Chapter 96 Dreams

Not to mention that the纨绔 (wan ku, a spoiled brat) went back to his mansion to look for them, only to find they had already run away. Enraged, he issued another bounty, but still couldn't catch them. The only name he called out during the fight, "Xiang Xin," wasn't even their real name. The further away from the capital an emperor's edict is, the less deterrent it becomes. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many "local emperors." Let alone a bounty issued by a mere纨绔 (wan ku, a spoiled brat). Outside of Jining City, who would take his bounty seriously?

When the person who took down the bounty comes to arrest them, how dare they snatch people from in front of two senior figures in the martial arts world?

Whether or not they can stomach that spoiled brat's hard-earned prize remains to be seen.

After leaving Jining, we headed north, stopping at an inn along the way to rest before continuing our journey.

During his break, Xuanming sought out Shang Yuji and said with an embarrassed smile, "Back in Yangzhou...didn't you ask who had a talent for agronomy?"

Shang Yuji, who suddenly understood the key point, paused for a moment, then waved her fan in the direction where the grandmother and grandson were eating. Xuanming, seeing that she understood, nodded in agreement.

Now she truly understood the power of "wishes come true." It was as if any talent she wanted could be delivered to her. Since that was the case, if she encountered such unexpected events again in the future, she should intervene more often, as they might reveal a great talent in some field.

"Who is it? Or are they both?" she asked curiously.

Xuanming shook his head and said vaguely, "It's very blurry. I can only tell that they have a strong connection with the land, so I thought I'd have you take them on board, as a way of making a good connection."

This clearly demonstrates the advantages of having a Taoist priest in the team.

No one is more skilled than them at seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

It was worth the trip; she came all the way to ask if we wanted to come along.

Knowing that the grandmother and grandson were future agricultural talents, Shang Yuji took even better care of them.

Nutrition is essential, and all wounds are regularly checked. I even made a special trip to a town along the way to see a doctor to make sure everything was alright before I felt at ease. At the same time, mental health cannot be neglected; being depressed is definitely not good!

Perhaps it was because her attitude was too enthusiastic that the old woman, who came from a peasant background, was both respectful and fearful. She secretly hid her grandson and was at a loss for what to do.

The sight of a young man in a fine, brightly colored brocade robe showing them such concern was already unsettling. They had nothing to offer him, yet he was their savior, providing them with food, clothing, and medical care. If they were to turn their backs on their benefactor, they would be seen as ungrateful.

Fortunately, Shang Yuji seemed to sense their embarrassment and gradually stopped talking. She also stopped asking about their illnesses and kept things strictly business. Only then did the old woman gradually lower her guard.

Sensing that Aji's mood seemed off, Jiang Xi grabbed her wrist, stroked the colorful rope around her wrist bone, and then slowly inserted her long fingers between Aji's fingers, asking softly, "Changtian, what's wrong? Can I help?"

Jiang Xiaoxi!

Shang Yuji turned to the side and buried herself directly in his arms. Jiang Xi was tall and elegant, just the right height to completely pull her into his embrace.

She whispered, "Too much of a good thing can be bad; chasing too hard will only scare people away."

She realized that her actions were inappropriate and were causing trouble for the grandmother and grandson. Fortunately, she managed to stop the damage in time and could only wait until the relationship improved before talking to them openly—she really didn't have bad intentions, she was just concerned about her future agricultural science assistant.

"I'll talk to them about it later..." The voice, close to the front of the shirt, sounded somewhat muffled.

The hand behind her tightened its grip, and Jiang Xi asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

The person in his arms stirred. He lowered his eyes and saw her lift her eyelids, her long eyelashes curling upwards, her eyes meeting his. She mumbled, "No need, I can handle it myself."

There's no need to use the Jiangxi River, that deadly weapon. If we accidentally damage Da Cai's brilliant mind, the problem would be much bigger.

Food is the most important thing for people, so great talents in agricultural science must be carefully nurtured.

