In trouble? Jiang Yushu frowned and answered without hesitation, "He didn't! We left our hometown and just arrived in a foreign place. We were very careful all day long and never caused any trouble."
"I wonder what exactly happened? I'm afraid there's some misunderstanding." Guo Honglei raised his hand to lead the way, saying calmly, "Your Excellency has come a long way. Please come in and have some tea and rest. Could you allow a few of us to pack our bags?"
"Can!"
Pan Kui wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve and strode towards the main hall, instructing, "But military orders are as strong as mountains. The higher-ups are waiting for me to return with the new recruits to report, so I dare not delay. A quarter of an hour! I'll give you a quarter of an hour. Quickly pack your bags. The horses are already here, and we'll be leaving shortly."
A quarter of an hour? Jiang Yushu hesitated to speak, her heart sinking. The smile on her face just now disappeared, and she was unhappy.
"Thank you for your leniency." Guo Honglei couldn't disobey military orders, so he urged, "Lin Qin, you, Changxing, and Changrong, pack up quickly and leave on time."
The three servants nodded, but Pan Kui, who was sitting in the main hall, poked his head out and reminded them:
"Boys, the army has set regulations for food, clothing, housing, and transportation. There's no need to bring extra stuff. Even if you do, you won't be able to use it."
"Yes!" The servant clasped his fists and hurried back to the house to pack up.
At this time, Nanny Pan, Xiaotao and the wife of the steward Zhou Yan, who were busy in the kitchen, rushed out upon hearing the news. They all rolled up their sleeves, covered in smoke from firewood, and stood there at a loss.
As a wet nurse, Pan Ma Ma was uneasy and reluctant to leave. She mustered her courage and said respectfully, "Master Pan, today is our son's birthday. Since the house was raided, he has traveled through mountains and rivers and suffered so much hardship, and he hasn't even had a peaceful meal. Could you allow him to stay a little longer? At least let him have dinner and then—" She suddenly paused, her eyes red with annoyance, and said, "Oh, look at my mouth. I really can't speak. I deserve a beating, I deserve a beating!"
Not only the wet nurse, but everyone else looked depressed and gloomy.
Pan Kui took the tea Cuimei offered him and asked in surprise, "Oh? So today is Honglei's birthday? I looked at the roster, but I didn't remember it."
"It's just a small birthday. It doesn't matter whether you celebrate it or not. It's okay." Guo Honglei gave him a look. Nanny Pan understood and suppressed her disappointment. She led Xiaotao to pack his luggage.
Jiang Yushu tried her best to cheer herself up and forced a smile, saying, "Your Excellency is busy with military affairs and shouldn't worry about such trivial matters." After a pause, she asked worriedly, "We are completely confused and have no idea what trouble we have caused. Please explain it to us, Your Excellency."
Pan Kui took a sip of the scalding hot tea and replied solemnly, "I have a general understanding of your character, and I haven't noticed Hong Lei being 'arrogant or disrespectful' yet. But this afternoon, Captain Wu seemed to be expressing a hint of dissatisfaction. I repeatedly questioned him, but he remained vague. He simply ordered me to lead you back to the army immediately and train you rigorously to quickly eliminate the frivolous habits of the new recruits from the marquis' family and restore military prestige."
How outrageous!
Who's talking about the "poor habits of a noble family" again? Is being born into the Guo family a personal mistake? Birth, old age, sickness, and death are clearly predestined.
Jiang Yushu couldn't help but feel annoyed. She asked doubtfully, "We were nearly killed by the Beiqi people two days ago. We only managed to escape death through a united effort. Because we captured a prisoner alive, County Magistrate Liu sent people to Heqinwei for reinforcements. As luck would have it, they sent for Captain Wu. He led a dozen soldiers and stayed for a short while before leaving. We met by chance, only to have a brief encounter. Who could have misunderstood something? Or was it deliberately spreading rumors and slander?"
Guo Honglei was silent and deep in thought, unable to figure it out for a moment.
Pan Kui sighed, his tall and strong body leaning against the back of the chair, as if he had a headache.
"Does Your Excellency have any guesses?" Jiang Yushu stared intently.
Pan Kui's face darkened as he raised his hand to rub his stubble. He didn't answer but asked, "Did you find out who was fanning the flames in front of the captain that day?"
Guo Honglei's eyes changed, and he looked at Jiang Yushu, each with his own considerations.
"Just say what you want to say!" Pan Kui understood and said dissatisfiedly, "Be straightforward and stop hesitating. You're so petty!"
