Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Chapter 229 Awakening of Insects Celebration

Ye Wenshu was slightly taken aback, her heart filled with doubt, wondering what kind of help Miss Shi would need her to do. She quickly said, "Please speak freely, Miss, I will do my best."

Shi Wanxia waved her hand awkwardly and explained, "It's like this, Miss Ye, you come from a noble family and are well-educated and courteous."

“I need to go to the fields to work on farming and sericulture these days. Although County Magistrate Xu is handling the affairs of the county government, the day of Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects) will be in ten days.”

"During the Jingzhe season, when spring thunder begins to rumble and all things revive, it is the best time to sow early spring crops."

"I need to take people to make proper arrangements in the fields. As for the Jingzhe celebration, I'll have to trouble Miss Ye to help me."

Upon hearing this, Ye Wenshu was at a loss. Having grown up in a secluded mansion, she was quite familiar with court etiquette, but had no experience in organizing the Jingzhe celebration.

"Miss Shi, I don't know how either! This..." she said with a troubled expression.

Shi Wanxia quickly comforted her, "Miss, don't belittle yourself. I believe in you, you can definitely do it. I've already given instructions to everyone in the county government to do their best to assist you."

Seeing that Shi Wanxia trusted her so much, Ye Wenshu couldn't refuse any longer and had no choice but to bite the bullet and agree.

After Shi Wanxia left, Ye Wenshu sat alone in the study of the county government office, looking at the mountain of information about the Jingzhe celebration on the table, her heart filled with melancholy.

She first carefully reviewed the records of the Jingzhe celebrations over the past few years and found that the celebrations were rich and diverse, including sacrificial ceremonies, lectures on agricultural knowledge, and demonstrations of folk arts and crafts.

A few days later, the county government began preparations for the annual Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects) celebration.

Shi Wanxia was so busy that she barely had time to breathe. Seeing this, Ye Wenshu offered to help without hesitation.

She knew this was an excellent opportunity to integrate into the affairs of the county government, gain a deeper understanding of the local customs and traditions, and showcase her own value and abilities.

Xia Xinran entrusted Ye Wenshu with the etiquette arrangements for the celebration, having great faith in her abilities and enthusiasm.

After taking over, Ye Wenshu devoted herself wholeheartedly to the task. She first carefully studied the celebration materials for the new year's calendar, and then, combined with her familiarity with the large-scale court etiquette norms in the capital, she meticulously considered every detail, word by word.

From welcoming guests to the process of the sacrificial ceremony, from the stage setup to the arrangement of the program, every detail was repeatedly rehearsed in her mind.

She personally drew up the etiquette layout diagram, marking the position and route of each person in the ceremony, with an astonishing level of precision and detail.

When communicating with the clerks in the county government, she patiently explained the meaning behind each request, demonstrating not only professional competence but also respect for every participant.

At first, the junior officials were somewhat at a loss with her meticulous requirements, but gradually they were all impressed by her professionalism and conscientiousness, and carried them out with extra care.

However, things don't always go as planned. A wealthy merchant in the county, upon hearing that Ye Wenshu came from the capital and played a crucial role in the preparations for the celebration, began to harbor wicked intentions.

Although this wealthy businessman was extremely rich in the local area, he repeatedly encountered setbacks when expanding his business in the capital. After hearing about Ye Wenshu's identity, he wanted to use her to open up some business channels in Beijing.

The wealthy merchant arrived with lavish gifts and a beaming smile, fawningly stating his demands.

Having grown up in a prestigious family in the capital, Ye Wenshu deeply abhorred such sycophantic and opportunistic behavior and rejected him without hesitation.

When the wealthy merchant realized that his gentle approach was ineffective, he became enraged, his face darkened, and he stormed off.

Since that day, rumors have quietly spread in the county government office, claiming that Ye Wenshu was feigning arrogance, deliberately making things difficult for local merchants, and even attempting to disrupt the celebration.

The rumor spread rapidly throughout the county government office like a dark cloud. Some uninformed officials began pointing and whispering about Ye Wenshu.

Ye Wenshu overheard these rumors, and a wave of grievance washed over her. She had meant well, wanting to do her best for the celebration, but she was instead slandered.

But she was stubborn by nature, and her inherent pride did not allow her to back down easily. She gritted her teeth, buried these grievances deep in her heart, and still adhered to her principles, continuing to focus on the preparations for the celebration.

During the late summer, Shi Wanxia was extremely busy during the Grain Rain season, a crucial time for fertilizing and transplanting rice seedlings, which affected the county's annual harvest.

She was well aware of the risks involved, and to prevent anyone from causing trouble, she increased the number of people patrolling the farmland in each village every day, and she herself often went to the fields herself.

As a result, he had no time to attend to the affairs of the county government and had to entrust them entirely to Xu Mingyi and Ye Wenshu.

When Shi Wanxia learned of this, she felt indignant about Ye Wenshu's plight.

Knowing Ye Wenshu's character well, she wholeheartedly supported Ye Wenshu without hesitation.

In front of everyone, she praised Ye Wenshu for her integrity and incorruptibility, saying that she had worked hard to prepare for the celebration and that she would not allow anyone to slander or defame her.

At the same time, she ordered a thorough investigation into the source of the rumors to set the record straight. With Shi Wanxia's support, Ye Wenshu's fighting spirit was rekindled.

As the date of the celebration approached, Ye Wenshu became increasingly busy, almost to the point of neglecting to eat and sleep.

She personally supervised the setup of the venue, meticulously checking whether each decoration was sturdy and aesthetically pleasing.

During the rehearsals for the sacrificial ceremony, she disregarded the scorching sun and patiently guided the participating commoners and officials, personally demonstrating each movement and correcting their postures and expressions.

Her voice was hoarse from shouting for so long, but her eyes remained firm and bright.

Finally, on the day of the Awakening of Insects celebration, the county government office was brightly decorated and bustling with activity.

The guests entered in an orderly fashion according to the meticulously arranged procedures of Ye Wenshu, with each step proceeding smoothly and efficiently. The sacrificial ceremony was solemn and sacred, with the participants displaying reverent expressions and performing each movement in perfect unison.

The subsequent celebrations were filled with laughter and joy, as people sang and danced, fully enjoying the happiness of spring.

Ye Wenshu stood aside, watching all this, her eyes glistening with tears.

She knew that her experience in the county government office was full of joys and sorrows, and was gradually becoming a precious treasure in her life.

Ye Wenshu frequently patrolled back and forth, watching each step of the process with great tension.

The sacrificial ceremony was solemn and dignified, the agricultural knowledge lectures were full of practical information, and the folk art demonstrations were wonderful. The people in the audience cheered and laughed from time to time.

Xu Mingyi was followed by a number of yamen runners from the county government, as was the case when the magistrate was not present.

Women weren't actually valued this much, including Xu Mingyi himself.

Unexpectedly, this young lady became like a talent scout, establishing a girls' school and giving more women in the inner quarters the opportunity to read and write.

She vigorously developed the economy and encouraged and assisted many people, regardless of age or gender, and treated them with patience and care.

They were taught business skills and given a lot of work and stalls.

Now that Xinyang's economy has improved, the people have a greater appreciation for Miss Shi.

She also issued many regulations to restrain merchants and wealthy families from arbitrarily bullying the common people.

On payday, the yamen runners would also receive some bonus money.