The food crisis was no joke. The subsequent drought in Nanyang, the locust plague in Pingchang, and the earthquake in Luoling could have been addressed by urgently diverting grain from other areas to replenish the disaster-stricken areas. However, these three disasters came too quickly, one after another, requiring the simultaneous mobilization of grain from the granaries to provide relief to the three regions. The pressure was immense.

If grain production can be increased without depleting the soil's fertility, every extra person saved will be saved, and every extra family supported will be supported.

I was worried that my wife's sprained leg would leave some problems even after it healed, but she recovered very quickly. I can only say that she has a good foundation. People with a good foundation are often practical talents. They personally work in the fields and accumulate experience, which makes them practical talents.

In conclusion, great talent should be cherished and valued!

She has put so much effort into this Da'an.

Slowly, Shang Yuji realized that she was leaning against the fragrant clothes and swaying hair, and that her current identity was that of the husband who was the head of the family. How could she be so weak and dependent on the gentle embrace of the house? She was the husband who was tall and strong, who sheltered his wife from the wind and rain!

"You, rely on me." She loosened her embrace, patted her own shoulder, and made sure her image as the matriarch remained intact.

Jiang Xiqu smiled and bent down to snuggle into her arms. Neither of them noticed anything amiss. Shang Yuji, with the soft, fragrant body in his arms, fanned himself, displaying a charming and romantic air.

After passing another pass and getting closer to the capital, Shang Yuji had a heart-to-heart talk with Old Master Cheng, although their misunderstandings led to a funny incident.

The old woman's surname was Cheng, and she was the sixth child in her family. People called her Granny Cheng the Sixth. At her age, her relatives and friends had all passed away, leaving her alone. She had no children or grandchildren; the child she had taken in was someone she had found. She had spent her whole life working in a few small plots of land. At her age, she was likely to reach the end of her life. Her dutiful grandson was still young, and she worried that after she passed away, her grandson would not be able to guard the land and would follow her in death.

I heard that the Princess of the Capital has some kind of "recruitment order" that can be fulfilled as long as you have a skill. She doesn't know anything, but the crops she grows always grow more than others. She also taught others without reservation, but they still can't grow as well as her. Growing crops better than others can be considered a skill, right?

It would be enough to exchange her farming skills for a small job that her grandson could support himself.

They took all their savings and headed north. It was tiring, but they had a strong will in their hearts that kept the grandmother and granddaughter going.

They were very grateful when they were rescued, but "Young Master Jiang" was too enthusiastic towards them. What kind of rich man would look down on a poor family? If Young Master Jiang didn't care about their little bit of money, then the only thing he could take advantage of was their bodies.

My grandson is still young. He can't do any hard or heavy work as a servant. But some wealthy families like children and take them in as male prostitutes. What kind of good people like male prostitutes?

Unfortunately, her grandson was quite handsome, and the old man next door always said that he could be sold to a wealthy family for a good price, bringing them riches and honor. Although she scolded him back, the idea had taken root in her heart.

Therefore, Jiang Langjun's overly proactive approach made her suspect that he wanted to buy her grandson.

When Shang Yuji learned the reason, she was shocked as if struck by lightning. She pointed to herself in shock, and pulled Jiang Xi to her side as if struck by lightning. She sincerely cupped his face and assured Granny Cheng, "I already have him, I would never take a fancy to another child."

This is a huge rejection of her aesthetic sense!

Given the choice between a stunningly beautiful woman and a young child who hadn't fully grown up and looked like a dirty kitten covered in dust, she chose the woman without hesitation.

To die beneath a peony blossom is to die a romantic death!

Wait, could it be that her portrayal of "Jiang Changtian" was too philandering, causing Cheng Dacai to misunderstand her as a promiscuous playboy?

Heaven bears witness, she is an absolutely law-abiding citizen—

She wrapped her arms around Jiang Xi's slender waist and said firmly, "He will be my only wife in this life."

