On the day the sign for the Agriculture and Sericulture Institute was hung over the gate of Jiahe Garden, the capital saw its first rain of spring.
A fine, drizzling rain washed the bluestone paths until they gleamed.
Lin Shuying stood under the porch, looking up at the black-lacquered plaque with gold lettering, a strange feeling welling up inside her.
Four years ago, she was just a fourteen-year-old girl playing tricks and clamoring to farm.
Now, she had become the first female director of an imperial institute in Great Liang’s history—second rank, in charge of agriculture and sericulture for the entire realm.
“Daydreaming?” Xiao Shengrui came up behind her and draped a cloak over her shoulders. “You’ll catch a cold.”
“I was thinking—” Lin Shuying turned around, her eyes sparkling, “does this make me… the most powerful farming princess consort in history?”
Xiao Shengrui laughed: “Yes, without a doubt. There’s never been anyone like you, past or present.”
The two stood side by side, watching the rain drip from the eaves.
“Oh, by the way,” Xiao Shengrui remembered, “the list of subordinate officials for the Institute came from the Ministry of Personnel. Take a look.” He pulled out a booklet from his sleeve and handed it to her.
Lin Shuying opened it. The first page had her own name: Director of the Agriculture and Sericulture Institute, Lin Shuying, Second Rank.
Below was a list of posts and names: Deputy Directors, Chief Clerks, Recorders… all unfamiliar faces.
“Are these people reliable?” she asked.
“Some are reliable, some aren’t,” Xiao Shengrui said honestly. “Father said you’re to decide for yourself—if they don’t work out, replace them. The Institute is newly established, so the rules are yours to set.”
Lin Shuying’s eyes sparkled: “So I can use my own people?”
“Yes.” Xiao Shengrui nodded. “Who do you have in mind?”
“A Li, for starters—she’s best with money. A-Gua is well-connected and can handle intelligence gathering. Sister Wei and Miss Zhao don’t like being tied down, but they can serve as advisors—teach self-defense and the like.”
“Anyone else?”
Lin Shuying gave a sly smile: “My second brother too. He’s been helping the Zhao Family Escort Agency transport seeds by sea in Jiangnan, hasn’t he? He can be given the title of ‘Special Envoy for Overseas Crop Introduction’—it’ll give him an official excuse to go looking for exotic seeds.”
Xiao Shengrui laughed: “You’re pulling your whole family into the Institute.”
“Good things shouldn’t flow to outsiders,” Lin Shuying said matter-of-factly. “Besides, I trust my own people.”
“Fine.” Xiao Shengrui agreed readily. “I’ll speak to the Ministry of Personnel tomorrow.”
The rain stopped, and a rainbow appeared on the horizon.
Lin Shuying took a deep breath of the fresh post-rain air, feeling full of energy.
“Come on!” She took Xiao Shengrui’s hand. “Let’s go see our territory.”
The Agriculture and Sericulture Institute was located on the east side of Jiahe Garden, in what had originally been an empty side courtyard.
The Emperor had allocated five thousand taels for renovations, and now it was completely transformed.
The main hall served as the meeting room, with long tables and chairs.
The east wing was Lin Shuying’s study; the west wing was the archive room.
The rear courtyard was even more spacious—half experimental fields, half lecture hall.
The lecture hall was something Lin Shuying had specifically requested—it could hold fifty people. The desks and chairs were new, and there was a large wooden board at the front where she could write with chalk.
“This is where we’ll hold classes,” Lin Shuying said, running her hand over the smooth desktop. “Train agricultural technicians, promote new techniques.”
Xiao Shengrui stood by the window, looking at the experimental fields in the back courtyard: “This plot is a bit small.”
“It’s enough,” Lin Shuying said. “Mainly for experiments and demonstrations. For large-scale planting, we’ll still use the imperial estates.”
She walked to the edge of the experimental field, crouched down, and scooped up a handful of soil.
The earth was moist, carrying the fresh scent after rain.
“I want to do three things first,” she looked up at Xiao Shengrui. “One: establish an agricultural school to train technicians. Two: build a seed bank to collect and preserve fine seeds. Three: compile a Great Liang Agricultural Manual that even ordinary farmers can understand.”
Xiao Shengrui nodded: “One step at a time.”
“And also—” Lin Shuying stood up, brushing the dirt from her hands, “I want to select ten pilot counties across the country to promote the ‘Honey Treasure’ melons and those fast-growing crops. Choose representative places—south, north, mountainous, plains… test them all.”
“That’s a great idea.” Xiao Shengrui approved. “The Listening Wind Pavilion can help collect climate and soil data from various regions to assist with site selection.”
Just as they were talking, A Li came running in a hurry: “Miss—oh, Director! There are a lot of people outside!”
“Who?”
“They say they’re here to pay respects to the Director!” A Li looked helpless. “From the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and a few stewards from various marquisates and earls’ households—all carrying gifts!”
Lin Shuying and Xiao Shengrui exchanged a glance.
Ah. Here come the troubles.
— —
In the main hall of the Institute, seven or eight people were seated, all well-dressed and beaming with smiles.
When they saw Lin Shuying and Xiao Shengrui enter, they all rose and bowed.
“Your subordinate Wang Qian, Chief Clerk of the Merit Evaluation Division, Ministry of Personnel, pays respects to the Seventh Prince and Director Lin.”
“Your subordinate Li Wenyuan, Chief Clerk of the Granary Division, Ministry of Revenue—”
“Your subordinate, Chief Clerk of the Waterways Division, Ministry of Works—”
Lin Shuying took her seat at the head, with Xiao Shengrui beside her.
“Gentlemen,” she said without preamble, “what brings you here today?”
