Chapter 8: The agricultural official who became a fiefdom saw too much...

Seeing that Grand Tutor Wen still remembered his friendship with his elder sister, Hua Jing breathed a sigh of relief and motioned Fu Li to step forward.

"Come, Fuli, come and meet Master Wen."

Although Fu Li was reluctant to leave, she knew her master had made up his mind and it was impossible to change it. If she wanted to help her master, she had to make achievements as soon as possible and let Master Wen and King Shang see her value.

Only when you have value can you have bargaining chips.

She took a deep breath, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully: "Junior Fu Li, I pay my respects to the Grand Master, may the Grand Master be well and safe."

Wen Zhong took a quick look at her. Seeing her clear eyes and upright figure like a pine or cypress, he showed some approval in his eyes. He said, "No need to be polite," and asked Hua Jing, "I heard that you accepted a disciple a long time ago. Is this the child?"

After hearing this, Hua Jing realized that Wen Zhong had probably been secretly taking care of her for the sake of his elder sister.

She also thought of what Fu Li said, that when the ghost boy attacked her, a god suddenly descended from the sky and killed the ghost boy.

Could it be that the immortal was sent by Wen Zhong?

Because she had this guess in her mind, she was very grateful to Wen Zhong, nodded and smiled, "Yes, it is this child. I originally thought that I would let her follow me to study Taoism at Huanghua Temple and live out the rest of her life in peace and stability. But I didn't know that this child was so gifted, I really couldn't bear to let her be buried, so I thought of the Grand Tutor."

"Oh?" Wen Zhong was a little surprised, but he didn't ask in a hurry. He led the two into the inner hall first.

Hua Jing also presented the gifts they brought, which were two pieces of silk that she had woven herself.

At this time, guests must not come to visit empty-handed, but the host does not have to bring anything to entertain the guests.

Therefore, Fu Li did not enjoy the treatment shown in TV dramas, where the host served tea as soon as she sat down in the living room.

However, Master Wen directly led the master and disciple into the inner hall instead of entertaining them in the outer hall, which showed that he valued them enough.

Wen Zhong accepted the silk and ordered it to be taken to the warehouse for safekeeping. Then he asked, "You said this child is gifted. Could it be that she has extraordinary roots?"

Although Hua Jing did not have the qualifications to practice cultivation, Wen Zhong knew that founding princes like the Dai Kingdom must have Qigong practitioners in their country.

But given the relationship between Hua Jing and Dai Bo... Wen Zhong didn't think Hua Jing would be willing to hand this girl over to Dai Bo.

"Grand Master, you're joking." Hua Jing said with a smile, "How can I know whether she has the aptitude for cultivating immortals? However, this child is quite talented in agriculture and sericulture. After only a few years of studying with me, she has already figured out the 'Longmu Method' on her own.

I think that now that the world is at peace and the king is eager to work hard to bring peace to the people, Boyi is in great need of such talents. If the Grand Master is willing to accept me, I hope you can first examine me. If you find me suitable, I will recommend me to the king."

Seeing that she spoke so sincerely and without any evasion in her eyes, Wen Zhongxian believed it a little.

When he looked at Fu Li again, his eyes were more glittering, and he asked her directly: "Child, tell me, what is the 'Longmu Law'?"

Fu Li, not at all nervous, stood up and said, "It's not convenient to demonstrate here. I wonder if there's any soft soil somewhere in the mansion?"

Wen Zhong took them directly to the garden and asked people to bring hoes, shovels, plows and hoes, and let Fu Li use whatever he was used to.

Fu Li took a quick look and saw that the shape of the plow was most similar to the hoe of later generations, so he picked it up and started digging in a relatively open area.

But she had never farmed before, so she felt awkward using the tools and it was uncomfortable for others to watch.

Wen Zhong frowned.

Seeing this, Hua Jing hurriedly explained, "The child is still young. On weekdays, I only let her raise silkworms, reel silk, and weave cloth. As for farming, she has only read books with me.

It is precisely because she has only studied books and yet has figured out the methods of farming that I feel she is so talented that I cannot bear to bury her.”

After listening to her explanation, Wen Zhong didn't know whether he believed it or not. He just nodded and waved his right hand. The land around Fuli turned into loose soil.

"Huh?" Fu Li was surprised and turned to look at her master. Hua Jing pretended to scold her, "Why are you looking at me? Why don't you thank me, Grand Master?"

Fu Li knew that the fact that she had never won the land had been exposed.

She simply threw away the plow, giggled, and bowed coquettishly to express her gratitude: "Thank you for your help, Grand Master."

Then she squatted down and directly used her hands to pile up the rough shape of the acreage, and asked for help without any hesitation: "Grandmaster, please follow the pattern I drew and make this piece of loosened land into this shape."

Wen Zhong stroked his beard and glanced at her. The pretty girl's face was filled with an ingratiating smile. He was not a hard-hearted person by nature, so seeing this, his heart softened. He silently chanted a spell and blew on the land. In an instant, neat rows of acres appeared.

"Amazing!" Fu Li clapped her hands in praise. "Grand Master, what kind of magic is this? Is the threshold to learn this magic high?"

Nowadays, magic and knowledge are all about inheritance. It is very taboo for her to ask others about their master's magic so casually.

Hua Jing saw Wen Zhong frowning again and immediately scolded him, "Shut up!"

Then he sighed, "It's your fault that I always thought you were still young and didn't teach you many taboos. The magic of our sect is all secret, how can you just pry into it?"

