Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Plus

The New Year atmosphere in the village was getting stronger and stronger. When Miao Ying went to visit Ye Feng's house, he found Erniu scratching his ears and cheeks in the yard.

He walked over and saw that there were pens and ink on the table. Erniu was practicing calligraphy, but he was not very good at it. There were big ink spots on his face and hands, and even his face and hands were covered with ink.

"Erniu, are you writing?" Miao Ying handed him a piece of candy. Erniu didn't mind that his hands were dirty, and put the candy into his mouth.

Ye Feng was so angry that he fell backwards: "Why don't you wash your hands before eating! Even if eating ink can make you more knowledgeable, that's fine."

Erniu didn't care about him and ate his candy happily. Ye Feng invited Miao Ying to sit down and chat with him. "I told him to write Spring Festival couplets for our family this year. If his calligraphy is hung up, our family will lose face."

Miao Ying just smiled and said: "It's still readable, and it's straight and level."

"Brother Xiaoying, why hasn't Xiaobao come out?" Erniu quietly slipped over from the table and asked Miao Ying.

"He's at home doing carpentry work with Xiaolin," Miao Ying replied. "You should go and play too."

Erniu glanced at his father's expression, then ran away without even picking up the paper and pen on the table.

"He just can't sit still." Ye Feng grabbed some beans from the house and placed them in front of the two of them. "I heard your little treasure is doing really well in his studies. Erniu said Master Song praises him all the time."

"The teacher wanted Xiaobao to go to Yunshan Academy in the county town, but I thought Xiaobao was still young, so it wouldn't be too late to send him when he turned six."

"That's true," Ye Feng said, "but if I don't go, won't it delay the child's education?"

"Let him study with Master Song again so he can learn more thoroughly," Miao Ying replied. "He's still too young."

He originally came here to talk to Ye Feng today. He was bored at home anyway, so he might as well come out and chat.

Ye Feng looked at him and remembered some rumors he had heard when he went to the county town a few days ago. He wanted to ask about it, but he was afraid that Miao Ying would be unhappy if he asked.

"What's wrong? You look like you have some questions to ask me." Miao Ying could naturally feel Ye Feng's hesitation.

"It was just a few days ago when I went to the county town and heard people gossiping about you," Ye Feng said. "Anyway, what they said was pretty unpleasant."

They said that Miao Ying instigated Huo Xing to split up the family and didn't care about his father-in-law's life or death; they also said that Miao Ying was a restless person and had affairs after getting married; they also said that he was lazy and gluttonous, and even more seriously, they said that Miao Ying had touched girls.

Miao Ying stared at him with wide eyes. Honestly, he'd admitted to instigating the split, and he'd admitted to being restless and lazy in the past, but what about this groping? When had he ever groped a girl? It couldn't be because of that last time he'd said he wanted to get married? How could anyone believe that?

He smiled helplessly: "It's really hard to comment."

Seeing his calm expression, Ye Feng knew that the rumors were all false: "I was wondering if you are such a good person, how could you be that kind of person? I don't know who is slandering you behind your back."

"We can't control what others say, so let them say whatever they want." Miao Ying ate a few peanuts and didn't take it to heart at all.

"But I have something else to ask you." Ye Feng said, "What are you planting in that field?"

Miao Ying had long known that this matter could not be concealed. It was fine that it hadn't bloomed yet, as it would be even more eye-catching when it did. "It's a very rare thing. It will probably bloom in a while. It will be a bright yellow patch, very beautiful."

Ye Feng looked at him in confusion. Most people would think the land was not enough for crops, but Miao Ying actually planted flowers. "Flowers? Such good land, and you plant flowers?"

Miao Ying shook his head: "The fruit after the flower fades is very useful. Brother, let me tell you in secret, this thing is called rapeseed, and it can be used to make oil."

"Oil?" Ye Feng was shocked. "How can you make oil? Oil that's edible?"

Miao Ying nodded.

Ye Feng continued, "The only plant I know that can be made into oil is tung oil, but tung oil is not edible. Is this really edible?"

Miao Ying nodded: "I have eaten it. If I hadn't tried it, I would definitely not plant this on my land at home."

Ye Feng was a shrewd man, and he could see that Miao Ying was placing their family's future livelihood on this. He added a bit of worry: "Miao Ying, you know that rice, flour, grain, and oil are related to people's livelihood. We ordinary people can't control them."

Miao Ying nodded. He had always had this concern: "Of course I know this."

Ye Feng breathed a sigh of relief: "It's okay for you to know, so what are you going to do next?"

Miao Ying thought for a moment and said, "Let's take a big ship and make some money. After that, we can start some small business and be content with a small fortune."

"Sure." Ye Feng felt a little relieved. "Which ship do you want to take?"

Miao Ying thought for a moment and said, "I don't know many people. The only one I'm familiar with is the Fu family in the county town. Huo Xing saved the young master of the Fu family."

"The Fu family is also an option." Qin Qiang worked as an accountant at a restaurant in town, so he was quite familiar with these matters. "The Fu family has deep roots. I heard that every concubine in the palace was from one of their branches."

Miao Ying listened carefully. It was the first time he heard about imperial power after traveling through time for so long. His predecessors who had traveled through time in the past were either princes and nobles or wealthy businessmen, but for him, the beginning was a leaky window.

