Chapter 41

"How much silver did you spend on this?"

Upon hearing the amount, Lin Wanjun pondered for a few seconds before breaking into a smile, "That's really good, you've made a profit."

Qingyun looked around at her outfit, feeling quite pleased. When the shopkeeper saw it was her, he offered her a discount. Lin Wanjun carried a bucket of water and thoroughly watered the tree roots when Mu Helian walked over. She had her sleeves rolled up and looked like she was busy with something.

She told the two of them that they didn't need to work today. She heard that a heavy snow was coming and that the higher-ups had given a strict order not to plant trees for the next few days. Since it was almost New Year's Eve, they could treat it as a holiday. Qingyun was a little annoyed. She looked at the points on the electronic panel. If she didn't plant trees, she wouldn't have any points to earn. What would she do for the New Year's dishes?

Mu Helian has her own home to return to. Lin Wanjun and Qingyun haven't asked yet. Maybe the two of them will spend the New Year together, or maybe she'll be all alone, like a lonely old woman, rotting and stinking in her own toilet house. If she doesn't get some good food soon, she's afraid she'll slit her own throat.

Speaking of Mu Helian's family background, I heard from others that she returned to her parents' home after divorcing her husband's family. The scar on her face was also caused by that man. From then on, she was cold-hearted and had a lot of prestige. However, many people gossiped about her, saying that she had committed one of the seven grounds for divorce and what she would do if someone wanted to kill her.

Now, there is only my elderly mother and brother in the family.

Qingyun didn't know what had happened to Qi, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for him when she heard about it, yet she wouldn't say it out loud. Mu Helian was a woman with an even stronger sense of pride than she was.

As for Lin Wanjun, she never really investigated, but she always wondered if Lin Wanjun was still entangled with Song Chaohua.

The prediction of a heavy snowfall was no lie; the snow in front of the door had already piled up several feet high. Qingyun, wearing a scarf and carrying a shovel, went out to sweep the snow away. In no time, her shoes and socks were soaked, sticking to her feet uncomfortably. She quickened her pace. Every household around had hung lanterns and pasted couplets, but not many people were willing to come out because the sky was still overcast.

Qingyun rubbed her hands together. She was wearing gloves and a small felt hat with a red hat and white fur trim. Two pearl butterflies adorned the sides of the brim, trembling with her movements. This was a gift from Song Chaoyun a few days ago, along with some meat and dried goods, which relieved her worry about having no vegetables for the New Year.

While this small felt hat might seem somewhat luxurious among ordinary people, it paled in comparison to the one Song Chaohua had worn earlier. Song Chaohua's hat was made entirely of Shu brocade, embroidered with auspicious flowers and birds, with jade beads and seasonal flowers pinned to the brim. The only difference was that the lively, fluttering butterflies on either side had been replaced with gold ones, each adorned with short tassels.

This hat and Qingyun's hat should be a matching pair, but the other person's overall style can be summed up in two words: rich.

It was so cold outside that she quickly cleared a path and went back to her room. She took off her shoes and socks and put them on the fire to dry. Then she immediately climbed into bed and opened the electronic panel to see what new ingredients were available in the online store. Even in the real world, it was almost Chinese New Year.

Centuries later, the festive atmosphere of the New Year permeated Qingyun's time and space through the electronic panel. The mall was filled with many New Year's goods and seasonings, and the prices were different from usual. It was as if the administrators had suddenly had a change of heart and started pricing things more reasonably.

[Buy some hot pot base, and some frozen meatballs, it's been so long since I've had them.] Qingyun muttered to the system as he shopped, constantly asking if there could be a discount, because only by having a good New Year would he have the motivation to continue working like a beast of burden next year.

As they were talking, a disdainful oak tree image suddenly appeared on the electronic panel, followed by the system's comment: "[This is a bit too much of a rip-off.]"

On New Year's Eve, Mu Helian brought over several pounds of beef and asked Qingyun if she wanted to go back with her for the New Year. She noticed that Lin Wanjun seemed to have been summoned to the Commander's Mansion to accompany Song Chaohua. "They're both in such a state, why summon her?"

Qingyun didn't respond. She took the beef from the other person, said thank you, and politely declined Mu Helian's suggestion. She had always spent the New Year alone in previous years and didn't feel there was anything wrong with it. She was used to it. Besides, everyone else was having a family reunion, so what was the point of an outsider going?

That evening, Qingyun cooked a large meal using food she had redeemed from the mall. Thanks to the mall's good resources, her meal wasn't bad. She sat alone by the big pot, enjoying hot pot. Although she couldn't see clearly in the dim light, her heart was warm.

Besides, it's not really a person. The artificial intelligence doesn't rest; it's just one person and one intelligence chatting idly.

Then, when there was another knock on her door, it was Liu Yue, Song Chaohua's maid. She was wearing a cloak and stood straight. When she saw Qingyun open the door, she immediately smiled and said, "Your Highness was eating some dishes and missed you, Miss Qing. So I asked you to bring them to you and wish you a Happy New Year."

