Jiang Yushu said, "I got up late" and pushed open the door, causing everyone to turn their heads and greet her.
Guo Honglei turned his head at the sound, and as he turned away, he pushed the bowl of porridge away. He was young and strong, and he always disliked being served and fed, as if he were a useless person and a loss of manliness.
"It's not too late!" Nanny Pan turned around and said with concern, "You stayed up until midnight last night. You got up too early. You should get more sleep."
"Second sister-in-law." Guo Hongzhe bowed politely.
Fang Sheng closed the medicine box and happily announced, "Young Master was awake before 11:00 AM. No acupuncture is needed. This relieves my worries. Hahahaha, great!"
Jiang Yushu smiled, walked into the bedroom, and slowly closed the door behind her. She responded to each question and said thankfully, "No need for acupuncture? This is really great!"
"Young Madam." Xiao Tao straightened up, carrying the porridge, and perched awkwardly in front of the couch. Uneasy and uneasy, her mind raced, she glanced quickly, her gaze evasive and shifty, not daring to face the visitor.
But the relationship between women is sometimes very strange. With just a glance, they can understand each other, even tacitly.
Judging from her eyes, could it be that she knew something? They both guessed at the same time.
Jiang Yushu approached, her expression normal, and asked gently, "What kind of porridge is this?"
"Yam and walnut porridge, according to Doctor Fang's suggestion, a light diet." Xiao Tao lowered her eyes and spoke softly.
Jiang Yushu took the bowl, stirred the porridge with a spoon, and praised, "It's soft but not mushy, and it smells so good. When it comes to cooking skills here, Madam Pan is first and you are second."
Xiao Tao replied nervously, "You're too kind. My cooking skills are only average. Thanks to Madam's hands-on teaching, I've barely learned the basics."
"Oh, I don't deserve such praise from the young lady." Nanny Pan smiled happily and adjusted the bed curtains.
Jiang Yushu concealed her thoughts and said briskly, "It's good, it's good. It's obvious to everyone. Don't be so modest."
Ever since she entered, Guo Honglei had been staring intently at her. He lifted his tightly bandaged hands, his voice still hoarse as he asked slowly, "I heard you bandaged these?"
Jiang Yushu nodded, sat down in front of the couch, and explained, "Since the beginning of winter, it's been so cold with wind and snow. Your hands are so cold and chapped that it hurts just looking at them. I applied ointment to your hands last night and bandaged them up. They'll heal quickly."
"It has to be bandaged!" interrupted Madam Pan, the chatterbox of old age. She leaned in closer and said, "It's warm in this room, and the chapped wounds are itchy. You keep scratching them in your sleep, and I can't wake you up, and I won't listen. Alas, there's nothing I can do but bandage them up."
Guo Honglei extended his palm forward, a smile in his eyes, raised his eyebrows and asked: "How can I drink water and eat when it's wrapped like this?"
Jiang Yushu's mind turned quietly. She scooped a spoonful of porridge and tentatively fed it to him. She asked seriously, "I bandaged it. I'll feed you! How about it?"
Guo Honglei frowned and took a sip, then immediately urged: "I won't give in when I'm awake. Untie it quickly. It's inconvenient to move with my hands tied."
Very good, he doesn't like it no matter who feeds him.
After all, he is not a child, but a grown man. It is indeed embarrassing for him to just open his mouth and wait for food to come.
Jiang Yushu was secretly satisfied. Without saying anything, she put down her bowl of porridge and helped to untie it. "I'll apply the medicine again later."
"Whatever you want." Guo Honglei breathed a sigh of relief and insisted on getting off the bed. No one could stop him. After washing up, he paced around the room. When he walked towards the door, he heard someone behind him say:
"The porridge is cold, drink it quickly, you have to take medicine later."
Guo Honglei turned around as he was told. "You haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Bring it over."
"No hurry, I'll eat later." The patient was awake and getting better. Jiang Yushu was in high spirits and reminded him, "It's snowing heavily outside. You should rest patiently for a few days and go out again after you recover."
Guo Honglei raised an eyebrow, remaining noncommittal. He had been strictly disciplined by his father and teachers since childhood, and his manners were elegant and composed. He sat upright at his meal, his face gradually turning red, fading from its paleness.
At this time, Xiao Tao had already retreated to the door, watching quietly, feeling sad, and thinking gloomily: The man is talented and the woman is beautiful, relying on each other and sharing hardships, they are a perfect match.
The Second Young Master was usually quiet and expressionless, which made the servants afraid to neglect him or be presumptuous. But when he was with his wife, his demeanor changed... I finally understood. It turned out that he could also be humorous and joking, but he just didn't show it to outsiders.
