Chapter 21: Spring Rain is Precious as Oil (Part 1)
Chongzhen 1st Year
February 16th
Taihe Gate at dawn.
The rain outside Taihe Gate has been falling continuously.
The officials in the Taihe Gate Hall were bustling and discussing.
Yang reformed as usual, ignoring these NPCs. Sitting on the throne in a daze. But his eyes cooperated very well, occasionally sweeping over the foreheads of the group of ministers. Making everyone think that the emperor was paying attention to me.
Yesterday night, the rain started falling. The spring rain is precious like oil, and it has been drizzling continuously until now without stopping. Yang Reform suddenly had a heart attack in the middle of the night and ordered the little eunuch to use a copper basin to collect the rain.
The officials sprayed saliva at each other for half a day, and soon discovered that the emperor was sitting on the dragon chair in a daze, so they didn't have the will to quarrel again. A performance without an audience is also meaningless to the performer! Just like writing without anyone reading it, it's just a waste of time.
The great hall finally quieted down.
"Has everyone finally stopped arguing?" Yang asked, coming back to his senses.
The officials spat blood. They thought to themselves, "This emperor is really too 'bad', letting us waste our energy for half a day, spitting out all our saliva, and still asking if we're done arguing."
"My dear officials, let's put aside the argument for now and talk about something else to ease our minds. I see that several of you are red-faced and hoarse from arguing; how about taking a break?"
The officials were all speechless, thinking that the emperor was up to another one of his tricks. Every time he brings up something else, it always ends with us being left in an awkward position.
Yang Reform spoke up and said: "I see the fine rain outside the palace, from last night to now, it has been drizzling non-stop. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, let all of you advisors discuss."
The ministers breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the emperor was fine and hadn't come up with any strange ideas. They asked about the rain, yesterday being "Spring Equinox Festival", he must have been inspired by it.
"I humbly report to Your Majesty, as the common saying goes, 'Spring rain is precious like oil.' This gentle rain is as valuable as gold, a good omen that our great Ming dynasty will surely have a bountiful harvest of grains this year. It's truly a joyous occasion, congratulations to you, Your Majesty." A sycophantic official has already thought about the abundance of food.
"I report to Your Majesty, this is a good thing. After so much spring rain, I'm sure there won't be a drought in the spring harvest this year. It's an auspicious sign of a bumper harvest!"
……
"I report to Your Majesty, yesterday was the Spring Equinox Festival, and today it's raining, which is indeed a regrettable yet auspicious event."
"I report to Your Majesty, this is a good omen sent down by Heaven!"
"Your Majesty's great fortune..."
……
“……”
Endless flattery pours in, but Yang ignores it all.
"My dear ministers, listen to what I have to say first." As soon as Yang spoke, the officials below him fell silent, waiting for the emperor to continue.
"Gentlemen, do you know how long it has been raining? And how much more will fall? You all keep saying that 'spring rain is as precious as oil', and that this year will definitely have a bumper harvest. But I ask you, how much rain has actually fallen? Which one of you can tell me the exact amount?" Yang said, bringing up today's topic.
"Uh..."
"This..."
"Ah!"
……
Depressed, a group of ministers felt suffocated in their hearts. We are the officials who hold the central power of the Ming Dynasty, not the Dragon King who controls the rain. What do you ask us to do?
A group of officials below were red-faced and thick-necked, but had no idea where to start.
The silence lasted for a long time, and one of the old ministers finally came out to report: "I beg to report to Your Majesty, I estimate that this rain started from yesterday's Chou hour (modern 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM) and has been falling intermittently for five hours until now, which is almost noon (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM). As for how much rain has fallen, I don't know either. It's always been like this."
"Hmm, not bad, you're right, my lord. Yesterday, just after the rain stopped, I woke up and saw this spring rain coming down. I thought to myself that this rain is indeed timely. Yesterday was the Spring Equinox, and today it's raining, so I suppose we'll have a good harvest this year. I... also think so."
Yang's reform topic turned again, saying: "Since this is a good thing, who can tell me how much rain the crops in the ground need? How long does it take to make the grain of the people all over the world abundant, and how much is considered a heavenly blessing rather than a disaster?"
It's getting a bit chilly here.
Many officials thought to themselves, "Unexpectedly, the emperor still cares about this matter? It seems he still has some thoughts. But what does this have to do with us? We just collect land rent, as for how much grain can be grown on the land, it's none of our business, that's the tenant's problem. If there's more, they can eat a few more mouthfuls of fine rice, if there's less, they'll go hungry, gnaw on tree bark, borrow usury loans, sell their sons and daughters to pay us rent, which is just right for us to lend out some money at high interest rates, take in a few concubines, buy a few maidservants to serve us."
