Yang Hong was a prince, and even if he had to farm, he wouldn't do it all by himself. If he had help, he certainly wouldn't refuse it.
Moreover, Zhou Neng was a master of the Xiantian realm. Doing some simple manual labor was incredibly fast.
In less than half an hour, a small flower bed three feet wide and ninezhang long was completed.
Yang Hong directly planted the nine peach pits. Since he couldn't infuse them with true qi to improve their quality, he simply planted them.
Whether they would sprout depended on their own fate.
Returning to the central courtyard, after a simple clean-up, the palace maid Xiao Cao had already brought hot tea.
"Your Highness, please have some tea."
"Mmm~"
Taking a sip from the teacup, Yang Hong's brow furrowed. The tea allocated to him, the Sixth Prince, was truly terrible.
It was merely the dregs of low-grade tea, not even worth drinking.
He now greatly desired to transplant some tea plants, or at the very least, buy some tea seeds and grow them himself.
He silently noted this down and then looked at Zhou Neng beside him.
Seeing that Zhou Neng hadn't left as usual, Yang Hong knew he had something to report.
"Uncle Neng, is there something else?"
"Your Highness, the Twelfth Princess has gotten into a fight again."
"Oh, my imperial sister is still so mischievous. Did she win?"
Yang Hong's hand holding the teacup paused, and a gentle expression appeared on his face.
"The Twelfth Princess won again, but she was punished by the Empress to stand."
"Heh heh~ She's used to it.
I'll pick some Hai Ting Feng and add to my imperial sister's meal tonight."
Yang Hong smiled and got up, heading back into the vegetable garden and picking five Hai Ting Feng.
Zhou Neng carefully accepted and put them away before retreating.
These were Hai Ting Feng that Yang Hong had infused with his Farming and Enlightenment Return System, making them rank 9 Hai Ting Feng. They could nourish the body and speed up the cultivation of martial artists.
Zhou Neng's progression from a third-rate martial artist to a Xiantian Grandmaster owed a great deal to these special plants.
In the Great Sui Dynasty and its surrounding regions, cultivation was divided into several levels.
Ordinary people, after training, could lift a 100 jin stone lock with one hand and begin practicing martial arts, considered "unranked."
Through martial practice, being able to lift a 300 jin stone lock was "low-ranked"; 900 jin was third-rate martial artist, and 2000 jin was considered second-rate.
Reaching 4000 jin made one a first-rate martial artist, and Xiantian martial artists had a minimum strength of 8000 jin.
As for Grandmasters, a strength of ten thousand jin was just the basic requirement.
Besides strength, there were also requirements for true qi and physical resilience, but most martial arts sects and schools could only perform simple tests. Lifting stone locks was the easiest.
Cultivation was already very widespread on the Taiyuan Continent, with very complete cultivation theories.
For example, regardless of gender, individuals under 14 years old could only engage in simple physical training and not practice martial arts, as it would damage their foundation and affect future cultivation.
It could even lead to immediate death.
Martial arts, for instance, had internal and external disciplines. Internal disciplines cultivated inner force, while external disciplines honed strength.
Cultivation techniques were divided into nine ranks, with each rank representing a heavenly step.
However, none of this concerned Yang Hong, as he was restricted from cultivating.
It was Emperor Yang Jian himself who issued the imperial decree, forbidding Yang Hong from practicing martial arts.
Yang Hong was very confused about this. After investigating in various ways without success, he could only attribute it to potential issues with his identity.
His sister, Yang Zixuan, was already 14 years old this year and had started cultivating at the beginning of the year.
Because Yang Zixuan was Yang Hong's only full sister, she had a deep affection for him and often visited to play with and care for him.
Over time, Yang Hong had genuinely accepted this younger sister.
With Yang Hong obtaining the Farming and Enlightenment Return System and continuously cultivating various special plants, Yang Zixuan had benefited greatly from consuming them.
"Imperial Brother~ Imperial Brother~ Bang~"
Just then, a clear and loud girlish voice, passing through the courtyard gate, across the front and central courtyards, reached the back courtyard from afar.