Jiang Yushu quickly made up her mind and said, "Well, I didn't notice anyone fanning the flames. But I saw someone I know."
"Who?" Pan Kui sat up straight, his hands on his knees.
Jiang Yushu carefully chose her words and answered, "When we first met, you were ordered to lead a group to hunt down fugitives. Among them was a general named Tian... He was also present two days ago."
She stopped there, holding her breath for a response, thinking: If I'm not mistaken, that General Tian has most likely fallen out with his former superiors. Otherwise, why would Lord Pan ask us about what happened?
really!
Pan Kui sneered, stood up, put his hands behind his back, and said calmly: "Tian Bo is no longer the general flag, nor is he my subordinate. He chose another good tree and became Wu Qianhu's personal soldier."
"Oh?" Guo Honglei was quite surprised.
Jiang Yushu lowered her head to drink tea, and tactfully did not ask about other people's family affairs.
Pan Kui was a straightforward person, and he felt like he had something stuck in his throat and couldn't get it out. He said in a very unpleasant tone, "Now that we're one family, I don't mind telling you the truth. Humph, the one who molested the little maid at the post station wasn't Ding Yuan, but Tian Bo!"
"It's actually him?" Jiang Yushu was startled, then slowly said, "On our way from the capital to Heqin, 'Lecher' kept coming closer, blushing and hesitant. He looked very well behaved and honest, which made us think, 'You can't judge a person by his appearance.'"
Guo Honglei then asked, "Ding Yuan must have been coerced or bribed by Tian Bo to take the blame for someone else in public."
"No," Pan Kui shook his head, feeling rather disappointed. "Ding Yuan wasn't coerced or bribed; he was willing. A simpleton from a farming family, after a few grandiose exchanges, became a close friend and sworn brother to his fellow villager, Tian Bo. It was he who encountered and stopped Tian Bo that day, ultimately misusing his sense of loyalty and taking the blame for 'the momentarily foolish Brother Tian.'"
Jiang Yushu sighed, "I'm talking about loyalty to the point of being silly."
"Afterwards, I accidentally learned the truth, but Tian Bo kept denying it. He even cursed me behind my back, saying I had wronged him and accused him of something he hadn't done before. This got me so angry that I interrogated him and forced him to tell the whole story. I punished Tian Bo with twenty strokes of the cane and temporarily removed him from his position as general flag." Pan Kui's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, and he gritted his teeth. "I wanted to correct his bandit-like temper, but he didn't appreciate it at all. He just walked away, wanting to become a personal soldier of a thousand households, and he no longer took me, a hundred households, seriously!"
Guo Honglei consoled him, "Calm down, sir. People like Tian Bo can just leave."
"Hmph, I don't want to be with that kind of person who bullies the weak and has no sense of loyalty!" Pan Kui's voice was like a bell. He drank the hot tea in one gulp, and he took a hissing breath because of the heat.
Jiang Yushu hurriedly poured a glass of cold water and handed it to him. Anxiously, she asked in a low voice, "So, what exactly did Captain Wu mean by suddenly asking you to lead the Guo family's new recruits?"
"I'm not sure." Pan Kui wiped his mouth and asked casually, "Why? Are you worried that your husband will be bullied?"
In such a situation, how can I not be afraid? Jiang Yushu pleaded silently, her eyes full of worry.
Pan Kui smiled and said proudly, "Don't worry. Apart from my duties, I never sit idly by and watch my brothers being unreasonably harassed! Friendship is the most important thing in the army. As long as your men are obedient and diligent, the boss must protect them. Otherwise, they will never be able to win the support of the army."
Jiang Yushu felt relieved and said gratefully, "Thank you in advance, sir."
Afterwards, Lin Qin, the other two, and Nanny Pan returned with their bundles. Lin Qin handed over a purse and leaned closer, reminding them, "Don't forget this again."
Guo Honglei suddenly remembered, took the purse and stuffed it into his wife's hand, apologetically saying, "Return it to its rightful owner! I've wanted to return it to you several times since arriving in Xicang, but I've been so busy at home that I've forgotten several times."
"What is this...?" After several months, Jiang Yushu was worried and absent-minded, and did not recognize it at first sight.
Guo Honglei shook his head helplessly and whispered in his ear: "Your personal information."
"Oh!" Jiang Yushu slapped her forehead and said embarrassedly, "Look at my memory! I can't even recognize the things I packed myself."
