I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 121 Quyuanli

That day, Ying Wuyou was sitting in the palace garden, enjoying the tranquility of autumn. The sunlight bathed her, making her feel warm and peaceful. Suddenly, she heard soft footsteps. Turning around, she saw Cui'er approaching. Cui'er stepped forward and whispered, "Princess, someone outside requests an audience."

Ying Wuyou frowned slightly, but quickly regained her composure and replied calmly, "Please come in."

Before long, a guard strode in and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your subordinate greets the princess."

Ying Wuyou waved her hand gently, signaling the other person to stand up, and then asked, "Is there something you need?"

The guard replied solemnly, "Princess, our envoys who went to other countries to purchase grain have returned, but the amount of grain they acquired was not much."

Upon hearing this, Ying Wuyou fell into deep thought. She knew all too well that food was scarce in this era, and many people struggled to even ensure their basic needs were met, let alone sell large quantities of grain. It seemed that the grain needed for brewing was still insufficient, and increasing production would likely require waiting for some time. Perhaps she could try brewing some fruit wine to meet market demand.

After clearing her mind of distractions, Ying Wuyou said, "I understand. You may leave now." The guard turned and left, while Ying Wuyou leaned back in her recliner, lost in thought, planning her next move. Now that the autumn harvest was over and spring planting was approaching, she pondered to herself, "Should I try to develop a curved plow?"

The curved-shaft plow, as an agricultural implement, played a pivotal role throughout history. It not only greatly improved farming efficiency but also effectively increased grain yields. The successful creation of the curved-shaft plow would undoubtedly have had a profound impact on the agricultural development of the Qin Dynasty.

Thinking of this, Ying Wuyou couldn't help but think of Mo Li. Mo Li was a member of the Mo family, and Ying Wuyou didn't know any other members of the Mo family besides him. Moreover, she believed Mo Li was very capable. So, she secretly pondered, "I wonder if I could entrust this matter to Mo Li?"

Thinking of this, Ying Wuyou looked at Cui'er with a firm gaze and solemnly instructed, "Cui'er, go and send someone to invite Mo Li to the palace." Cui'er immediately nodded in agreement and then quickly left.

Meanwhile, Mo Li was busy handling affairs in his study when a guard rushed in to report, "My lord, Princess Jiayang requests your presence." Upon hearing this, Mo Li was instantly stunned, his heart filled with doubt and confusion. However, he quickly tidied his clothes and then hurried towards Chaohua Palace.

Soon after, Mo Li arrived at the gates of Chaohua Palace. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves, and then walked into the palace with steady steps. Upon seeing Ying Wuyou, Mo Li respectfully bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness." Ying Wuyou quickly replied, "Mr. Mo, there's no need for such formality. Please take a seat." Mo Li sat down as instructed, awaiting Ying Wuyou's next words.

Without any hesitation, Ying Wuyou asked directly, "Mr. Mo, do you know how to make plows?" Mo Li was slightly taken aback, then replied, "Is the princess referring to an iron plow?" Ying Wuyou nodded and continued, "I hope you can help me make a special plow called a curved plow."

Mo Li couldn't help but feel curious and asked, "A curved plow? What's that?" Ying Wuyou smiled slightly, picked up a piece of paper from the table, and handed it to Mo Li: "Please take a look, sir. This is the blueprint for a curved plow."

Mo Li carefully took the blueprints and examined them closely. As time passed, his eyes grew brighter. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Princess, the structure of this curved plow is very different from that of an ordinary plow!"

Ying Wuyou smiled gently and explained, "The curved shaft of the plow is curved, allowing the plow to adapt to different terrains and farming requirements during operation."

Mo Li nodded repeatedly, and Ying Wuyou continued, "Moreover, the plowshare and other components of the curved plow can be adjusted at will to control the depth and angle of the plowing, making it easy for people to make appropriate adjustments according to different soil conditions and crop needs."

Then Ying Wuyou continued, "The curved plow makes the land flatter and more even, which is beneficial to the growth and yield of grain. Moreover, compared with the heavy iron plow, the curved plow is lighter and therefore less strenuous, making it easier for people to use."

Mo Li nodded again, and Ying Wuyou continued, "Moreover, the curved-shaft plow is more economical in terms of iron. Only the plowshare needs to be made of iron. In this way, not only can the cost of the plow be reduced, but more people can also own a plow. What do you think of this curved-shaft plow, sir?"

Upon hearing Ying Wuyou's words, Mo Li was shocked and asked, "Does the princess even know how to cultivate the land?"

Ying Wuyou was stumped by his question. After hesitating for a moment, he replied, "I don't know how to cultivate the land. I figured these things out myself after asking the farmers in the village for advice."

Mo Li nodded in understanding, then looked at Ying Wuyou earnestly and said, "Princess, you have put a lot of thought into this! If this new plow is really as good as you say, it will definitely greatly shorten the time needed for farming and make the work much easier for the people. At that time, you will surely be respected and loved by all the people."

Ying Wuyou waved his hand and smiled at Mo Li, saying, "Mr. Mo, you flatter me. The reason I did this is simply to increase grain production and thus prevent the people from suffering from famine. As for any so-called reward or the admiration of the people, I have never thought about it."

Upon hearing this, Mo Li's eyes revealed deep admiration. He said with emotion, "Your Highness, you are so young yet possess such noble character and a broad mind. We are truly ashamed! I will immediately return to my residence to study this curved plow and strive to manufacture it and put it into use as soon as possible."

Ying Wuyou nodded slightly and said, "Then I will trouble you, sir. If you have successfully created the curved plow, I hope you will send someone to inform me as soon as possible."

Mo Li cupped his hands and replied, "Princess, please rest assured, I will inform you as soon as possible."

Ying Wuyou then said, "Then I would like to congratulate you on your early creation of the curved plow."

Mo Li bowed and said, "Please rest assured, Princess, I already have a plan, and I believe it won't be long before I can build the curved plow."

Ying Wuyou nodded and said, "Then I won't keep you any longer, sir."

Mo Li nodded and said, "I'll take my leave now." With that, he turned and drifted away.