Chapter 67: Triumphant Return "Sit down and have dinner with me. I have something to ask you...

After leaving Widow Wang's restaurant, Liu Yeshu touched the silver purse in her sleeve and headed west. She heard there was an abandoned orchard there, remote and probably wouldn't be too expensive to rent.

When passing by the market, a chicken vendor was shouting: "Come and have a look, these are all free-range chickens, hens for laying eggs, broilers for making soup, we have everything!" Liu Yeshu stopped and looked for a while, only to see that the chickens were kept in bamboo cages. Although they were all big, their feathers were dull and they didn't look very energetic.

The orchard was a full two miles from the city. The further west one went, the fewer people there were. Willow trees swayed in the wind on both sides of the road, and occasionally shepherds passed by with their flocks. In the distance, all one could see was a low wall, with weeds growing in the broken fences. A few old fruit trees leaned against the wall, their branches and leaves still lush despite their age.

"This is it."

Liu Yeshu surveyed the garden carefully. Although abandoned, the terrain was flat, with a hillside at the back and a stream flowing not far ahead. Most importantly, it was not far from the general's granary, making transportation easy.

I was just trying to figure out where to build the chicken coop when I heard footsteps behind me.

"Are you here to see the garden, young lady?"

The speaker was an old man in his fifties, wearing a washed-out, coarse cotton jacket and clutching a hoe. His face was covered in wrinkles, yet it revealed a certain shrewdness.

"Yes." Liu Yeshu turned and saluted, her eyes fixed on his sun-tanned face. "Old man, are you the owner of this garden? I want to rent it and raise some chickens."

The old man looked her up and down, with a hint of doubt in his eyes: "Girl, are you raising the chicken yourself? This job is not easy. You have to get up early and stay up late to feed it, and you have to be careful about weasels stealing the chickens. At your age, I'm afraid you can't handle it."

Liu Yeshu pointed to the wheat fields in the distance and said, "I manage three hundred acres of land in the General's Mansion and am used to doing farm work. Look at the wheat over there, old man. I led the people to plant it. Although raising chickens is hard work, it's much easier than farming."

"So it's Miss Liu." The old man's eyes lit up and his expression became much kinder. "Are you the Miss Liu who manages the land at the General's Mansion? No wonder, I see you don't speak or act like an ordinary girl. A few days ago, I heard people praising you, saying that you manage the land at the General's Mansion well."

He put down his hoe, wiped his hands, and said with a smile, "Since you want to rent it, the price is negotiable. Although my garden has been abandoned for some years, it's still quite large. Twenty taels of silver a year, how about that?"

Liu Yeshu chuckled inwardly. This old man was asking for such a high price. She glanced around and said calmly, "Old man, your garden is indeed nice, but it's been abandoned for too long. Look, the fence is broken, the fruit trees are untended, and if you want to raise chickens, it's going to have to be renovated. Just repairing these things will cost a lot of money. Twenty taels is a bit too much."

"Girl, what's your price?" the old man asked, touching his chin.

"I think five taels of silver is just right." Liu Yeshu walked under a fruit tree, reached out and touched the cracks in the bark, and said slowly, "Think about it, I rented a place, and I still have to spend money to repair the fence, build a chicken coop, buy chicks, and prepare feed. All of these things cost money. Besides, I don't know how many chickens I can raise in the early stage, so whether I can make a profit is even a question."

"Five taels?" The old man shook his head repeatedly, pointing around. "This is three acres of land! Even if it's left uncultivated, it'll still yield ten taels a year. Besides, this place is close to water and has great shade. It can't be found anywhere else."

Liu Yeshu said calmly, "Old man, this place is too remote. Has anyone shown interest in it in recent years? If I rent it, I'll give you five taels of silver every year. You don't have to worry about it, and I can guarantee that the land won't become more desolate. Besides, when I raise chickens..." She added with a smile, "I'll definitely give you a few to try."

The old man rolled his eyes, clearly tempted. "Then... eight taels? At worst, I can build a shed in the front yard for your tools."

"Six taels." Liu Yeshu glanced at the western hillside. "I'll have to hire someone to help take care of it, and someone will have to guard it at night to prevent thieves. You don't want to see outsiders destroying the garden, do you?"