Guo Honglei was deeply concerned and warned, "Keep it carefully. After I leave, be extremely careful. If you encounter any trouble while farming, do not act recklessly; instead, ask the government to mediate."
"Yes." Their eyes met, and Jiang Yushu nodded repeatedly. Her heart ached, her throat choked, and she persuaded him in a hoarse voice, "I know you are brave and good at fighting. When you see the enemy, you will rush forward without hesitation, and you will not turn back no matter who shouts. But please always remember that you are not alone in this world. Your family of over a hundred is looking forward to reuniting in Changping County! We came to Heqin together, and we should return together."
Guo Honglei was silent for a while, wanting to comfort her, but unable to predict her fate, he could only say, "I always remember my family."
"You must be even more careful in the army." Jiang Yushu thought for a moment, then spoke righteously and solemnly, "A soldier may bravely die for his country, but he must not be humiliated. If someone bullies you because they think you are exiles from the Guo family, there's no need to tolerate it. Find evidence against them and we'll find a way to punish them."
Guo Honglei laughed and asked, "Do you dare?"
"Even a clay figure has some earthiness. If pushed to the limit, I'll see if I dare!" Jiang Yushu's mind raced as she counted on her fingers. "If we're outnumbered, we can ask for help from Mu Shibo, Captain Pan, and the county magistrate in Xicang. Brother Gong can also be counted as one of them. We have so many relatives and friends in the capital, too many to count. Some of them will definitely be willing to help us out!"
Guo Honglei knew the other party's worries and comforted him, "Don't worry, I will be cautious in dealing with people."
Then, Pan Kui pressed his sword and shouted, "The quarter-hour has passed! Honglei, put aside your personal feelings and follow me back to pay our respects to the captain."
"yes."
The sun sets and dusk falls.
A group of people were leading horses, and among the neatly dressed military uniforms were four members of the Guo family dressed in civilian clothes.
Upon hearing the news, County Magistrate Liu Tong and the village head and others rushed over to see them off. Liu Tong bowed and said with concern, "Take care, everyone. I wish you a safe and triumphant return."
Guo Honglei clasped his fists and answered earnestly, "I, Guo, would like to ask for a favor. Please—"
Liu Tong understood and interrupted, "No need to explain, I understand. Jiang was sent here by the county magistrate to cultivate the land, and my job is to supervise the new grain, which is exactly the same thing. Don't worry, even if I return to the county office to handle official business, I will leave someone to keep an eye on the crops."
"Thank you!" Guo Honglei bowed gratefully.
"Let's go." Pan Kui mounted his horse, clasped his fists towards Liu Tong and said, "Master Liu, goodbye."
Because the other party was the county magistrate's cousin, Liu Tong familiarly advised: "Be careful. I will treat you to a drink another day."
"Hahaha, then I'll remember it!" After saying that, Pan Kui whipped his horse, shouted "Go", and rode off.
Guo Honglei's injuries were almost healed. He mounted his horse swiftly and whispered, "Go into the house. There's no need to be sad. I'll come back as soon as I have time." After he finished speaking, he spurred his horse to chase Pan Kui, and he sped away, his figure quickly disappearing into the twilight.
Beside the wall of the dilapidated village courtyard, Jiang Yushu watched for a long time and sighed.
Cuimei was listless and said sullenly, "Alas, today is my son-in-law's birthday, and he was called away before he even had a bite of noodles."
"Military orders must be obeyed. Soldiers who disobey orders will be severely punished." Jiang Yushu said solemnly, her expression dignified. "Now I only hope that Dagan can quickly defeat the Beijiao and recapture Yongzhou, so that everyone can live in peace and tranquility."
"That's right!" Pan Ma's eyes sparkled with tears. "Only if we win the battle sooner rather than later will the young master have more time to come back and rest."
@Unlimited good articles, all in Jinjiang Literature City
The only servant left behind was named Zou Gui, who murmured dejectedly, "I'm only one year younger, but the army won't accept me. They insist I'm sixteen."
The steward Zhou Yan said earnestly, "Once the young master takes his men away, you and I will be the only men here. When you are farming, you must be attentive and listen to the young lady's instructions!"
Zou Gui nodded repeatedly.
Village head Liu Sanping watched for a while, then reluctantly approached, rubbing his hands and announcing, "The ashes are all burned and piled in my yard. Don't worry, I saw the villagers burning them with my own eyes. They definitely didn't just scrape them from the fields to save trouble."