Fu Li really didn't know this. She felt embarrassed for a moment and bowed to Wen Zhong again, this time to apologize.

"I am young and ignorant, so please forgive me, Grand Master."

Wen Zhong said calmly, "Ignorance is not a crime. However, this spell is my own creation and is not considered a secret from my master. If you want to learn it, I will teach you."

Fu Li glanced at his master, and when he nodded slightly, he smiled and said, "In that case, thank you very much, Grand Master. However, I have another question."

Seeing that she admitted her mistakes and was able to correct them, and that she was honest, Wen Zhong didn't actually blame her. So, despite his stern expression, he was very approachable: "Go ahead."

Fu Li then said bluntly, "Disciple, I want to ask, since this spell is not a secret from Grand Master's sect, I wonder if it can be taught to more people?"

This time, Hua Jing's expression changed first. He glared at her with disappointment, and signaled her with his eyes not to push her too far.

Wen Zhong smiled, stroked his beard, and asked, "Oh? Who else do you want to teach?"

Fu Li pretended not to notice the master's expression and blurted out, "Of course I'll teach anyone who farms." Although I'm loved by the master and have never actually worked in the fields, I know that farming is very hard work.

If everyone in the world who needs to farm knows this spell, wouldn't it be much easier? There will be more land to farm, and naturally more food to harvest. When there's more food, no one will starve to death, right?

This was so unexpected that Wen Zhong and Hua Jing looked at each other in shock.

After a moment, Wen Zhong burst into laughter and said to Hua Jing, "This child has a compassionate heart. You have a good disciple."

Hua Jing was not modest and nodded: "Fu Li is indeed a good child."

Wen Zhong said, "I'll take this child. Come on, good boy, continue talking about this Longmu Law. What good is there in leaving the land like this?"

Fu Li said: "The main thing is to improve the utilization rate of land."

She repeated to Wen Zhong what she had said to her master before. Wen Zhong nodded repeatedly and said to Hua Jing, "We need to practice this method to see how it works. We will see the real results next year.

Let this child stay with me and help me manage the land of my fiefdom. Spring plowing is coming soon, so I will let her lead the plowing this year, using the Longmu method."

This was the purpose of Hua Jing's visit. Seeing that his goal had been achieved, he was overjoyed and hurriedly urged Fu Li: "Why don't you thank the Grand Tutor?"

Fu Li suppressed his reluctance to leave his master and bowed, "Thank you for your trust, Grand Master. I will definitely live up to your trust."

Wen Zhong smiled and nodded, then called the family elder over and instructed, "This young friend is my newly hired agricultural official. Tomorrow, take her to inspect the land in the fiefdom. When the spring plowing season comes, be sure to follow her instructions on all matters."

Fu Li politely greeted him: "Fu Li greets the elder."

Because Wen Zhong was a Qi-refining practitioner from the Jiejiao sect, the elder, seeing Fu Li wearing a Taoist robe, mistakenly assumed she was also a Qi-refining practitioner from Wen Zhong's school. He quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Young lady, please honor me. My name is 'Mu', so please call me by my first name, Master."

He knew that these Qi Refiners not only had strange personalities, but also that the magic they practiced had their own unique wonders.

The person in front of him looked like a little girl, maybe even older than him.

Fu Li, still respecting the elderly and cherishing the young, was about to refuse, but then she thought: I'm young to begin with, and it's easy for people to look down on me. If I'm too polite, I'm afraid I won't be able to command him, let alone others.

Therefore, she imitated her master's usual behavior, nodded lightly, and said with a smile: "Please take good care of me in the future, Master Mu."

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After settling her down, Hua Jing did not stay for long and returned with Su Heng and a group of guards that day.

Fu Li sent her out of the city. Hua Jing tried to dissuade her again and again, but she had to stop until the carriage disappeared from view, and then she followed Wen Zhong back dejectedly.

Wen Zhong suddenly asked, "Did your master encounter any difficulties?"

Fu Li was startled and looked up suddenly, looking at him in surprise.

Wen Zhong smiled and said, "I used to be good friends with Hua Yuan. Hua Yuan once said that her sister is a very strong-willed person. She would not ask for help unless it was absolutely necessary."

Fu Li suddenly realized: With Wen Zhong's status and cultivation, there is nothing worth coveting in the entire Huanghua Temple, and her own defense is actually quite ridiculous.

She smiled sheepishly and told the truth, "It's a long story, and it all started with greed. Dai Bo coveted Master's property and always thought Master was wealthy.

In fact, Dai State has not collected any taxes over the years. The little sacrificial fields at the foot of the mountain are a drop in the bucket, and the ancestral sacrifices are all subsidized by the master.

But Dai Bo didn't believe it, thinking that the master was going to leave all his wealth to me and send the Qigong practitioners to perform evil magic to kill me. The master entrusted me to the Grand Master to protect my life."

Wen Zhong frowned when he heard this.

He was a man who hated evil and hated this kind of thing the most. He angrily shouted, "How can this be! As the king of a country, you are actually thinking about your sister's dowry. It is truly shameful."

He suppressed his anger and said to Fu Li, "Don't worry about this matter. Just stay here with me."

Fu Li hurriedly said, "I really understand agriculture and sericulture."

Wen Zhong's anger faltered, and he glanced at her unhappily. "Don't worry, the agricultural officer position in my fiefdom is yours. If you do a good job, I will recommend you to the king and have you take charge of the agricultural affairs of the entire Bo County."

Fu Li said happily, "Thank you, Grand Master."