The old man pondered for a moment and said, "Then it's seven taels, a flat price. I'll also clean up the thatched hut at the back, which is close to the mountain. If you think it's suitable, we'll have a deal."

Liu Yeshu calculated: Although seven taels of silver was a bit more than expected, this place, nestled against a hillside, with fruit trees providing shade and a convenient water source, was indeed a good place to raise chickens. He nodded and said, "Okay, I'll do as you say. But we need to sign a contract, valid for three years at a time."

"Three years?" The old man hesitated.

"Yes," Liu Yeshu explained. "Look, I need to repair the fence and build a chicken coop, and all of that costs money. I can't just start raising chickens and then rent it out to someone else. So, I'll pay you a year's rent in one lump sum, and the rest at the end of the year."

When the old man heard he could get seven taels of silver at once, he smiled brightly. "That's easy, that's easy. I'll go into town and ask the teacher at the county school to write the receipt." He put away his hoe and instructed, "Miss Liu, stay here and look around. I'll be back soon."

Watching the old man's hurried back, Liu Yeshu surveyed the garden again. The spring sun shone on the weeds, and a few wild rabbits darted frightenedly. She had already pictured the entire chicken farm in her mind: a chicken coop to the east, a feed shed to the west, and a cleared area in the middle for the chickens to roam freely...

While Old Man Chen went to look for the person who would write the document, Liu Yeshu carefully surveyed the garden alone. The spring sunlight filtered through the mottled shadows of the trees, casting flickering spots of light on the ground. She walked around the dilapidated fence, already forming a plan for its repair.

The garden was overgrown with weeds, including gray-green camel thorns and red willows, each more than half a man tall. Sparse wormwood grew beside several crumbling mud walls, a faint salty smell in the wind. Near the base of the wall, you could see tiny specks of Cynomorium songaricum sprouting from the sand. The old jujube and apricot trees, though neglected, still had thick trunks and lush branches and leaves, having taken root in this windswept sandstorm for years, providing perfect shade for the chickens.

The blooming Elaeagnus angustifolia flowers swayed in the breeze, emitting a sweet fragrance. On the distant hillside, scattered willows danced in the wind. Although this garden was abandoned, a mountain spring flowed through it, making it a rare feng shui treasure in this arid northwestern borderland.

She pushed aside the knee-high weeds and carefully examined the soil. While the soil here was a bit sandy, it wasn't too poor after years of nourishment from the fruit trees. With proper care and some grass seeds, it should grow green grass for the chickens. The sun on the frontier was fierce, but with the shade provided by these jujube and apricot trees, the chickens wouldn't have to worry about it.

She pushed aside knee-high weeds and headed up the hillside. At the foot of the hillside, clear water gurgled out, flowing through cracks in the rocks into a thin stream. She squatted down, scooped up a handful of water, and tasted it. It was sweet and just right for drinking.

"Young lady," an old woman carrying a bamboo basket passed by the garden. Seeing her there, she stopped and said, "This is the Chen family's garden. The Chen family's son left last year on business, saying he was going to the Western Regions, but there hasn't been any news since. The old couple lives in the village and is too lazy to take care of the garden."

"I see." Liu Yeshu nodded and asked, "Grandma, do you know if there are any temporary workers available in the village? I'd like to hire someone to clean up the garden."

The old woman thought for a moment and said, "Yes, there is. Zhang Ergou at the east end is idle, and his son can also work. How about I ask for you?"

As they were talking, Old Man Chen arrived, leading the village teacher. The teacher's surname was Qian, a thin, middle-aged man, clutching his study kit. The three of them sat down at the stone table in the garden and began drafting the document.

Liu Yeshu saw that Mr. Qian wrote carefully, every stroke neatly. When the document was finished, she carefully checked it over. Seeing that the boundaries of the land, the lease term, and the price were all clearly written, she took out seven taels of silver from her purse.

"Uncle Li, please count it." She handed over the silver, which shone with a warm luster in the sunlight. "I will have someone come to repair the garden in the next two days. I hope you can take care of it while they are there."

Old Man Chen carefully put away the silver and nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, young lady. I live not far ahead. If you have any questions, just let me know. This garden has been abandoned for a long time, and it's a blessing for our family to have you here."