Jiang Yushu came back to her senses and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Actually, straw ash would be fine, but it's been over a month since the enemy burned the crops. With the strong winds and heavy rain, it's difficult to collect the ashes in the fields. New crops will burn faster."
In the other world, it is impossible to prepare detoxifying liquid medicine, so the seeds can only be mixed using traditional methods.
Talking about business, Liu Tong asked, "Why did you choose such a large sloping piece of land? Wouldn't flat land be suitable?"
Jiang Yushu explained: "I originally planned to pick only flat land, but I happened to find a gentle slope with loose and fertile soil. The land had been deeply plowed earlier this year, making it perfect for potatoes. So I decided to give it a try."
"Okay, I'll listen to you! No one else has planted it except you, so we can only wait and see." Liu Tong was at a loss.
Jiang Yushu had already figured it out and said methodically, "Almost all the potatoes have sprouted, saving us the trouble of accelerating germination. Without further ado, I'll have someone cut the potatoes and mix them for seeds tomorrow morning. Please dig trenches in the fields as I taught you yesterday. Once everything is ready, you can plant the seeds!"
"Ten days, don't forget." Liu Tong, fearing delay, reminded him earnestly, "The magistrate has ordered that we must complete the mission on time, otherwise we will be punished."
Jiang Yushu said seriously: "I will do my best!"
Upon hearing the magistrate's sentence, the village head hurriedly said, "It's only sixty or seventy acres of land. I've already led the villagers to finish most of it in the past two days. It will be finished by the day after tomorrow at the latest!"
"That's good."
At night. Main room
Liujia Village was pitch black after nightfall. Life was difficult and the villagers were reluctant to waste lamp oil, so they went to bed early.
The square table was old, its red paint mottled and faded, and a solitary oil lamp flickered in the background.
Jiang Yushu's eyes were calm as she pondered her words. She glanced at the people who had brought Heqin: Cuimei, Xiaotao, Nanny Pan, Zou Gui, and Zhou Yan and his wife, and smiled.
"Heqin is in turmoil, and it's rare that you have volunteered to come here and cultivate the land. The Second Young Master and I have taken note of your actions."
“That’s what should be done.”
"The servant should have followed and served."
"Sir, you have been kind to me, and I am willing to follow you!" The servants expressed their loyalty one after another.
Jiang Yushu raised her hand to interrupt. Her expression was gentle, but her tone was firm. She said seriously, "For the sake of the stability of the military farm, I would like to remind you of a few things. Please remember them. First, we are prisoners. It is not appropriate to address each other as master and servant. It sounds inappropriate to outsiders."
"Then, what should I call you?" Xiao Tao was at a loss.
Jiang Yushu smiled and replied, "Whatever you want to say, I don't care." After a pause, she continued, "Second, don't wear gold, silver, or jade, don't put on makeup, and don't use silk and satin... In short, try to live like the villagers, so that outsiders won't talk about the exiles' affluence. Of course, you should have enough food, water, and clothes."
"Young Madam is right." Nanny Pan agreed very much.
Jiang Yushu said, "I accepted the job of planting potatoes from the county magistrate. Farming is all I can think about. I'll leave the housework to Madam and Steward Zhou."
"Oh, yes." Nanny Pan bowed nervously. Zhou Yan, originally a middle-ranking official in the Marquis's mansion, had many years of experience and answered calmly, "Don't worry, I understand. I will carefully compare it with the life in the village and think carefully to avoid criticism."
Jiang Yushu nodded and praised, "Okay, that's the right way to think! The old lady is in charge of everyone in Changping, and I'm in charge of our own family in Heqin. As the saying goes, 'Without rules, there's no order.' The two points I just mentioned are actually for everyone's benefit, so please don't neglect them. In addition, I will give you a certain amount of silver every month for daily expenses, such as medical treatment and medicine in case of illness or injury."
As she spoke, she glanced at Cuimei, who handed the prepared purse to Zhou Yan.
"Thank you, young madam, for your trust!" Zhou Yan bowed deeply.
The next morning
The courtyard of the village head's house was bustling with activity, crowded with men, women, young and old, all curiously surrounding Jiang Yushu, chattering and vying to ask:
“How many pieces should it be cut into?”
"I've never grown this before, so I'm not sure. What if it gets ruined?"
"If the more I cut, the more it grows, can I cut a piece at a time?"
"Tsk, can it survive if it's cut like this?"