The officials exchanged glances. It was Wang Qian who spoke first: “We heard that the new Institute is short-staffed. We’d like to request appointments.”
“Request appointments?” Lin Shuying raised an eyebrow. “The Institute does need to hire, but we need people who understand agriculture. Have any of you gentlemen ever farmed?”
The officials were taken aback.
Li Wenyuan gave a dry laugh: “Director must be joking—we are scholars, we wouldn’t know how to farm—”
“Then what can you do?” Lin Shuying asked.
“This subordinate is skilled in paperwork!” Wang Qian quickly said. “I can help the Director handle official correspondence!”
“This subordinate excels in mathematics!” Li Wenyuan followed. “I can manage finances and grain accounts!”
“This subordinate is familiar with hydraulic engineering!” the Ministry of Works official chimed in.
Lin Shuying smiled: “Gentlemen, are your current positions not satisfactory? Why come here?”
The officials exchanged glances. Wang Qian, steeling himself, said: “Director, you may not be aware, but the Agriculture and Sericulture Institute was personally established by His Majesty—it has boundless potential. We wish to serve the court.”
In other words, they wanted to latch onto a rising star.
Lin Shuying saw right through them.
She picked up her teacup, took a slow sip, and then said: “The Institute does need people, but we need those who can get their hands dirty, endure hardship, and understand farming. If you gentlemen truly wish to serve the court, I have a suggestion.”
“Please, Director, speak!”
“Starting tomorrow, come to the Institute’s back courtyard every day and learn to farm from the laborers. After one month, if you can independently grow a plot of vegetables, I’ll consider assigning you a position.”
The officials’ faces turned pale.
Farming?
They were scholars—with no knowledge of manual labor. How could they farm?
“Director, this—” Wang Qian started to protest.
“Not willing?” Lin Shuying set down her teacup. “Then forget it. A Li, show the gentlemen out.”
“Willing! Willing!” Li Wenyuan quickly said. “This subordinate is willing!”
The others had no choice but to nod along.
“Very well.” Lin Shuying stood up. “Tomorrow at the hour of Chen, gather in the back courtyard. Remember—wear casual clothes and straw hats. Don’t get your official robes dirty.”
After seeing them off, Xiao Shengrui couldn’t help but laugh: “You’re something else.”
“No choice.” Lin Shuying shrugged. “The Institute isn’t a retirement home. I need people who can get real work done. If they want to gild their resumes, they’ll have to pass my test first.”
“I’d wager very few will show up tomorrow.”
“However many come, that’s how many I’ll take.” Lin Shuying didn’t mind. “Those who genuinely want to learn farming are welcome. Those who just want to coast—better they leave early.”
— —
As it turned out, Xiao Shengrui was right.
At the hour of Chen the next day, only three people showed up at the back courtyard: Wang Qian, Li Wenyuan, and a minor official from the Ministry of Works named Chen Shi—in his thirties, a plain and honest-looking man. The others had all “fallen ill.”
Lin Shuying wasn’t surprised. She had A-Gua take them to learn the basics—starting with turning the soil.
She herself went to the lecture hall—today was the interview for the first batch of instructors for the agricultural school.
A dozen people had come to apply—old farmers, retired agricultural officials, and even a monk who said he’d gained insights from growing vegetables at his temple.
Lin Shuying questioned each one.
“What’s the most important thing about farming?”
The old farmer answered: “Read the seasons, connect with the earth.”
The agricultural official answered: “Intensive cultivation, diligent fertilizing and watering.”
The monk answered: “All things have spirit—succeed by focusing the heart.”
Lin Shuying smiled.
She would take all three.
The old farmer was Tian Laogen, sixty-two years old, who had farmed all his life.
The agricultural official was Zhou Ming, fifty years old, who had overseen agricultural affairs in local regions and understood theory.
The monk’s dharma name was Huijing, forty years old, whose temple’s vegetable garden was famous far and wide.
“Uncle Tian will teach practical classes, Master Zhou will teach theory, and Master Huijing will teach—” Lin Shuying paused, “—moral and character education?”
Huijing pressed his palms together: “This humble monk can teach students to revere nature and cherish food.”
“Good.” Lin Shuying made the decision. “The three of you are the first instructors of the agricultural school. Monthly salary—five taels, room and board included. Are you willing?”
All three nodded.
Lin Shuying looked at the others: “The Institute needs all kinds of talent—those who can draw, those who can write, those who can do accounts, those who can manage people… if you have any skill and are willing to contribute to agriculture, you’re all welcome.”
Now the remaining candidates perked up. “Director, I can draw! My father is a carpenter!” “Director, my handwriting is good—I can copy books!” “Director, I’ve managed an estate—I know how to organize labor!”
Lin Shuying noted each one and had A Li arrange follow-ups. After a busy morning, she had finally assembled the initial framework.
In the afternoon, she went to the back courtyard to check on the three officials learning to farm.
Wang Qian and Li Wenyuan were drenched in sweat, barely able to hold their hoes. Chen Shi, however, looked like he belonged—he came from a farming family and had only become an official after passing the imperial exams.
“Director,” Wang Qian grimaced, “why is this hoe so heavy?”
“The hoe isn’t heavy—you’re just not strong enough.” Lin Shuying took the hoe and demonstrated. “Steady your waist, use even force—that saves energy.” She taught him several times before he could barely manage. Li Wenyuan fared worse—with one swing, he dumped a load of dirt onto his own shoes.
Lin Shuying wasn’t in a hurry; she taught with patience.
“Farming is the foundation. If you’re going to manage agricultural affairs but don’t know how to farm, how will you understand the people’s hardships? How will you formulate proper policies?”
The three fell into thoughtful silence.
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