After signing the agreement, Liu Yeshu asked Mr. Qian to help her write a few job postings. She planned to post them at the entrance of the village, hiring some people to clean the garden and repair the fence. Before sunset, she took out a rope and carefully measured the garden.

As she measured the land, she planned in her mind: the open space on the east side was flat and suitable for building a chicken coop; an area could be enclosed under the fruit trees on the west side for the chickens to move around in the shade; a water channel should be built next to the spring to facilitate flushing the chicken coop... She planned to find a carpenter tomorrow to discuss the design of the chicken coop.

"Once we raise chickens, we can supply the barracks directly with eggs and chicken meat." She squatted down, scooped up a handful of spring water, and let the cool water flow through her fingers. "If we manage it well, we can make back our investment in less than half a year."

As the sun sets, the garden is filled with the fragrance of locust flowers brought by the evening breeze.

Liu Yeshu put away the rope and looked at the garden that was about to be transformed. He planned to ask Ling'er for help tomorrow, let him learn the way, and come to look after it more often, so that he could also take care of the carpenter's affairs.

Liu Yeshu hurried back to the General's Mansion, still mulling over the idea of ​​renting the orchard. The evening breeze carried the fragrance of saxaul flowers. She looked up at the sky. A crescent moon, like a hook, cast a cool, clear glow. Normally, the General's Mansion would have been quiet by this time of day, but tonight, lights were dimly lit, and there were more soldiers guarding the gate than usual.

As she approached, she saw the general's mansion ablaze with lights, servants bustling in and out. A fragrant aroma drifted from the kitchen, as if they were preparing a midnight snack. Several servants hurried by carrying a large box, presumably the items the general had brought back from the border. The entire mansion was much busier than usual, and even the air seemed to be tinged with a hint of festivity.

Liu Yeshu's heart skipped a beat: Could it be that Qi Yu has returned? She unconsciously straightened her clothes and touched her hair to make sure it hadn't been soiled in the garden.

She quickened her pace and entered the mansion, where she heard several servants whispering. Butler Zhao was directing the men to tidy up the rooms. "The general won a great victory at the border this time. You all should be more alert." Another old servant replied, "Yes, we need to be more careful these days. I heard the general brought back a lot of wounded soldiers. We need to take care of the infirmary as well."

Liu Yeshu raised her eyebrows slightly, and an indescribable joy surged in her heart.

The general has returned safely, this is such great news!

She unconsciously quickened her pace and was about to turn to the accounting office when she suddenly heard a low voice from the inner courtyard: "Check the military supply list and send it to the accounting office tomorrow morning."

The voice was steady and powerful; it was Qi Yu, whom I hadn't seen for months. Hearing this familiar voice, Liu Yeshu paused involuntarily. She stood under the corridor, moonlight filtering through the carved window lattices, casting mottled shadows at her feet.

Behind the half-closed door, Qi Yu, dressed in military uniform, sat in the main seat. Candlelight illuminated his resolute profile, a hint of weariness between his brows, yet his dignity remained undiminished. He was carefully examining a scroll of battle reports.

Just as Liu Yeshu was hesitating, footsteps were heard. Butler Zhao hurried over and saw her standing there. He whispered, "Miss Liu, the general has just returned from the border and has many military matters to attend to. If you have anything to say, please report it tomorrow."

Liu Yeshu nodded, taking one last look at the figure in the main hall. In the candlelight, Qi Yu seemed thinner than when he left.

Back in her own courtyard, Liu Yeshu sat at her desk, pulling out today's account book. Under candlelight, she wrote down the orchard's rent payment, mentally planning what she needed to do tomorrow: find a carpenter, hire a handyman to clean the garden, and ask Ling'er to help look after it...

For some reason, she always felt that the candlelight tonight was particularly bright, and even the numbers in the account book had a sense of warmth.

Liu Yeshu stood before the bronze mirror, removed her hairpin, and untied her bun. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. She combed it through with her hands for a few times, then picked up a wooden comb and smoothed out the stray strands. The reflection in the mirror seemed to express something joyful.

She picked up her clothes and walked over to the wooden tub, pouring in the hot water she had prepared long ago. She gently sank into the water. She couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as the warm water enveloped her. Liu Yeshu closed her eyes, letting the steam wash away the day's fatigue.

