However, the two thought again that this was a divine dish made by the boss, which was good for the body and might even prolong life. One tael of silver was well worth it!

After discussing the vegetables with the two, Xu Jinhuan asked another question.

"Have you heard anything about conscription in the county town today?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yichang shook his head. "No, it seems the news hasn't spread here yet."

Xu Jinhuan was somewhat helpless; the transmission of messages in ancient times was far too slow.

Afterwards, Xu Jinhuan exchanged a few more words with Li Yichang and the others, and then watched them leave.

Just then, there was another knock on the door. Li Xiaoxiao quickly went to open it, and Ma Wencai's big face was revealed as soon as the door opened.

"Boss, little sister, I chopped a lot of firewood today, so I'm bringing you some."

Xu Jinhuan pointed to the yard, "Just put the firewood stacked in the yard."

After Ma Wencai and the other two finished stacking the firewood, the other two left quietly, while he walked into the house with a smile.

"Boss, I found this while I was cutting down trees. It must have been around for a few years."

Ma Wencai pulled a cloth bag from his chest. When he opened the bag, he found a white radish covered in mud—no, it was a ginseng.

“Boss, this is definitely more useful to you than to me,” Ma Wencai said as he handed over the ginseng.

Xu Jinhuan glanced at the ginseng, and without being polite to Ma Wencai, accepted it with a smile.

"Then I'll accept it. I'll remember this as a favor. Once Xie Guangbai's pills are developed, I'll let you try them first."

Ma Wencai almost choked on his saliva after hearing this. He coughed twice and said, "Boss, how can you repay kindness with enmity? I don't like eating Brother Xie's bitter pills."

Xu Jinhuan laughed and said, "Those pills aren't ordinary pills. Once we succeed, you might even beg me to give them to you."

"Really?" Ma Wencai looked at Xu Jinhuan suspiciously, then said with some doubt, "Alright, then I'll take this reward."

After seeing Ma Wencai off, Xu Jinhuan finally felt some peace and quiet. Why did she ever hire such a chatterbox? It was such a strain on her ears.

Xu Jinhuan took a sip of tea, pondering what to do next. Just as she was thinking, she heard another knock on the door.

Xu Jinhuan shook his head helplessly, thinking to himself that being the boss was indeed not an easy position.

After the door opened, the plump auntie smiled and said, "Jinhuan, all the leather jackets are finished!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Jinhuan smiled and said, "Auntie's prediction was really accurate. Then I'll trouble you to invite everyone to the ancestral hall so we can distribute the clothes there."

The plump auntie smiled and agreed, then quickly walked towards the other rooms.

Before long, the exiled group gathered at the ancestral hall in Blackfish Village.

Xu Jinhuan sat in the main seat, a smile playing on his lips as he spoke to the people below.

“I have seen how hard everyone has been on the road to exile. Now, for a brighter future, everyone needs to work even harder.”

When it's all over, we'll look back and realize that all the sacrifices were worth it!

After Xu Jinhuan finished speaking, he thought to himself that he was becoming more and more skilled at making empty promises.

The people below looked at Xu Jinhuan with respect and replied loudly, "It's no trouble at all!"

"Yes, we're not tired!"

"We will create a brilliant future together with our leader!"

Xu Jinhuan smiled and gestured for everyone to be quiet before continuing.

"To help everyone survive better in the military camp, I have prepared fur coats for winter. Now I will distribute the fur coats to the heroes on their expedition!"

As soon as Xu Jinhuan finished speaking, the plump aunt led the women forward, each carrying a finished leather coat.

"Once everyone has tried it on and feels it fits, they can take it home," Xu Jinhuan said with a smile.

Everyone nodded seriously, happily accepted the warm and windproof fur coats, and began to try them on.

"These clothes made of animal hide are really different; they're warmer than the cotton-padded clothes I used to wear in the capital."

"Only our boss is willing to spend the materials and manpower to do this for us. None of the generals in the army are even half as good as our boss."

"Elder Xu is a reincarnation of a deity; those mortals can't compare to her!"

After delivering the fur coats, Xu Jinhuan said some words to boost morale, making the men wish they could immediately enter the military camp and go to the battlefield to earn military merit.

As it grew later, Xu Jinhuan told everyone to go back and rest, and she and Li Xiaoxiao headed towards their lodgings.

"Sister, you're amazing!" Li Xiaoxiao said earnestly, holding Xu Jinhuan's hand.

Xu Jinhuan gently patted Li Xiaoxiao's head, "When our Xiaoxiao grows up, she will be just as amazing as her older sister."

After hearing this, Li Xiaoxiao nodded seriously, "Yes, Xiaoxiao will definitely work hard and try to help my sister a lot in the future!"

Xu Jinhuan shook her head with a chuckle, "Then I'll wait for Xiaoxiao."

The two chatted and laughed as they went back inside, washed up quickly, and then went to sleep.

And so another night passed.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Li Yichang and An Er drove their horse-drawn carriage, carrying vegetables, and left Blackfish Village.

Just as the villagers of Blackfish Village got up as usual, tidied their houses, cooked, and ate, thinking it was just another ordinary day, something strange happened.

It was midday, the hottest time of day. Many of the elderly people in Blackfish Village would dress warmly then, basking in the sun and chatting in the open space in the village.

But then the sound of horses' hooves came from the village entrance.

"Hey, can you hear the sound of horses' hooves?" asked an older woman with particularly keen hearing.

The person next to him, who was sunbathing with their eyes closed, replied absentmindedly.

"It might be that kid Xu Er coming back. Didn't they buy a horse-drawn carriage in the county town yesterday? I saw them drive the carriage back last night with my own eyes."

The old woman was still a little worried. "You said it yourself, it's evening, but it's only noon now. How could they possibly be going back now..."

Before she could finish speaking, they saw a soldier in armor riding a tall horse toward them.

Where is the village head of Blackfish Village?

Upon seeing this scene, the expressions of the people who had been leisurely sunbathing immediately changed.

They were all too familiar with that phrase and those clothes, because every time they arrived, it meant someone from Blackfish Village was about to leave…

"Sir, please be patient. The village head should still be at home. I'll go and call him over for you," a middle-aged woman, still somewhat rational, said with a forced smile.

The messenger nodded in satisfaction upon seeing this, "Alright, go and return quickly."

A short while later, Lin Lizheng ran over. He had lost one of his shoes because he was running so fast. The old woman chasing after him was holding Lin Lizheng's shoe in her hand.

"Sir, I am the village head." Lin, the village head, didn't even bother to put on his shoe yet, and respectfully saluted the soldier in armor.