They were a married couple, legitimate, and me? I was nothing.
Xiao Tao felt bitter in her heart and quietly left when no one was paying attention.
“Second brother!”
After Guo Hongzhe finished his discussion with the doctor, he eagerly approached, eager to ask, "I heard from Lin Qin that during the Beiqie's surprise attack a while ago, you beheaded the enemy general. It must have been very dangerous! Could you tell me more about it? I'd love to learn more."
Jiang Yushu hadn't asked yet, and asked in surprise: "Really? Congratulations!"
"It's nothing, just luck." Guo Honglei was still feeling dizzy, but he couldn't lie down any longer. He pushed the window open and looked out: the cold air was blowing in his face, the sky was dark, heavy snow was falling, the north wind was sweeping across the village, and four war horses were neighing in the stable.
"There are so many martial arts masters in the army. Anyone who can behead an enemy must have extraordinary skills. How can it be just 'luck'? I don't believe it." Guo Hongzhe followed his brother, extremely curious, and kept begging, "Brother, just tell me, I really want to know."
Guo Honglei gazed out the window, his eyes calm as he spoke gently, "The battlefield is indeed teeming with talented individuals, but I was the one who spotted and killed the enemy general. A certain amount of that was due to luck. Besides, the bloodshed involved in the charge is worth noting."
"What happened! Brother, I want to hear the whole story. It's a feast for my ears." Guo Hongzhe was determined to get to the bottom of it, pestering his brother and repeatedly urging him, "Can't you just give me a brief account? I'm not afraid of bloodshed, just tell me."
Guo Honglei smiled, admired the snow scene for a while, closed the window and turned around. Just as he was about to speak, he saw that only the two brothers were left in the room. He was startled and asked in surprise, "Where is your sister-in-law?"
"Oh, she went out for breakfast and asked me to chat with you to relieve your boredom." Guo Hongzhe pushed his brother to sit behind the desk.
Guo Honglei frowned, sat down and asked, "Why didn't I hear her speak?"
"She left quietly, fearing to disturb your enjoyment of the snow." Guo Hongzhe was full of energy. He rolled up his sleeves, first taking out a few letters from home, then holding out a large stack of manuscripts as if presenting a treasure. He said excitedly, "My sister-in-law told you to be patient and rest while you recover from your injuries and illness. First read the letters, then look at the manuscripts. After that, I'll help polish them and write the preface!"
Guo Honglei had no choice but to calm down, picked up the letter from home and flipped through it briefly, then took out a manuscript to examine it, smiled, and said slowly: "Well, I'll take a look at the letter from home first."
"We'll watch and talk at the same time." Guo Hongzhe moved a chair closer and said earnestly, "If I can't enjoy this wonderful auditory feast today, I won't be able to sleep or eat."
Guo Honglei laughed dumbly and compromised, "Alright. I'll give you a brief overview then."
Meanwhile, in the main room
Jiang Yushu had just finished her breakfast and taken a sip of water when the village head and his wife arrived. She smiled and said, "You're welcome. Sit down and have some tea."
"Hey." The village head's wife, familiar with each other, was no longer as reserved as before. She pulled her husband to sit down and asked with concern, "I heard from Sanping that your family members were injured. Is everything okay?"
Jiang Yushu avoided the main point and nodded, "They are recuperating. Thank you for your concern."
The couple nodded, their faces sympathetic. The village head, cupped in tea, vaguely overheard the Guo brothers chatting in the main room. He lowered his voice and sighed, "We were originally a fishing village, living off the water. For a long time, we relied on fishing. But then bandits started appearing on the rivers, and the government was slow to eradicate them. Our ancestors couldn't fish anymore, so they had no choice but to learn farming."
The village head's wife sighed and continued, "Before the war, there were over 400 households in the village. Now most have fled, leaving less than 200."
Jiang Yushu sat at the head of the table, leaned forward slightly, and asked seriously, "I wonder how many of these families are suitable for growing potatoes?"
"I've been running around a lot lately, discussing things over and over again, and now I've picked out 120 households! Of course, as per County Magistrate Liu's instructions, you'll be in charge of all farming matters." As he spoke, he handed over a list and explained, "This is the list I asked Brother Zhou Yan to help write. Please take a look. If you think any household is not suitable, please let me know!"
Jiang Yushu took the list and was quite surprised. As she read it, she praised it, "The names, population, able-bodied men, and the number of acres of land are all clearly shown. It's very detailed. Thank you for your hard work."
"Why should I worry about it? It's about next year's food supply. I'm just busy with my own affairs. It's not hard at all." Liu Sanping, wearing an old cotton-padded jacket, hunched his neck, his hands folded in his sleeves, and said gratefully, "The government is so kind and gracious. When next summer comes, we'll be allowed to keep 35% of the harvest and be exempt from taxes. Oh, this is a great blessing!"