Another official couldn't bear it and came out to report: "I beg to inform Your Majesty, this matter is related to the heavenly phenomenon, we need to ask the people from the Imperial Observatory to know, we are also unsure."
Very good, you've dodged the question artfully, but it's also true. In ancient times, there was an organization specifically in charge of this kind of thing, and that was the Imperial Observatory. Yang Reform nodded and said: "Hmm, alright then, summon someone from the Imperial Observatory to come quickly."
Yang Reform and many ministers have been "confronting" each other in the grand hall for a long time, with nothing to say, everyone is very embarrassed.
Fortunately, the people from Qintian Supervision have arrived. Otherwise, this awkward situation would continue and we might not even have food to eat.
……
"Your Majesty, I, the Minister of Astronomy... XXX... pay my respects to Your Imperial Majesty, may you live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, and ten million years." A group of "green-robed minor officials" kowtowed on the ground. Guessing that the Emperor might ask questions, they had called all those who were summoned by the Minister of Astronomy.
"Rise. We have something to ask you."
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." Everyone stood up. In this grand hall, the green and blue robes were indeed authentic "small officials", standing out quite prominently among a group of red-robed officials.
"I discussed the matter of this spring rain with all of you, my dear officials, and everyone says that spring rain is precious as oil. But I want to know how long it has been raining and how much rain has fallen. All of you recommended that I ask the Imperial Observatory to enlighten me. Speak!"
The people of the Observatory were stunned, what's going on? It's a good thing that it's raining, just yesterday was the spring equinox and today it's already raining, looks like this year is going to be a good harvest. But this rain seems too much... Who would have thought to get up in the middle of the night to catch some with a plate?
The people of the Imperial Observatory were hesitant about whether or not they should respond to the Emperor's words.
Suddenly, one of them stepped forward and said: "I venture to report to Your Majesty that I have also observed this spring rain, and it is indeed timely. This year will certainly be a good harvest. As for how long it has been raining and how much rain there has been, I am ashamed to say that I was not prepared, and did not make any calculations. Perhaps another day I will be prepared, and I can calculate how much more rain we will have."
"Hmm, what's your name?" Yang Gaizhi looked at him with interest, thinking that there was another "capable person" who had come.
"I, your humble servant Li Zhubai of the Astronomical Observatory, respectfully report to Your Majesty."
"Li Zubai?" Yang Gaige muttered to himself, seemingly without any impression. He didn't pay much attention to it either.
Yang Reform looked at this person with a playful expression. He thought to himself that he had originally wanted to tease the Ming dynasty's scholar-officials, but unexpectedly, there was someone who understood him. His heart suddenly became cheerful, and he said: "Li Ai Qing, it's like this, I saw the rain yesterday and had some thoughts, thinking about the grain harvest of our great Ming dynasty. I asked how much rain fell, and ordered a small eunuch to use a basin to collect the rain. Li Ai Qing, quickly calculate it for me, I'm eager to know..." Yang Reform was very happy, finally meeting someone who looked pleasing to his eyes, not like those people who always used their stale things to "soak" themselves.
Yang shouted again: "Come on, bring up the basin."
The little eunuch walked over slowly, holding a basin in his hand, covered with a wooden lid. He lifted the lid, and it turned out to be a copper basin, all yellow, with about an inch of clear water inside.
"Li Ai Qing, hurry up and calculate for me how much water is in this basin and how much rain has fallen?"
Actually, Yang himself also went through nine years of compulsory education in the new China. This includes calculating area, volume and weight, as well as rainfall, which he had studied before. However, since graduating, what he learned was handed over to his teacher, so if he wants to calculate again, he needs to review it again.
However, since I've come to the Great Ming Dynasty as an emperor, how can there be a reason for me to count myself? What is an emperor supposed to do? It's someone who has all the people in the world serving him, so of course he would have others count for him.
Many officials were confused, muttering to themselves that the Emperor really dared to think and act like this. Isn't it the Jade Emperor's decree for rain to fall from heaven, a task for the Dragon King? Why do we ordinary people also have to calculate these things?
However, the emperor's question was about this year's grain production, which is also a matter of course. It can be considered as diligent governance and love for the people. There's nothing more to say. All one can do is stretch their neck to see how Li Zuwu, the supervisor, measures the rainfall.
Li Zubai was also straightforward.
He then said: "I beg to report to Your Majesty, I want to measure the mouth diameter and size of this copper basin, I need tools, please allow me to get them."
Yang was eager for reform and wanted to see how the people of the Ming Dynasty measured rainfall. He immediately said, "Big companion, immediately call someone to quickly bring it over."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I'll have someone fetch it right away." Wang Chengen replied immediately.
