination is important, but farming is also important. The imperial examination is only held once a year, and farming also requires attention to the seasons. Although our Fengying has three crops a year, missing any one of them is a loss. I cannot abandon one thing for the sake of doing another.”

"I'm afraid it will interfere with the Crown Prince's studies."

"I'm on my way to the Imperial Academy right now! I know my stuff when it comes to the provincial examination. I won't lose to anyone when it comes to studying. Just you wait and see!"

Qiao Rong then said, "Your Highness, His Majesty is unwell, and Your Highness needs to serve him, which will also take time. Do you really have that much time?"

"Filial piety is the most important thing, and this is what I, the Crown Prince, should do. Filial piety and studying do not conflict, nor will studying interfere with my filial piety. I study during the day and serve my great-uncle at night, killing two birds with one stone. I can study and be filial at the same time. As for the daytime, my parents are there to be filial to my great-uncle at his bedside, so I have no worries."

"Your Highness will be participating in the spring hunt soon, won't you? Isn't that too much to do?"

"Not much. How could I, the Crown Prince, be absent from the hunting competition organized by my great-grandfather? I not only want to participate, but I also want to compete with those who are participating in the competition."

Qiao Rong was worried that Cheng Youning would try to do too many things, bite off more than she could chew, and end up accomplishing nothing.

But Cheng Youning remained confident and refused to admit defeat, acting as if he could accomplish anything with ease.

However, none of the things mentioned earlier were things that Cheng Youning excelled at. He couldn't match the experience of the old farmers when it came to farming. Last year, the Crown Prince's land yielded a bumper harvest of plums, but almost no wheat. He led a team to harvest the wheat, but the wheat ears were all shriveled. After harvesting and drying, they only managed to thresh a single batch of wheat. After grinding it into flour and removing the light bran, there was even less flour left. He sent one portion to the palace and another portion to Prince Pang's residence. In the end, Cheng Youning only had about twenty catties of wheat flour, which was consumed before the New Year. It can be said that if Cheng Youning relied on farming for a living, he would starve to death.

The Crown Prince was not as diligent in his studies as the students of the Imperial Academy in Song. While they studied late into the night, Cheng Youning was sleeping in bed. Cheng Youning had the advantage of getting up early and was forced to attend the morning court every day. It was unlikely that he could surpass those students in terms of academics.

As for hunting, Cheng Youning's skills were naturally far superior to those of the Imperial Academy students. However, Qiao Rong didn't think he had much of a chance in such a large-scale competition as the spring hunt, because the participants were definitely not at the same level as the Imperial Academy students. The emperor valued martial arts, and this was an event hosted by the emperor himself. With the emperor watching the hunt, generals, military officers, and those with outstanding skills would all come to watch. As the saying goes, there are always people better than you. It would be just as difficult for Cheng Youning to get a ranking in the hunt as it would be to participate in the imperial examination.

As for filial piety, Cheng Youning was indeed filial, but he was still young. At first, he was quite proper in guarding the emperor's bedside, but after yawning a few times, he couldn't help but lie down on the bed. As a result, he slept even more soundly than the ailing emperor. What's even more bizarre is that he injured his grandmother today.

Thinking about all this, Qiao Rong couldn't help but shake her head inwardly.

After passing through two streets and turning into two alleys, the carriage finally stopped at the entrance of the Imperial College.

As the master and servant passed by the Pan Pond, the copper bell under the eaves was rung.

In an instant, students filed out of the rooms. The younger students were the fastest to run, while the older students, though more composed, also ran out quickly upon hearing the bell, almost like wild beasts unleashed from their cages.

At this moment, Cheng Youning heard a wail, "That old scholar has such sharp eyes! How could he tell at a glance that the essay wasn't written by me? I paid two taels of silver to have someone write it, and I was so afraid that the old scholar would find out that I even painstakingly copied it myself. How could he still find out? Is that old lady even human...?"

Upon hearing this voice, Cheng Youning immediately turned his back, not wanting to be bothered by Hong Yuncong.

Cheng Youning lowered his head, his eyes fixed on the carp in the pond and the few wild ducks playing in the water. He had caught them from the river outside and put them in the pond, where they had made their home and were now a part of the scenery.

Every time Cheng Youning saw these wild ducks, she would count them. One, two, three, then suddenly Cheng Youning's eyes lit up and she excitedly called out to Qiao Rong, "Qiao Rong, Qiao Rong, look over there, aren't those ducklings? They're just hatched, right? They're so fluffy and cute."

Cheng Youning has always been drawn to small animals, especially furry ones, which always evoke his affection. At this moment, he was so happy that his eyes crinkled into crescent moons, and the mature demeanor he usually tried to project was nowhere to be seen.

“Brother-in-law, these ducklings have been here for the day before yesterday. The first one and the last one are their parents.” Hong Yuncong, who had been complaining just moments before, stopped wailing when he saw Cheng Youning and happily ran over to introduce the wild ducks in the pond to her.

At this moment, Cheng Youning disregarded his dislike for Hong Yuncong. He was surprised that even the Panchi had changed after just a few days of confinement. He asked Hong Yuncong, "They hatched the day before yesterday? Where did they hatch? When were the eggs laid? Where did they lay them? How did they hatch this whole group of ducklings?"

Faced with Cheng Youning's three questions, Hong Yuncong couldn't answer a single one. Not only could he not answer, but none of the students in the Imperial Academy knew where the wild duck had laid its eggs. Fortunately, they hadn't discovered the eggs, otherwise, it was uncertain whether there would even be any ducklings now.

Ever since these little ducklings appeared in the pond the day before yesterday, everyone rushes out of the school as soon as the bell rings to the pond, just to see them. The ducklings line up in the water, occasionally quacking, which is incredibly attractive to everyone.