After washing up, she went to the closet and pulled out a set of moon-white nightgown. It had been worn for a long time, and the cuffs were a little worn, but it was clean and neatly washed, and exuded a faint soapy scent. She carefully smoothed every wrinkle and hung it on a rack inside the room. She then took out her dress for tomorrow, a lilac-colored cloth skirt. While not made of expensive material, it was still decent enough.

She opened the window beside her bed, and the night breeze, wrapped in the fragrance of locust flowers, rushed in. Liu Yeshu lay on the bed, intending to sleep with the window open. The moonlight was exceptionally bright, as if coated with a layer of silver frost, and even the shadows cast on the window lattice seemed gentle. She closed her eyes, still thinking about what to cook for tomorrow.

That night, Liu Yeshu had the most comfortable sleep she had in recent days. She dreamed that the apricot blossoms in the orchard were blooming, and the white petals were drifting down in the wind, landing on her shoulders and on his military uniform.

*

The next morning, Qi Yu went to the military camp and asked the housekeeper Zhao, only to find out that he would not be back until the evening.

It was already afternoon when they finished the work at the chicken coop. Young Brother Liu was so excited that he almost forgot about the urgent matter that Widow Wang mentioned yesterday. He only remembered to mention it before leaving.

"But she didn't say it was urgent. She wouldn't tell me when I asked her."

Liu Yeshu looked at the sky and saw that it was getting late. He smiled and said, "No one is more anxious than the general to eat."

Back at the General's Mansion, in the kitchen, Yuanbao, singing in an operatic voice, rushed over and rubbed Liu Yeshu's legs. After stroking the cat's head, Liu Yeshu washed her hands and began to prepare dinner.

The food at the border is mostly rough meat, so Liu Yeshu wanted to make some home-cooked dishes with southern flavors to change Qi Yu's taste.

The water in the pot bubbled as she added the pheasant and simmered it until it was 80% done. Watching the skin gradually turn pale, Liu Yeshu carefully controlled the heat. The key to this scallion chicken dish is the heat; overcooking it makes it tough, undercooking it makes it raw.

While the chicken cooled, she began preparing the ingredients. She cut the scallions into sections and the ginger into shreds, each cut meticulously and evenly. She heated the oil in the wok until it was barely smoking. She added the scallions and ginger. With a sizzle, a rich aroma instantly filled the air. Once the scallions and ginger were golden brown, she immediately turned off the heat and added a spoonful of soy sauce. With a soft sizzle, the fragrant scallion oil spread throughout the wok.

She chopped the chicken into small pieces and carefully placed them on a porcelain plate. She then slowly poured hot scallion oil sauce over it. The oil flowed down the surface of the chicken, leaving a glossy luster. The blend of the scallion fragrance and the deliciousness of the chicken made the whole dish look extremely tempting.

Liu Yeshu pulled out her treasured collection of red dates and walnuts from her locker. These had arrived from Liangzhou last year, and she'd been reluctant to use them. The red dates were sweet and soft, and the walnuts were crispy and fragrant, perfect for a deep-fried red date and walnut dish. She pitted the red dates and filled them with plump walnut kernels, pinching each one tightly to prevent them from falling apart when frying.

The wok heated up, and the red dates sizzled softly as they were added. Liu Yeshu stared intently at the pot, gently turning the dates with her bamboo chopsticks to ensure they were evenly heated. As the aroma of the dates gradually rose and their skins became golden and crispy, she immediately removed the dates, drained them of the oil, and sprinkled them with a fine layer of granulated sugar. The icing sugar melted on the crispy, sweet crust, coating the dates in a translucent, sweet hue that shimmered alluringly under the light.

Then she fried a dish of scrambled eggs with shallots. The eggs were tender and golden, the fragrance of shallots blending perfectly with the delicious flavor of eggs. She also specially mixed honey into the dough, making it golden, crispy, and soft, with a light sweet fragrance.

By the time everything was ready, it was already getting dark. She washed her hands carefully and straightened her clothes.

Arriving outside Qi Yu's study, Liu Yeshu knocked gently on the door.

"Come in." Qi Yu's voice was a little tired.

She pushed the door open and placed the food on the table. The aroma of the food filled the room, and she saw that the weariness between Qi Yu's brows seemed to have relaxed a little. Just as she was about to leave, she heard him say:

"Sit down and have dinner with me. I have something to ask you."