Jiang Xi was taken aback, her fox-like eyes widening, their upturned shape becoming round and dull, losing the subtle allure and gaining a touch of naivety. She slowly wrapped her arms around him, her voice soft as she said, "I only have Changtian as my husband..."

Realizing she had misunderstood, Granny Cheng said with shame, "It was my poor eyesight that led me astray. If you two wish to punish me, I will accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate!"

Cheng Xiao grabbed the old woman's clothes: "No, don't punish Grandma, she's old, she'll hit me instead..."

Sensing that things had taken a turn for the better, Shang Yuji had a flash of inspiration. She released her hands from around her waist, suppressed her urge to open the fan and act charming, and said with a kind smile, "There's no need to talk about punishment for such a trivial matter. However, we have a favor to ask, and only Granny Liu can help us."

"Please speak freely, sir!" Granny Cheng hid her grandson behind her back. They already owed her a life-saving grace, and now this misunderstanding had added to the mess. Feeling guilty, she quickly agreed.

"It just so happens that we also wish to see the Princess. I wonder if we could go together under the pretext of Grandma's visit to recruit talents? Of course, we don't want the rewards from you and your granddaughter, Your Highness. We just want to see Your Highness."

After hearing the previous part, Granny Cheng was prepared to hand over the reward for the recruitment order, and at worst, she would find a way to teach Xiao other ways to make a living. However, she did not expect that the other party did not need the item at all, which made her seem suspicious of Jiang Langjun's intentions.

It turns out that he was indeed a kind and upright person.

During the meal, Cheng Xiao huddled to the side, taking small bites of the dry bread made of fine flour that the team had given him. It was the best bread he had ever eaten.

He finished eating slowly and carefully, and looking at the crumbs stuck to his hands, he cherished them and wanted to lick them clean. Suddenly, a piece of flatbread came flying at his face. He was so anxious that the flatbread fell, so he quickly reached out and caught it.

Looking up in the direction the pancake came from, Mo Xin chewed on her dry rations and said indistinctly, "If you want to eat, just ask my master. The caravan has plenty of supplies, take as much as you can eat. Master said that you need to be full to have the strength to wield a knife. You're so thin, if you don't eat more, you won't grow tall, and if you don't grow tall, you won't have the strength to do anything."

She was very talkative, and it was rare to find someone she could chat with. The convoy was full of adults, except for Cheng Xiao, who was the same age as her. When she was bored, she would come over and talk to him for a few minutes.

He wasn't talkative, but he would always try his best to respond. Seeing how little he ate each time and how reluctant he was to eat, Mo Xin naturally understood his state of mind.

When her mother and she first arrived at Nuan An Ju, they were just like that. They were hesitant about the thin cakes and thick porridge they received. They were tempted to eat them but were afraid that they would only have one meal. They always wanted to save them for the next day, fearing that there would be no more such good food the next day.

He and Granny Cheng were no different from the women they once were. Since he didn't dare to go, she could just bring him a piece of bread. After staying in the team for a while, he would eventually let down his guard and integrate into the group.

Cheng Xiao glanced up at her and noticed that she was looking at the two affectionate couple. He asked curiously, "Are they... always like this?"

"?" Mo Xin turned her head. "What?"

Holding her breath, Cheng Xiao said haltingly, "The person...the person seems very, very nice..."

Mo Xin swallowed the last piece of bread in her throat: "Of course."

She stood up, a wooden sword slung across her back, and declared loudly, "I want to be like them someday, a great hero who can protect the weak and vulnerable!"

What about you? What do you want to do in the future?

"I...I just want to eat my fill."

"You should dream big!" Mo Xin said, crossing her arms and looking at him.

"Then, then, then I want to make sure that many, many people can have enough to eat!" Cheng Xiao shouted tremulously with her eyes closed.

Mo Xin gave a thumbs up: "Good ambition!"

Cheng Xiao lowered her head shyly and whispered, "Th-thank you."

The adults, having heard the commotion, looked at each other and smiled.