"Sigh~ The main gate needs repairing again."
Yang Hong slapped his forehead, saying helplessly.
This was the 13th time this year, wasn't it?
The gate to the [Wang Wen Ge], which an ordinary adult could not open alone, had been knocked down by Yang Zixuan when she knocked.
"Imperial Brother, I was bullied, wuwuwu~"
Yang Zixuan, familiar with the layout, found Yang Hong and threw herself into his arms, starting to feign crying.
Yang Hong watched the little loli wail without tears, without even raising his eyes.
"Who did you beat up today?"
"It was Yang Lanting, that guy!
Hmph~ She couldn't beat me, and she's always got a sharp tongue. She deserved a lesson.
Ah, wait, Mother punished me to hold a stone lock again. I won't grow taller at this rate. If I keep holding stone locks, I'll never grow taller."
"Then you should be more well-behaved."
"Hmph~ It's all those people provoking me. I'm very well-behaved."
Yang Hong listened to the little loli chatter with a smile, feeling warm. This was his sister.
Yang Zixuan was 14 years old this year, turning 15 after the New Year, but her height had always been the shortest among princes and princesses of the same age, only 1.4 meters tall, and her physique was quite slender.
It was rumored to be due to her premature birth.
However, in the past two years, under the nourishment of Yang Hong's special fruits and vegetables, although her physique remained small and slender, her strength was immense.
Just last month, she could already lift a 900 jin stone lock with one hand, reaching the level of a third-rate martial artist.
"Imperial Brother, they taught internal arts today. Mother personally taught the 'Zheng Ren Gong.' Do you want me to teach you?"
Yang Zixuan's face showed a sense of pride, but her eyes held anticipation.
She knew about the imperial decree from their father forbidding Yang Hong from practicing martial arts. Yet, she still hoped that her only full brother could cultivate techniques and martial skills.
"Cough cough~ Cough cough~"
As soon as Yang Zixuan finished speaking, a deliberately amplified coughing sound came from outside the courtyard.
"I know! I know! Aunt Liu, you're so annoying!"
Yang Zixuan yelled at the outside of the courtyard with displeasure, her mood quite vexed.
"Heh heh~ Sister, don't worry about your brother. I'm living a carefree life like this, farming every day and occasionally lazing around. Isn't it good?"
Yang Hong gently soothed her, ruffling Yang Zixuan's small head.
"But~ but the Crown Prince took all of Imperial Brother's books away. Imperial Brother will~"
"Heh heh~ Did you forget? Imperial Brother has a photographic memory. I've already read those books. It's fine if he took them; it saves space.
Alright, let's not talk about this. I smell food. Xiao Cao has prepared dinner. Let's eat first."
"Okay~ alright~ let's eat first."
As soon as food was mentioned, Yang Zixuan swallowed her saliva, her attention temporarily diverted.
The food at Imperial Brother's place was the most delicious in the entire palace.
The food on the table was very simple: a pot of rice, a plate of stir-fried chives, a plate of braised Napa cabbage with vinegar, and a plate of smashed Hai Ting Feng.
There was also a plate of roasted lamb, but this plate of roasted lamb had been sitting for three days.
Meat dishes were the least favored here.
Anyone who had eaten here knew that the vegetables Yang Hong grew were peerless delicacies.
Among them, the plate of smashed Hai Ting Feng was placed directly in front of Yang Zixuan, and he would frequently put food on her plate.
This plate of smashed Hai Ting Feng was made from rank 8 and rank 9 Hai Ting Feng. Not only was it exceptionally delicious, but it also had excellent effects on cultivating martial arts.
Did you see Aunt Liu, who was serving Yang Zixuan's meal, constantly swallowing?
She was also one of the few people who knew that the vegetables Yang Hong grew had special effects.
However, like Zhou Neng, she was an old servant left behind by Yang Hong's mother and was fiercely loyal, which was why she was privy to this knowledge.
Sometimes, Yang Hong would also bestow her with some special fruits and vegetables, as rewards and also to win her loyalty.