"So if you can get on the Fu family's big ship, there will be no problems in your life." Ye Feng concluded.

Miao Ying supported his chin with his hand and said, "We are just a small family. How can we get involved with such a big family? If I just go to their house and say I want to do business with them, I'll be thankful if they don't kick me out."

Ye Feng nodded: "That's right, let's take a long-term view. It's not like it will be accomplished right away. You've only just planted the seeds."

After talking with Ye Feng for a while, Miao Ying saw that it was getting late and said he wanted to go home. Ye Feng went with him to pick up Erniu.

When they arrived at his house, the whole yard was filled with the sounds of children making noise. Miao Ying stood outside the yard, watching the always mature and steady Xiao Mutou joining in the fun. Then he realized that children still need to play with other children, and Xiao Mutou was too withdrawn in the past.

So Miao Ying decided that when Master Song and the others came back in the spring, he would send Xiao Mu to school. No matter what he could learn, he would let him play with the other children and make his character more cheerful.

Miao Ying returned home and took out some candy, sharing one with each child. He watched them playing in the tool room, with wooden chips flying everywhere.

When Xiao Mu saw Miao Ying coming back, he realized that he had lost his composure. That was his eldest brother's tool room, but they had made a mess of it. He was a little nervous and didn't dare to look Miao Ying in the eye.

Miao Ying was very happy and asked them, "Did you have fun?"

Several children said in unison that it was fun, and Miao Ying asked them to come back and play tomorrow.

After sending the children away, Miao Ying pulled Huo Xiaobao and Xiao Mu to his side and asked them what they wanted to eat in the evening. Huo Xiaobao said he wanted to eat radish balls, but Xiao Mu had no request.

Xiao Mu wanted to clean up the tool room, but Miao Ying stopped him: "No need, wait for big brother to come back."

Huo Xing went up the mountain today with his two dogs, so he probably won't be back early.

It was winter and it got dark early. They ate early, left some rice in the pot for Huo Xing, and went back to their rooms. The nests for steamed buns and corn bread were also moved to the tool room. Huo Xing specially opened a small door for them to go in and out easily.

Miao Ying was waiting until he was sleepy. When he was about to fall asleep, he heard the noise and immediately put on his clothes and went out to greet them.

He was holding an oil lamp in his hand. When a breeze blew, Miao Ying shivered and the light in his hand shook.

Huo Xing scooped some water from the kitchen and put it in the bowls of steamed buns and cornbread. They seemed to be extremely thirsty and drank the water with grunts.

Miao Ying looked at Huo Xing and saw only a wilted pheasant in his hand and a bundle of firewood on his back. It seemed that he had not gained anything.

"The prey has all gone for the winter," Huo Xing said, "I won't be going there anymore."

Miao Ying nodded, lit another fire, and heated up the leftover rice for him.

Huo Xing was concentrating on eating. Miao Ying sat opposite him and told him what she had said to Ye Feng today.

"Brother Feng is right. Our family has no foundation. It's useless to have something like this in our hands. It might even bring disaster."

Huo Xing nodded: "That's right."

"So I thought, let's go talk to the young master of the Fu family." Miao Ying said, "That should be possible, right?"

Huo Xing put down his chopsticks and said, "It's not easy to enter a wealthy family."

Miao Ying propped up his head and said, "How about I make an appointment with the second young master of the Fu family? No, it doesn't seem feasible for us to just show up at his house."

"Let's talk about it after the New Year." Huo Xing put away the bowl and stood up. "Isn't it still early for the harvest?"

Miao Ying was still sitting at the table. Huo Xing simply turned off the oil lamp and picked him up. A feeling of weightlessness hit him, and Miao Ying hugged Huo Xing's neck: "You scared me."

In the darkness, Miao Ying only heard Huo Xing's chuckle.

Miao Ying felt a little embarrassed, so he changed the subject: "By the way, Brother Feng asked you to help him make something today. Go there tomorrow."

Huo Xing hummed, and Miao Ying only felt his chest tremble slightly. Then he patted his chest with his hand and said, "Speak properly!"

Huo Xing didn't say anything, but just carried him back to the room and placed him steadily on the bed.

Miao Ying felt his reaction and clamped her legs around his waist, rubbing gently: "What were you thinking about while eating?"

Huo Xing held his ankle and said, "I didn't think anything."

Miao Ying chuckled, retracted his legs and rolled back onto the bed: "Hurry up and wash up, and come back to warm the bed."

It was too cold in winter. He had already soaked his feet before Huo Xing came back, but now they had become cold again. The bed would not be warm after he left it for a while. At this time, Huo Xing, who was very energetic, was needed.

When Huo Xing came back after washing up, Miao Yingzheng was huddled in the quilt and shivering. Huo Xing got on the bed and held him in his arms. Miao Ying skillfully put his feet under Huo Xing's calves.

Huo Xing clamped his legs together, keeping him warm like a human air conditioner.

Miao Ying sighed comfortably, rested her head on Huo Xing's shoulder, quickly warmed up, and fell asleep.

Huo Xing looked at Miao Ying's face and felt that the recent days were like those of a god.

No matter what time he came back from hunting, there was always a light waiting for him at the door; when he got home, there was always rice in the pot, and there was someone beside him to eat with him and chat with him.

Once again, he was thankful that he had gone to the mountain to hunt that day and picked up the dying Miao Ying.