Qing Xuanzi waved his hand, his tone calm yet dignified: "Let's not talk about that. Tell me what you plan to do with these things?"
"Brother, do you mean you want us to handle all the grain and vegetables?" Rong Lianhu asked uncertainly.
Qing Xuanzi nodded slightly and said calmly, "I'll leave enough for Jiaojiao and me to eat for a year. You can decide what to do with the rest."
Rong Lianhu was silent for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He then looked at his wife, Fu Ya, and said softly, "Wife, I want to send some food back to my parents. They wrote several letters last year asking for grain, but I didn't give it to them. Now that we have so much, I want to give them some."
His voice was filled with guilt, after all, the abuse that his parents, brothers and sisters-in-law had inflicted on Zhigao and Zhiyuan had become an insurmountable obstacle in their hearts.
But the letters from his parents asking for help weighed heavily on his mind.
Fu Ya pursed her lips and remained silent.
She harbored resentment, but after all, they were Rong Lianhu's parents. During a famine, no amount of resentment could stop him from giving them food.
If word gets out, people might say they don't care about their parents' lives. Not only will their reputation be damaged, but it will also affect their children's future.
Besides, if no food is sent, and something were to happen to the parents-in-law, it might affect family harmony.
After a long while, Fu Ya finally spoke slowly, her voice full of frustration: "Give it to them. Give them the grain that you stored in the family compound last year. When you give it to them, let a few people know that you sent the grain back to your hometown."
She knew that only in this way could she satisfy Rong Lianhu's filial piety while avoiding gossip from others.
Rong Lianhu nodded, his eyes filled with guilt; he had really put her in a difficult position.
He also understood his wife's intention in sending the grain away in such a grand manner. This would not only prevent anyone from coming to borrow grain in the future, but also prevent people from saying that they disregarded their parents.
He turned to Qing Xuanzi and said sincerely, "Brother, could you please store the grain for us? If there's another drought this year, the troops might not have enough to eat. Could you please send it back to us then?"
Qing Xuanzi remained silent for a moment, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes, before asking, "Are you planning to donate it to the military later?"
Rong Lianhu nodded with a somewhat solemn expression. He remembered what Qing Xuanzi had said last year: preparing more might be of great help.
He said in a low voice, "Yes, brother, if there is still a drought this year, the soldiers in the army will definitely not have enough to eat. We should help them if we can."
Qing Xuanzi nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Rong Jiaojiao, who was taking her first steps not far away. Watching her walk a few steps on her own without any support, he nodded: "Donating to the military is fine, but it must be done in Jiaojiao's name, and the military must provide a written receipt or certificate as proof."
Rong Lianhu didn't understand: "Why?"
Watching Rong Jiaojiao walk a few steps on her own without needing to hold onto anything, he sighed and said, "Jiaojiao is blessed by heaven too much. I want her to accumulate more good deeds and blessings. That way, her path of cultivation can go further and be smoother."
"The Xuanmen school emphasizes following nature and destiny, but destiny is not immutable. Accumulating virtue and doing good deeds is to follow destiny while opening up a wider path for oneself and others."
"Donating in her name will not only help her understand the meaning of doing good deeds from a young age, but also help her accumulate more blessings on her future spiritual path."
Rong Lianhu and Fu Ya, though unfamiliar with esoteric Taoist practices, understood Qing Xuanzi's meaning after hearing his words. Jiaojiao possessed something too extraordinary, so she needed to accumulate merit and do good deeds; otherwise, she feared that fortune and misfortune would be intertwined, and under the cycle of Heaven, the more she possessed, the greater the trials she would face in the future.
“I understand, brother. From now on, not only will Jiaojiao do good deeds, but we will also do them within our capabilities, so that our children can benefit in the future,” Fu Ya said softly, her tone firm.
Qing Xuanzi smiled and said, "You are soldiers, and you already have accumulated merit. There is no need to deliberately do good deeds. Helping some people you don't know may even diminish your merit."
"You mean you helped bad guys?" Rong Lianhu asked, somewhat puzzled.
Qing Xuanzi nodded: "Think about it, if there is a wicked person who is about to starve to death, but you don't know him, so you save him, and then that person continues to do evil, do you think you lose merit?"
As a doctor, Fu Ya was very conflicted: "What can we do? We can't just stand by and watch someone die!"
Qing Xuanzi smiled: "That depends on whether you have discerning eyes and the way you handle things."
"If a bad guy is sent to the hospital, should I save him or not?" Fu Ya asked helplessly.
Rong Lianhu laughed: "You're usually so shrewd, why are you acting so foolish now? The fact that he was sent to the hospital proves he's still useful. If you cure him, the bad guy's usefulness will be demonstrated. Aren't you doing a good deed?"
"Oh yeah, I was only thinking about the good and the bad!" Fu Ya suddenly realized, a hint of embarrassment on her face.
Qing Xuanzi waved his hand and said in a relaxed tone, "Let's not talk about that. Since it's settled, I'll go back to the mountain tomorrow. If it hasn't rained by the time spring planting is over, I'll bring Jiaojiao back again."
"Okay," Rong Lianhu and Fu Ya said in unison, their voices tinged with reluctance.
Fu Ya played with Rong Jiaojiao until she was sleepy, and after coaxing her to sleep, she reluctantly went home with Rong Lianhu.
Along the way, the two continued to discuss Qing Xuanzi's words, their hearts filled with anticipation for the future and reflection on good deeds.
The next day, Qing Xuanzi left behind the things he had prepared for Rong Lianhu and the others, and set off early in the morning with Rong Jiaojiao.
He disliked the noisy world to begin with, and now with his disciple Rong Jiaojiao, who could explode at any moment, he didn't want to stay in town for even a second longer.
He continued to use the Lightness Talisman and spiritual power to guide Rong Jiaojiao through the mountains and forests.
As night fell and the stars twinkled, he finally brought Rong Jiaojiao back to the valley.
Once inside the area covered by the array, all noise is shut out, leaving only tranquility and peace.
The purification array in the room had already been activated, and everything was spotless.
Qing Xuanzi took out a luminous pearl to illuminate the area, then placed Rong Jiaojiao on the ground so she could walk around and stretch her muscles.
Seeing the tired yet excited look around on her tender little face, he couldn't help but smile like a doting father.
He heated up the food he had brought back from town, and after Rong Jiaojiao finished eating, he told her to rest early.
The next morning, after Qing Xuanzi finished eating, he prepared to take Rong Jiaojiao to clear the weeds and shrubs in the valley and clear a piece of land to grow vegetables and grains.
They also plan to cultivate a paddy field near the courtyard below. There is spring water here, so it should be enough to grow a small paddy field.
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