The village head's wife was full of anticipation and excitement. She planned, "When spring comes next year, each household will plant three or four acres of potatoes. Based on this winter's harvest, we estimate that we can get two thousand kilograms of grain!"
Thirty-five percent, no tax, will make the villagers grateful.
Jiang Yushu was overwhelmed with emotions, unsure of what to think. She was momentarily speechless. She gathered herself and kindly explained, "Liu Village has been plagued by war for years. The imperial court has a long-standing practice of exempting areas from rent and taxes. Actually, the county government is borrowing the village's farmland and hiring people to cultivate it. Thirty-five percent of the harvest serves as both compensation and relief."
"It's a rare gift, so rare! We have no way to repay you, so we must work hard on the farm!" Liu Sanping was very satisfied and solemnly stated: "If anyone dares to be careless and not take good care of the crops, the villagers will not forgive him!"
Jiang Yushu shouldered her responsibilities, spoke frankly, and gave a serious instruction: "Although we tried planting a season this year and had a small harvest, new grain is still new, and no one has fully understood it yet. Therefore, during next year's spring plowing, I implore everyone not to act on their own. The government will not allow precious grain to be wasted."
"Don't worry, we've already agreed. Next spring, just like this summer, we'll follow your instructions from planting to harvesting!" Liu Sanping sniffed and said with a simple smile, "Well, we're still unsure, and no one dares to act rashly. What if the crops are ruined? Wouldn't that be terrible? Hehe, the villagers are afraid of making mistakes, so they're eager for you to teach them carefully from beginning to end."
Jiang Yushu said cheerfully, "The government has issued an order. Since I've accepted the task, how dare I not do my best? Let's work together and earn a good harvest!"
"right!"
"Well, everyone in the village is looking forward to a good harvest." The headman and his wife nodded repeatedly.
In the main room
Guo Honglei didn't show up to interrupt. He listened attentively for a while and sighed, "Nothing is easy in this world. It's really hard for her."
"Don't worry, my sister-in-law is amazing and deeply respected by the villagers." Guo Hongzhe stretched and casually said, "When we went into the mountains to pick hazelnuts in October, she praised the delicious hazelnuts. The next day, several villagers brought us hazelnuts, dropped them off, and ran away. It was impossible to refuse, and they all competed to please our family."
Guo Honglei stared at the manuscript written by his wife, nodded slowly, and felt mixed emotions.
In the evening, the wind stopped, but the snow did not stop. The sky and the earth were covered with white, and the snow was getting deeper.
War horses neighed, sheep bleated, and half-grown puppies barked.
In the woodshed of the deserted house next to the Guo family, Jiang Yushu stared intently at the rabbit, frowning and asking, "Aren't you going to eat it?"
Three wild rabbits had their hind legs tied and were locked in a bamboo cage. They were busy eating hay and didn't even touch the purple stem meat.
@Unlimited good articles, all in Jinjiang Literature City
Jiang Yushu drew her dagger, cut off a small piece of the rhizome she had dug from the hillside, and tentatively placed it in front of the hare. The hare sniffed, turned around, and continued chewing the grass.
"Is this thing really poisonous? Or is it just not to the rabbit's taste?" She muttered to herself, thinking intently, wondering: Do I have to rely on force-feeding?
The next moment, there was a knock on the half-open door.
Xiao Tao stood outside the door, her eyes red, and she said in a trembling voice, "Young Madam, I have something important to report."
Jiang Yushu came back to her senses, and for a moment she was in a state of confusion. She dropped the dagger and stood up, asking in surprise: "What's the matter? Don't cry, just say it." @Infinite good articles, all in Jinjiang Literature City
Xiao Tao suddenly knelt on her knees, overwhelmed with shame, and choked with sobs, saying, "I am stupid and have been unable to help you. I am ashamed of your trust. I can't stay in Heqin any longer. Please send me to Changping County and replace me with someone smart and capable!"
"What did you say?" Jiang Yushu was stunned and couldn't believe it.
At this moment, Guo Honglei, who had grown impatient with lying in bed, was walking out of the courtyard and strolling towards the deserted house. He asked with great interest, "Oh? Even in the severe winter with all the snow, they didn't freeze to death?"
"No." Guo Hongzhe said cautiously, insisting on supporting his brother. "I check on it every day, and it's growing well. My sister-in-law said she just wanted to give it a try and think about it more."
Guo Honglei said happily, "That sounds very strange. If so, I must go and see it."
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Jiang Yushu: I was shocked...
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