Qingyun stared blankly as she took the food box without saying a word. The two stared at each other, Qingyun wondering if there was anything else to say, while Liuyue wanted to hear if the other had anything to say. After a long silence, it was Liuyue's maid who spoke up, "His Highness is giving you food, why don't you thank him?"

Qingyun, realizing what was happening, immediately thanked him.

"As soon as this door opened, I smelled a strange fragrance, and this is just from standing at the door."

"What is that strange fragrance?" Song Chaoyun asked.

"Unlike ordinary spices, it smells like cinnamon. Forgive my bluntness, but I've eaten all sorts of rare delicacies while serving Your Highness, but none of them compare to the food in Miss Qingyun's room. It truly makes one's mouth water."

Song Chaohua, who was chewing on some vegetables, turned her head and looked over. "Is it really that amazing?"

Liu Yue replied respectfully, "This servant dares not speak nonsense."

Upon seeing this, Song Chaoyun laughed heartily and ordered Liuyue to leave, saying, "Why are you worried about her? It's not like I didn't reward her." She said this to Song Junwu beside her.

Upon hearing this, Song Junwu loosened his grip on the wine glass, then smiled and said, "Don't tease me. You said you're going back to the capital? When?"

"Spring has arrived." Those two simple words carried a heavy weight. Song Chaoyun put down her jade chopsticks, her eyes filled with hesitation. "Has that matter been settled?"

Upon seeing this, Song Chaohua gave an order to dismiss the remaining maids who were serving.

Song Junwu: "Do you think I'm a god? The Qin family is not an easy nut to crack. It will be even more difficult to deal with once Qin Li returns to court in the spring."

Upon hearing this, Song Chaoyun frowned slightly. "You don't need to worry about Qin Li. His younger brother is in my hands. Right now, the most important thing is to seize all of the Qin family's wealth."

Song Junwu's expression was equally solemn. He was afraid that Song Chaoyun would not be able to handle things alone after returning to the court. "The Emperor must have other intentions for your return this time. Can't you postpone it for a while longer?"

Song Chaoyun certainly knew this principle, but sometimes, many things are beyond one's control.

Qingyun had no relatives to visit, so she stayed in her room during the few days of holiday after the New Year. She was bound to be bored, so she found herself some things to do, such as repairing hoes for people, or babysitting for others if all else failed.

As the weather warmed up, she learned that Song Chaoyun was going back to the capital. Once she left, she really didn't know when she would return. Qingyun stood there, looking at the carriage that was about to be swallowed by the horizon. She couldn't help but feel a little sad. She thought to herself, "This person is good. He left without even seeing me one last time."

The bare branches have begun to sprout new leaves. The mortality rate of potatoes has been controlled throughout the winter. Qingyun thought of this and had someone spread straw on the ground before the New Year last year. The energy stored by the seedlings throughout the winter began to burst upward at this time of year. The originally thin leaves have visibly swelled and thickened.

She wasn't worried about planting it, but she repeatedly warned him not to eat the potato leaves, because many people planted them like sweet potatoes, and sweet potato leaves are edible. Qingyun was just being cautious.

But some people didn't listen. By the time she arrived after hearing the news, the person was already dead. Countless people died last winter, and most of the soil was frozen. So the families of these people would not bury them immediately, but would put them in the snow and dig them out when the snow thawed the following spring.

However, Qingyun quickly learned the details of the situation. During the lean season, the family remembered the potatoes they had planted in the field. They were thinking of digging them up, but to their surprise, when they lifted the straw, they found that the leaves were still lush and green, which was quite delightful.

Seeing this, they decided not to dig out the potatoes anymore. They decided to pick some leaves to take home and eat. Although they had been told that the leaves were inedible, they didn't care about that when they were really starving. The one who died was the family's youngest grandson. The family loved him first and gave him all the leaves. They thought that he would be dead the next day.

Qingyun felt both heartbroken and angry upon hearing this. Looking around, she saw many people digging in this area specifically used for freezing corpses. The air was filled with a stench, the smell of rotting flesh. Some people hadn't buried themselves deep in the snow, and because the weather was warm, their arms had come off as they were pulled out, still oozing yellow fluid.

Seeing this, Qingyun recalled the meat she hadn't finished eating and had buried in the snow. She couldn't hold it in any longer and ran to the side to vomit violently. Mu Helian stood behind her and patted her back, saying in a comforting tone, "There's nothing we can do about it. Most people simply have no food left at home and don't have the strength to dig up such hard soil to bury them."

"Didn't I tell you not to eat these leaves? And those sprouted potatoes are also poisonous!" She wiped her mouth hard, her mouth still tingling with sourness, but she couldn't care less and quickly asked.

Mu Helian also said helplessly, "No matter what you say, you can't stop other people from wanting to eat."

Qingyun straightened up. "Then why didn't anyone tell me?" She was the one who posted this. If someone really wanted to cause her trouble, why would they wait until spring? After all, she was the one who encouraged everyone to plant it.

"Because you've already said it, and others didn't die from eating potatoes, so it's unlikely they'll come after you. Besides, your status is different now than before," Mu Helian said, hitting the nail on the head.