…
Jiang Yushu sat on a stool, with a pile of sprouted potatoes in her left hand, a basket of wood ash in her right hand, and a basket filled with hay in front of her.
The scene before her was familiar to her, having often promoted new crops in her previous life. She held a potato high and spoke in a clear voice, "Quiet, everyone! First, the knife must be clean. Second, cut lengthwise, leaving at least two eyes. Finally, mix the cuts with wood ash." As she spoke, she slowly cut a potato and dipped it in the ash, admonishing, "Be careful now, be gentle, don't break the sprouts."
"I've got it!" Cuimei said excitedly, "This isn't difficult at all. Don't just stand there and watch, try it now. We have 20,000 kilograms of grain seeds. We can't handle it all by ourselves."
Xiao Tao, Nanny Pan and others were also busy, while Zou Gui and Zhou Yan followed the head of the village and asked the villagers to move potatoes from the cellar.
There was a mess everywhere and a lot of noise in my ears.
Jiang Yushu was sweating profusely, and she didn't even bother to take out her handkerchief. She raised her sleeve and wiped the sweat off her face. She glanced back and shouted, "Be careful when moving the plants. Be careful not to knock off the buds."
"Oh, I remember that." Liu Sanping, the head of the village, was extremely busy. His voice was hoarse as he urged, "Fellow villagers, please pay attention! County Magistrate Liu has said that if we help plant potatoes, we will give more corn and wheat to Liujia Village when they are planted."
"So, when will the corn and wheat seeds arrive?"
Liu Sanping wiped his sweat and shouted, "No matter when it arrives! In short, the government will not lie to the people. Lord Liu sent people back to the county yesterday to help us urge it."
It is profitable and it is related to the crops, so the villagers are full of expectations and work hard.
Jiang Yushu kept chopping, chopping, chopping, pounding her aching lower back and getting up to walk around. After a few steps, she suddenly remembered something and hurried back to where she'd been. She picked up a potato and shouted, "Everyone, these sprouted potatoes are poisonous! Don't eat them!"
When these words came out, the villagers in the yard were shocked. They looked at each other in surprise and asked:
"Poisonous? Strange, if it's poisonous, why do the government ask us to plant it?"
"That's right! Aren't you afraid of poisoning people?"
"Ah, this is just nonsense! After all the hard work, we ended up growing something poisonous!"
"That's what I told you. Beans are no good. Corn and wheat are better."
…
Jiang Yushu's throat felt dry and sore, and she hurriedly explained, "You misunderstood! Listen to me, only potatoes that have sprouted or have a bluish-purple-green skin are poisonous. The rest are safe to eat. Think about it, everyone. This is a tribute from the vassal state to Dagan. Could it be that poisonous? I remind you again, potatoes that have sprouted or have a bluish-purple-green skin are absolutely not to be eaten."
"The government sent her here to teach us, so we should do whatever she says!" Liu Sanping was so tired that he was out of breath. He took a few sips of water and continued running.
Cuimei and the others had already known what was said, and they tried to explain it to the villagers who were half-believing and half-doubting, but they were all hoarse after talking so hard.
The whole village joined in and completed the cutting and seed mixing in half a day.
Two Days Later · Field
Jiang Yushu was exhausted, but she had to cheer herself up and continued to teach the different farming methods on the gentle slopes and flat land.
"Well, not bad." Liu Tong brushed off his robe sleeves, looked down at the wilderness from his high vantage point, and said happily: "No matter what the harvest is, at least we followed the magistrate's instructions and planted the seeds on time. The rest depends on whether God will be merciful."
Jiang Yushu smiled bitterly and spoke frankly in a hoarse voice, "To be honest, these past few days, I've felt like I was being rushed into something. I can't really expect a good harvest because everything was so rushed."
"What are you afraid of? We've been watching everything, we know what's going on, and we won't blame you." Liu Tong wiped his sweat off his face and said helplessly, "The potatoes will just rot if left alone anyway, so why not just give it to you and give it a try!"
Jiang Yushu asked with a smile: "We should try our best to save the situation, right?"
The two were talking when they heard the villagers below shouting in panic. The village chief ran up the gentle slope and raised his head and shouted anxiously:
"Oh no! Someone in the village stole potatoes and cooked them to eat. The whole family is poisoned! You brought the food here. Do you have any way to save them?"
The author has something to say:
Halfway through coding today, the screen suddenly blue and a full page of English text popped up. This painful lesson from losing my manuscript reminded me: it’s hot, it’s time to use a radiator…
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
